So, this story was on digg.com. The story says that the proof that cell phones disrupt an aircraft's navigation systems may not be true, but the FAA and the FCC are still investigating whether the technology is viable. I have no problem with that point.
The point that I have a problem with is what they left out: using a cell phone in flight triggers every cell tower near the plane, which being high up in the air stands to be a lot of cell towers. The article states that they tested some flights for cell calls and that on average there would be one to four calls per flight. One to four calls do not disrupt the cell network, but imagine if half of the people on the plane were placing calls, or using a data network (like EDGE). Add in multiple planes, and you have a recipe for increased power consumption, decreased reception, an increased number of dropped calls, and some people not being able to make a call. Until a better technology if found, cell phones on airplanes will probably stay on hold.
Technorati Tags: Airplanes, FCC, Mobile Telephony, FAA, Usability
No comments:
Post a Comment