tornado
15-04-2008, 12:31
http://www.airport-int.com/images/industrynews/Mobile%201B.jpgAir passengers on British aircraft will be allowed to make mobile phone calls on flights in European airspace.
The UK government's communication regulator, Ofcom, has approved plans that will allow airlines operating British-registered aircraft to offer in-flight mobile services.
The decision means passengers will be able to use mobile phones once an aircraft has reached an altitude of 3,000 feet.
Several airlines have already expressed an interest in offering in-flight mobile services.
However, a number of regulatory hurdles still have to be cleared before airlines will be in a position to offer the services to their passengers should they so desire.
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) will need to approve the hardware an airline would use for the services before installation - mainly to check whether it would interfere with critical electronic flight systems. The UK's aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), would also need to provide an airline with individual approval to operate the services. The CAA would need to be satisfied that airlines had developed satisfactory procedures to enable the technology to be used, and that they had trained their staff accordingly.
Mobile Phone Technology Improvements
The decision to allow in-flight mobile services follows recent significant improvements in mobile phone technology.
The Ofcom plan calls for small mobile phone transmitter stations, called pico cells, to be installed in aircraft. The pico cells would generate a "bubble" of mobile network coverage in and around the aircraft, with the calls made on the aircraft directed through the pico cell for transmission to terrestrial networks via satellite link.
Previously, in-flight mobile calls had been prohibited because it was believed that the strength of a phone handset's signal interfered with the aircraft's instrumentation. However, the pico cell reduces the strength of the signal - because the signal, rather than reaching a ground-based mast, only has to reach the transmitter installed on the aircraft itself.
The Ofcom plan calls for the pico cells/transmitters to be switched on by the cabin crew once the aircraft reaches 3,000 feet.
Initially, only second-generation mobile services would be offered, but Ofcom said there may be opportunity in the future to make provision for third-generation (3G) services, which most mobile phone users now use.
Airlines Interested By In-Flight Mobile Services
Several UK-based airlines are interested by the potential offered by in-flight mobile services. BMI British Midland, one of the UK's largest airline groups offering scheduled, regional and low-fare services, is apparently ready to begin trials onboard telephony systems that will enable passengers to make calls whilst in flight. The leading low-fare airline Ryanair is also said to be very interested in offering the technology for its passengers.
Some airlines, however, such as British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and easyJet, are said to be less enthusiastic about the idea.
Indeed, a BA spokesman said: "It would be necessary to take the views of our passengers into consideration. We would need to balance the convenience for those who do wish to make calls against those who want to be left in peace and quiet".
This view was echoed by the Air Transport Users Council, a consumer group, which said: "We would...hope that airlines would implement it sensitively taking into account the interests of passengers who don't want to use a mobile as well as those who do".
The Air Transport Users Council also said that it hoped, if airlines did introduce onboard mobile facilities, that they would be cost-effective for consumers. Further to this, Ofcom itself said that it would address any issues of "excessive charges" to passengers by airlines and mobile phone networks when services were launched.
Some overseas airlines already offer in-flight mobile services. The Dubai-based carrier Emirates last week introduced onboard mobile on its flights from Dubai to Casablanca, Morocco. Its equipment has been approved by EASA, which would allow the airline to introduce the services on routes in European airspace.
Air France-KLM has also received approval from EASA to use mobiles on selected flights.
Radio spectrum wavelengths across Europe have also already been reserved to allow airlines to use the technology.
Source - Airport International's Aviation Correspondent
Further Resources:
Products & Services -
Companies supplying Communications Security (http://www.airport-int.com/products-and-services/communication-security/)
Companies supplying Communications Systems (http://www.airport-int.com/products-and-services/communications-systems/)
More... (http://www.airport-int.com/news/2008/03/27/mobiles-allowed-on-european-air-flights)
The UK government's communication regulator, Ofcom, has approved plans that will allow airlines operating British-registered aircraft to offer in-flight mobile services.
The decision means passengers will be able to use mobile phones once an aircraft has reached an altitude of 3,000 feet.
Several airlines have already expressed an interest in offering in-flight mobile services.
However, a number of regulatory hurdles still have to be cleared before airlines will be in a position to offer the services to their passengers should they so desire.
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) will need to approve the hardware an airline would use for the services before installation - mainly to check whether it would interfere with critical electronic flight systems. The UK's aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), would also need to provide an airline with individual approval to operate the services. The CAA would need to be satisfied that airlines had developed satisfactory procedures to enable the technology to be used, and that they had trained their staff accordingly.
Mobile Phone Technology Improvements
The decision to allow in-flight mobile services follows recent significant improvements in mobile phone technology.
The Ofcom plan calls for small mobile phone transmitter stations, called pico cells, to be installed in aircraft. The pico cells would generate a "bubble" of mobile network coverage in and around the aircraft, with the calls made on the aircraft directed through the pico cell for transmission to terrestrial networks via satellite link.
Previously, in-flight mobile calls had been prohibited because it was believed that the strength of a phone handset's signal interfered with the aircraft's instrumentation. However, the pico cell reduces the strength of the signal - because the signal, rather than reaching a ground-based mast, only has to reach the transmitter installed on the aircraft itself.
The Ofcom plan calls for the pico cells/transmitters to be switched on by the cabin crew once the aircraft reaches 3,000 feet.
Initially, only second-generation mobile services would be offered, but Ofcom said there may be opportunity in the future to make provision for third-generation (3G) services, which most mobile phone users now use.
Airlines Interested By In-Flight Mobile Services
Several UK-based airlines are interested by the potential offered by in-flight mobile services. BMI British Midland, one of the UK's largest airline groups offering scheduled, regional and low-fare services, is apparently ready to begin trials onboard telephony systems that will enable passengers to make calls whilst in flight. The leading low-fare airline Ryanair is also said to be very interested in offering the technology for its passengers.
Some airlines, however, such as British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and easyJet, are said to be less enthusiastic about the idea.
Indeed, a BA spokesman said: "It would be necessary to take the views of our passengers into consideration. We would need to balance the convenience for those who do wish to make calls against those who want to be left in peace and quiet".
This view was echoed by the Air Transport Users Council, a consumer group, which said: "We would...hope that airlines would implement it sensitively taking into account the interests of passengers who don't want to use a mobile as well as those who do".
The Air Transport Users Council also said that it hoped, if airlines did introduce onboard mobile facilities, that they would be cost-effective for consumers. Further to this, Ofcom itself said that it would address any issues of "excessive charges" to passengers by airlines and mobile phone networks when services were launched.
Some overseas airlines already offer in-flight mobile services. The Dubai-based carrier Emirates last week introduced onboard mobile on its flights from Dubai to Casablanca, Morocco. Its equipment has been approved by EASA, which would allow the airline to introduce the services on routes in European airspace.
Air France-KLM has also received approval from EASA to use mobiles on selected flights.
Radio spectrum wavelengths across Europe have also already been reserved to allow airlines to use the technology.
Source - Airport International's Aviation Correspondent
Further Resources:
Products & Services -
Companies supplying Communications Security (http://www.airport-int.com/products-and-services/communication-security/)
Companies supplying Communications Systems (http://www.airport-int.com/products-and-services/communications-systems/)
More... (http://www.airport-int.com/news/2008/03/27/mobiles-allowed-on-european-air-flights)