Communications regulator Ofcom has confirmed plans to allow passengers on UK-registered aircraft to use their mobile phones while in flight in European airspace.
A spokesman for Ofcom explained:
"The system works by passengers’ own mobile phone handsets connecting to an on-board base station. Both of these must be switched off during take-off and landing to ensure they do not interfere with mobile networks on the ground.
“Once the aircraft reaches a minimum height of 3,000 metres, the system may be switched on by the cabin crew. Mobile handsets will then be able to use the aircraft’s network service to make and receive calls which will be routed via a satellite link to the network on the ground. Calls will be billed through passengers’ normal service providers.”
Ofcom say the new mobile systems will only be installed once they have secured approval from the European Aviation Safety Agency and the Civil Aviation Authority in the UK. It will then be left to individual airlines to judge whether there is consumer demand for these services on their flights.
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