Cell Phone Silence Still Golden
Why's she's smiling...could it be a cell phone ban?
Q: When will cell phone use be allowed on planes?
— Deidre L.
A. Deidre, I dusted off your question (sorry for the delay) because I've been waiting for an answer myself. This week, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) released a statement that clarified its position on in-flight cell phone use.
One thing is for sure, there is very little middle ground in the debate on in-flight cell phone use. As a man who prefers communicating in person, online or through the technology of two tin cans and kite string, my cell phone love sign is in retrograde.
Cell phones certainly have their advantages (emergencies, accepting dinner invitations, and dialing-in to win something at a local radio station) but I would like to see their use on an airborne plane as it stands now: banned.
Deidre, I'm stalling, as I fear the news will make some grown men cry and others breathe a sigh of relief. It looks like in-flight cell phone use in the U.S. may be D.O.A. or at least on hold for now. Europe's another story.
The FCC, the commission that regulates such things, released a Memorandum Opinion and Order (Order) that terminated its proceeding on the examination of cellular phones on airplanes. Translation: the existing rule that requires cellular phones to be turned off once an aircraft leaves the ground will remain in place.
This doesn't mean it can't change, but for now the FCC is not pursuing a more liberal policy allowing in-flight cell phone use. My unofficial poll suggests that travelers are not too disappointed, many remarking that an aircraft cabin is peace and quiet's last frontier (crying babies notwithstanding).
On a side note, the cell phone ban does not stop here; there's the cell phone and car combo to consider. You may be interested in taking a look at a Web site that lists the rules regarding cell phone usage by country. Fines can range from $22 in Austria to $600 in Norway to $1000 in Poland. Silence may not only prove golden but cost effective in some locales.
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Comments
Thanks for the link to cell phone laws in the world. With a trip to Germany on the horizon, that was quite timely.
But when is the USA going to finally get smart & enforce a national ban on use w/o a hands free unit?!!!
Posted by: Jonna Clark | April 6, 2007 8:22 AM
THANK GOD!! is all I can say. Can you imagine being on a plane with 250 people and even half of them being on a cell phone for 2+ hours of a flight. I personally don't want to hear what is going on in everyone's life or business. Way to go FCC.
Posted by: Cynthia Jones | April 6, 2007 8:26 AM
Keep them banned. I can only imagine how much more miserable it will be to fly. It's already bad enough the flights are overcrowded, seats are too close together and people listen to their music at unreasonable levels.
Imagine a 5-hour flight from coast to coast listening to non-stop cell phone chatter. And don't forget, when on cell phones, people are completely oblivious to their surroundings and tend to talk several decibles louder than necessary.
Don't bother with the emergency comments either. If you are important enough where getting in touch with you at a moment's notice to solve a problem that will save the world, hundreds of lives, or a major corporation you probably won't be flying commercial and will have phones. As for finding out Aunt Betsy fell down the stairs again, whatcha gonna do about it at 30,000 feet besides irritate the people next to you saying "OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING!" Then sobbing uncontrollably all over the poor guy crammed into the middle seat.
As a user of public transportation, I have to listen to the chatter of people on their phones talking about nothing important. 99% of the convos I hear are 'killing time' conversations. Why? I believe society is becoming a place where people don't know how to act or feel comfortable in surroundings where they don't know other people so it is an adult version of a baby pacifier that makes them feel warm and cozy talking to someone they know.
Posted by: Eric | April 6, 2007 8:37 AM
I hope they keep them banned. I am waiting for other states to follow ny nj ct and ban them from cars while driving. people can live a short time without checking in at home or gossiping every minute
Posted by: beverly sigler | April 6, 2007 10:24 AM
"My unofficial poll suggests that travelers are not too disappointed, many remarking that an aircraft cabin is peace and quiet's last frontier ...".
You obviously haven't flown on Canadair or Airbus aircraft recently. The roar of the aircraft noise is not my idea of "peace and quiet". Now equipped with noise canceling headphones, the experience is almost tolerable.
Posted by: Bill | April 6, 2007 10:48 AM
I think that was a wonderful decision. I don't fly much, not yet anyway, and I don't want my safety jeopardized by the use of cell phones. We don't know whether cell phone frequencies will interfere with an aircrafts performance. Cell phone manufacturer's don't take that into consideration and I bet they don't test cell phones for such important issues. Can you imagine all passengers on their cells chatting away and causing interference with the plane. Not a pretty site! I'd rather be safe than sorry.
Posted by: Kadija M. | April 9, 2007 6:10 AM
I think the cell phone ban is a good idea. A more useful feature would be wireless internet access on planes. Any update on that being available any time soon?
Posted by: Tim R. | April 9, 2007 11:12 AM