FCC Chairman just shot down proposal to allow voice calls, in-flight

Back in 2013, a proposal made by the United Stated Federal Communications Commission would set out to lift the ban of using a phone to make phone calls during a flight. The proposal came from the Department of Transportation and would make it up to each airline to decide if they should allow passengers to make these calls. Passengers would have to be notified they were buying a ticket for a flight that allowed in-flight voice calling.

Today, a Statement was released by US FCC Chairman, Ajit Pai, which directly addressed the 2013 proposal:

I stand with airline pilots, flight attendants, and America’s flying public against the FCC’s ill-conceived 2013 plan to allow people to make cellphone calls on planes. I do not believe that moving forward with this plan is in the public interest…

The statement is, well, just a statement. It doesn’t revoke the proposal, but it shows grandiose disapproval of its possible outcome.

Today, it is still impossible to make cellular calls from an aircraft, simply because the signal from the tower doesn’t reach high enough. As more flights provide Wi-Fi connectivity for their passengers, it is now (technically) possible to make a phone call from 30,000 feet, one that’s routed through Wi-Fi. The thing is, despite it not being allowed, it’s a huge discourtesy to those around who just don’t want to hear about that cheesy-bacon-salad recipe you saw on Pinterest.

What are your thoughts on smartphone usage during flight?

Source | Via