FCC Still Opposes In-flight Cellphone Use

The Federal Communications Commission, still concerned about whether cellphone calls by aircraft passengers would interfere with the ground-based cell system, has dropped a longstanding proposal to relax the current ban. But this may not be the end of the story. So-called Wi-Fi smartphones for the consumer market are on the way, and unlike traditional cellphones, they use wireless Internet connections to route calls. While this may satisfy the FCC, manufacturers of smartphones would still have to prove to the FAA that the technology wouldn't interfere with aircraft electronics.