[safisoft]

I laugh everytime I read one of these whinning pieces about cell phones in aircraft. The simply truth is, they will only work for about 5 minutes before landing or about 3 minutes after takeoff.

Next time you fly, turn your cell phone on you moron - see? No signal. Sheesh.

[tellw]

Given the uncertainty of safety of these devices, their ability to work in the 5 minutes after takeoff and 5 minutes before landing is no comfort.

[null and void]

I laugh everytime I read one of these whinning pieces about cell phones in aircraft. The simply truth is, they will only work for about 5 minutes before landing or about 3 minutes after takeoff.

Next time you fly, turn your cell phone on you moron - see? No signal. Sheesh.

I've noted the same thing.

How did all those calls come from FLT 93?

[jiggyboy]

I laugh everytime I read one of these whinning pieces about cell phones in aircraft. The simply truth is, they will only work for about 5 minutes before landing or about 3 minutes after takeoff.

What makes this debate possible is that the airlines want to put their own cell antenna on the plane to make it possible for the entire flight.

[LiberationIT]

The plan includes putting a small base station on board that communicates to the ground. See http://money.cnn.com/2004/12/09/technology/personaltech/cellphones_inflight/ for more.

The money quote "In July, American Airlines and cell phone maker Qualcomm held a demonstration in which in-cabin calls were made using commercially available cell phones through a small cellular base on board that connected to worldwide terrestrial phone networks."

[Petronski]

You shouldn't call others "moron" while you are laboring under your own mistake of fact.

The proposal is to put gear onboard planes that will permit cellphones to work normally at any altitude.