Passengers could be allowed to use personal devices at lowest power settings controlled by 'pico cell' on the aircraft
US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) officials have proposed a relaxation of the ban on in-flight cellular telephone use.
The agency in mid-December announced its interest in loosening the ban and last week took the plan further, releasing a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) and saying its "ultimate objective is to allow consumers to use their own wireless devices during flight".
FCC regulations require that cellular handsets be turned off once an aircraft leaves the ground to avoid interfering with terrestrial cellular systems. The US Federal Aviation Administration also restricts the use of mobile telephones and other portable electronic devices (PED) on aircraft to ensure against interference with on-board communications and navigation equipment.
The FCC's new NPRM proposes permitting the airborne operation of "off-the-shelf" wireless handsets and other devices. These could be used as long as they operate at their lowest power setting under control of a "pico cell" located on the aircraft, and the operation does not allow unwanted radio-frequency emissions to interfere with terrestrial cellular systems, says the FCC.
The agency points out that the successful use of multiple CDMA mobile telephones on board an airborne aircraft was shown in the Qualcomm proof-of-concept demonstration conducted in July 2004 on an American Airlines Boeing MD-80 circling over Dallas, Texas. Another example, says the FCC, includes successful in-flight tests by Arinc and Telenor that allowed the use of standard GSM handsets linked to an onboard pico cell.
GSM mobile telephones are standard in Europe, whereas CDMA is more widely used in the USA.
Despite these successes, the FCC cautions that any steps it takes with respect to the use of cellular and other wireless devices aboard aircraft would be subject to the policies of the FAA and aircraft operators.
The FCC says it does not want its proceedings "to affect ongoing efforts by the FAA to examine its own rules and policies on this subject". It wants to co-ordinate with the FAA "to ensure FCC rules and policies complement the FAA's efforts and address issues unique to wireless service providers", which are subject to the FCC's regulatory jurisdiction.
MARY KIRBY / Washington DC
Source: Flight International
