DaveC wrote:

Cell phone usage is restricted on all domestic commercial flights by the FAA,
so the flight attendant keeps telling me.

I seem to recall that this wasn't so, early in cellular history. Weren't we
able to use cell phones on flights, long ago?

Is cell phone usage also restricted on private jets, etc. for similar
reasons?

So my question... what is the technical reason for restriction of cell phone
us on commercial flights? Is this reason valid, technically? Or is it simply
an excuse to force anyone who needs to make a call to use the airline's
on-board phones (and pay their outrageous rates)?

The origin of the ban was due to concerns about cellphone transmissions
interfering with onboard avionics. This is more likely to be a concern with older
a/c. There is no hard data that I know of that substantiates the concern. There
is some anecdotal evidence of interference though.

As another poster has mentioned, cellphones don't work well at altitude.

Both Boeing and Airbus are now working on systems to enable airborne use of
cellphones.


Graham