Airborne Cell-Phone Ban Likely to Remain for Now
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Hopes -- and worries -- that U.S.  regulators will soon end the ban on using wireless phones  during U.S. commercial flights are likely at least a year or  two early, government officials and analysts say.
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Legislation to temporarily ban taxing Internet access is poised for approval this week after the US Senate approved the legislation and worked out wording acceptable to Congress.
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The FAA and the FCC are launching new reviews that could soon end the current ban on in-flight use. And not everyone is happy. Executives who need to be accessible 24 hours a day may soon lose their last bastion of privacy: flight time.
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Plane maker Airbus reported progress Wednesday in plans to enable passengers to use mobile phones in flight, beginning in 2006. Test equipment aboard an Airbus A320 plane demonstrated that mobile phones can
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Following an appeal from President George W. Bush on Monday, the U.S. Congress has granted a temporary extension to a controversial law that allows the government to conduct telephone surveillance on suspected terrorists.On Tuesday Congress voted to extend for 15 days The Protect America Act, which allows the U.S. National Security Agency to intercept phone calls and e-mail of suspected terrorists without first obtaining a court warrant. The act was due to expire Friday, but Bush called for its extension Monday during his final State of the Union address.The debate to extend the act was led by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat. His efforts to extend the act for 30 days began Monday; by late Tuesday, Congress decided on a 15-day extension by a voice vote. Some Democratic lawmakers were in favor of only a temporary extension because they wanted time to consider a more permanent measure.Bush and some Republican lawmakers were hoping for longer extension of the act, which also provides legal protection for telecommunications carriers that are cooperating with the NSA. Without protection, the carriers face privacy lawsuits from those under surveillance.The Protect America Act has been surrounded by controversy since Bush signed it in August. Congress is expected to continue debating whether to renew the act or to give carriers immunity from legal proceedings -- or compromise on some combination of both -- during the 15-day extension period.
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A ban on liquids in hand luggage on US-bound flights from the UK will remain despite Americans easing restrictions.
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The Motley Fool - If things keep going the way they are right now, soon there won't be any North American options available when the next developing market needs to install current-generation cell phone infrastructure.
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The US Federal Communications Commission has approved a plan to allow airlines to offer in-flight wireless data service, although it may be some time before such service becomes commercially available.
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Federal regulators have proposed allowing cell phones to be used on airplanes, and took steps toward bringing high-speed wireless Internet connections to passengers&#39; seats.
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Jens F. Laurson and George A. Pieler explain why cell phone roaming charges in Europe remain stuck in the stratosphere.
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Hopes -- and worries -- that US regulators will soon end the ban on using wireless phones during US commercial flights are likely at least a year or two early, government officials and analysts say.
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Your mobile phone may be one of the last  spots around that's relatively free of advertising -- but not  for long.
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Â· Study finds no danger for adults over shorter period Â· Advice to ban mobiles for children under eight holds
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California on Friday banned motorists from talking on cell phones unless they use a headset or speakerphone, although the law will not take effect until July 1, 2008, to allow time to educate the public.
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Federal regulators plan to vote Wednesday whether to allow air travelers wireless high-speed Internet access. And they plan to talk about, without a vote, whether to end the cell phone ban.
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Air France launched a commercial trial of an onboard cell phone service, but in a limited fashion that avoids a controversial aspect.Travelers on certain Air France planes on European routes can send and receive short messages and, provided their phones support Internet access, send and receive e-mails.Initially, travelers won&#39;t be able to make or receive voice calls. That limitation skirts an important issue: whether cell phone talkers will annoy nearby passengers.However, in about three months, Air France does plan to allow voice calls, but said it will regulate the service &quot;to maintain passengers&#39; comfort and well-being.&quot; It did not explain how it might do that.Onboard calls and messages are routed through a small cellular base station inside the plane. From there, messages are transmitted over satellite to the ground and then on to the telephone network. The service is supplied by OnAir, a company part owned by airplane maker Airbus.To use their phones, passengers must dial as if they&#39;re making an international call. Air France did not say how much each message would cost for users but said the price is comparable to traditional mobile phone use.The planes come equipped with a new illuminated sign that instructs passengers when to keep their phones off. Travelers can send and receive messages only when the plane rises above 10,000 feet.Tips for using the service will be explained on a leaflet in seat pockets, Air France said. In addition, users will be able to fill out a survey about their experiences using it. After six months, Air France will consider whether to launch the service on all of its flights.Airlines and regulators worldwide have been considering onboard cell phone use for years. Some regulators, including the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, have banned mobile phone use on airplanes. The European Union, however, has approved the idea, and various national regulators there have begun to allow it. Airlines in other regions, like the Australian operator Qantas, are also conducting more limited tests of the service.JetBlue, Yahoo, and Research In Motion recently launched a service on one airplane in the U.S. that allows users to send and receive e-mail from BlackBerry phones, Wi-Fi smartphones, and laptops. However, the service uses an onboard Wi-Fi network instead of cellular phone technology.
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U.S. airline travelers may be able  to use their mobile telephones as well as get high-speed  Internet service while in the air under plans launched by U.S.  communications regulators on Wednesday.