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General Discussion => Essentially Flyertalk => Topic started by: Trim on February 22, 2014, 09:44:23 AM

Title: cellphone calls on planes
Post by: Trim on February 22, 2014, 09:44:23 AM
If luke'd, move to appropriate thread.

http://news.yahoo.com/cellphone-calls-planes-don-39-t-ask-feds-192327690--finance.html

Do cell phones get enough service during flights to even make calls?

If so, isn't the obvious solution to allow texting via cell service but not calls?
Title: Re: cellphone calls on planes
Post by: Skipper44 on February 22, 2014, 09:59:32 AM
Almost anyone can text over WiFi now
Title: Re: cellphone calls on planes
Post by: Trim on February 22, 2014, 10:04:31 AM
Almost anyone can text over WiFi now

If the plane has wifi and if they buy it.

So the airlines' true motivation is to block "calling" which would also block texting and force people to keep buying wifi?
Title: Re: cellphone calls on planes
Post by: steve dave on February 22, 2014, 10:13:33 AM
I think the main motivation is I don't want to listen to all these fuckheads talk on the phone the entire flight
Title: Re: cellphone calls on planes
Post by: Dugout DickStone on February 22, 2014, 10:18:37 AM
I think the main motivation is I don't want to listen to all these fuckheads talk on the phone the entire flight

This is obviously the reason. 
Title: Re: cellphone calls on planes
Post by: Trim on February 22, 2014, 10:28:00 AM
I think the main motivation is I don't want to listen to all these fuckheads talk on the phone the entire flight

This is obviously the reason. 

Great.  So is it even possible to make a call from 30K feet, and if so why not ban calling but allow everything else one can do with cell service?
Title: Re: cellphone calls on planes
Post by: GoodForAnother on February 22, 2014, 04:33:08 PM
No you wouldn't be able to make a call from 30k feet.  The cell phone towers aren't pointed straight up, they're pointed out and downwards to maximize ground coverage.  An airline could install a small "tower" in their planes and route calls over the radio and/or satellite that they use for wifi connectivity.

Hopefully it never happens because I can't stand the idea of a bunch of poors on planes making calls and screaming into their phones.  I also hope fuel and airline fares continue to rise so that I don't have to deal with so many poors in general.
Title: Re: cellphone calls on planes
Post by: ChiComCat on February 22, 2014, 05:31:03 PM
I heard that cell phones constantly trying to find and switch to different towers at that speed would kill their battery pretty quick
Title: Re: cellphone calls on planes
Post by: star seed 7 on February 22, 2014, 09:25:12 PM
I heard that cell phones constantly trying to find and switch to different towers at that speed would kill their battery pretty quick

yes they do
Title: Re: cellphone calls on planes
Post by: Mikeyis4dcats on February 23, 2014, 10:29:22 AM
cell use is allowed internationally, but the high cost ($3-5/min) generally reduces it's use.    Airlines would sell the access just like airphones/wifi.
Title: Re: cellphone calls on planes
Post by: Trim on February 23, 2014, 10:46:18 AM
No you wouldn't be able to make a call from 30k feet.  The cell phone towers aren't pointed straight up, they're pointed out and downwards to maximize ground coverage.  An airline could install a small "tower" in their planes and route calls over the radio and/or satellite that they use for wifi connectivity.

Airlines should do this as an alternative or additional option to wifi, and people should be banned from talking on the phone during the flight.