Ofcom Signs Off On Inflight Mobile Calls

The trend towards inflight cellular phone usage is creeping ever-closer towards US shores. The use of mobile phones on planes flying in European airspace has been given approval by Ofcom, a regulator in the UK.

Airlines will soon be able to offer mobile services on UK-registered aircraft, useable once a plane has reached an altitude of 3,000m or more -- or about 9,000 feet.

There will be other hurdles to jump. The European Aviation Safety Agency needs to approve any hardware installed in aircraft. The UK's Civil Aviation Authority says airlines would need to develop operating procedures to ensure cabin crew were trained in the proper use of the systems.

If you're an American, already fed up with the intrusion of rude cellphone callers into every other space in your like, you have no worries so far. The systems proposed will use miniature cell sites on the planes themselves, and may only function within European airspace.

But there are signs the trend is spreading.

As ANN reported, Dubai-based Emirates announced last month it was the first airline in the world to commercially launch an inflight mobile telephone service, on one of its Airbus A340-600s. Other planes will be outfitted with the system soon.

FMI: www.ofcom.org.uk