FCC nixes proposal that would allow phones on planes

The Federal Communications Commission officially grounded the idea of permitting cellphone calling on airplanes.
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin signaled two weeks ago the agency likely would terminate a proceeding to re-examine the airplane cellphone ban, citing concerns about the potential for interfering with wireless networks on land. The Federal Aviation Administration also prohibits passengers from making or receiving cellphone calls while airborne to protect against disruption to the aircraft’s navigation and communications systems.
The FCC said comments on whether to repeal the ban provided insufficient technical information on whether the use of cellphones onboard aircraft causes harmful interference. Moreover, the agency concluded it would be premature to seek further comment, since airlines, vendors and wireless carriers are still researching the use of mobile phones and other personal electronic devices onboard aircraft.
At the same time, the FCC said it might reconsider the issue later based on fresh technical data.