Providers Say Signals Would Cause Interference; Pax Protest Noise

In a rare win for common courtesy, it appears likely the Federal Communications Commission will end its investigation into whether cell phones can be used safely on airplanes while inflight.

The IDG News service reports ground-based wireless signal carriers are concerned cell phone signals from overhead could interfere with their towers, most of which aren't set up to look for signals from above. But the groundswell of reaction from irate passengers, who don't want to suffer through yet another intolerable condition when packed onto crowded airliners, was a strong factor in the debate, as well.

"We are currently experiencing an extreme loss of civility in our country, and cell phones are part of the problem," said one Washington woman in an e-mail to the FCC last year. "Air travel is painful enough without having to listen to one or more cell phone conversations while you're a captive audience."

The commission also cited a letter from a Virginia man, who called the idea of cell phones contributing to the already high noise levels in most airliner cabins "absurd."

On Thursday, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said he would ask other commissioners to keep the ban in place. The other commissioners are now reviewing Martin's proposal calling for the end to the investigation, which began in December 2004.

FMI: www.fcc.gov