Originally published June 22 2005
Systems allowing cell phone use on airplanes take another step forward
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Despite obstacles such as worries about noise pollution and passenger stress, Ericsson has taken use of cell phones on airplanes one step further when they announced two on-board cellular systems scheduled for release by the end of the year, reports PC World..
Ericsson says it will have an onboard GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) base station available by the end of the year.
Also this week, an in-flight cellular system from the AeroMobile partnership was exhibited on a new model of Boeing's 777 airliner at the Paris Air Show.
Mobile technology vendors are lining up to serve what could be a huge market--the International Commercial Aviation Organization counted almost 1.9 billion airline passengers last year--but regulatory hurdles remain, along with concern over the possible social fallout from passengers being allowed to talk in a crowded airliner cabin.
Cell phone use on airliners has not been allowed because of possible interference with the plane's navigation system as well as with the ground-based cell network.
Stockholm-based Ericsson took its existing RBS 2000 family base station design, reduced its size and weight and introduced the RBS 2708, according to Ericsson spokesperson Peter Olofsson.
As many as 60 passengers could make or receive calls at one time on the base station, which uses a satellite uplink to connect to the land-based phone network.
It works on the 1800-MHz frequency and supports GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) and EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution) data networks.
AeroMobile, formed by Arinc and Norwegian carrier Telenor, showed off a cell system that can use the existing Inmarsat satellite communications systems in most long-haul planes as an uplink, according to an AeroMobile news release.
All GPRS and EDGE data services as well as text messaging would also be available, though delays inherent in the satellite uplink cause GPRS to work more slowly than usual, according to Olofsson.
For one thing, the U.S. Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigation reportedly expressed concern recently about terrorists using cell phones to plan attacks or set off bombs on planes.
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