>> But, it requires a continuous link from the "tower" in the plane to a
>> ground station through which calls are routed.
>> Technically, I think the system is a good idea and it solves pretty
>> much all of the technical issues that make cell phone use in planes a
>> bad idea. Socially, I think it's terrible and the only good thing
>> about being on an airliner is being free of people yammering on
>> cellphones. But technical solutions to social problems never work.
> But this situation would at least hold the possibility of a compromise
> solution in which the "tower" is only turned on for, say, 30 minutes
> out of every 4 hours, or turned off during sleeping periods, or . . .
I don't think cellphone-using passengers would stand for this. Because there is no technical reason not to allow cellphone use once the system is installed, people will demand that it be permitted. Their calls are so important, you see. More important than the sleep of others.
How about a couple of "phone-booth" seats back by the lavatories, with
> a per-minute use charge? (which could in fact be collected
> automatically by a surcharge that's not paid on the spot, but goes on
> the caller or callee's phone bill for the call)
That's effectively what we have with Airfone. Some seats, not all, equipped with handsets. I think Airfone is a fine idea and eliminates the real need for cellphones on planes. But others disagree.
Scott
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."