We’ve been hearing a lot about all the data service offerings that will allow airline passengers to get their data-fix while in-flight, so it’s refreshing to here of some developments regarding in-flight voice calls. Following on Norwegian Air’s plan to offer in-flight voice calls and internet services through its Call Norwegian venture, the Office of Communications (OfCom, the UK equivalent to the US FCC) has announced that it will allow lofty voice calls from UK-registered airplanes later this year. The OfCom decision is still pending European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). OfCom says that the approval was granted in cooperation with other EU countries and will eventually allow in-flight cellphone calls throughout the EU.
The UK plan allows airline passengers to make in-flight mobile phone calls with their cellphone. The signal will be routed through an on-board cellular base station (ensuring that no communication between handset and ground base stations interfere with a plane’s avionics), and wireless minutes will be billed as usual through the passenger’s wireless operator. Incoming and outgoing calls can be made once the plane reaches a minimum altitude of 3,000 feet, and calls will be prohibited during take-off and landing procedures.
“The safety of passengers is paramount and mobile systems on aircraft will only be installed when they have secured approval by the European Aviation Safety Agency and the Civil Aviation Authority in the UK,” Ofcom said.
So, where does the US stand on in-flight wireless calling? It stands on the other side of the room from OfCom and the EU – like some pre-pubescent boy scared of the EU’s, shall we say, blossoming, wireless policies. The FCC and FAA have ruled that in-flight wireless calling is prohibited over US airspace, making for a bleak outlook on traditional in-flight cellular calls. At those of use outside the EU we’ll have some in-flight data. Let’s just hope that Aircell and the like don’t restrict VoIP access through their data services.
[Via: Bloomberg]