Brits don't want in-flight calling
Er, too late, probably. Sorry
A new survey reveals that the majority of Brits don't want regulations on in-flight calling relaxed... a shame since those regulations were relaxed more than two years ago.
Online store Mobile Phone Expert asked more than 1500 people if they "welcomed the change in legislation that allows passengers to use their mobile phones". Almost half reckoned that in-flight calling would disturb their journey, though 34 per cent agreed that "it was about time regulation was relaxed".
A strange sentiment when the regulations on in-flight calling were published by Ofcom in March 2008, with the service being demonstrated by Air France a month later. The inability to make calls while in the air is now a commercial issue, not a regulatory one.
To get a mobile working the aircraft must be fitted with a femtocell (a tiny base station), and a satellite uplink to carry the calls. The femtocell also has to be a particularly smart one to keep status updates to a minimum, as every time the handset registers with the network it costs the airline money. That's expensive, and while some airlines are slowly rolling the technology into their aircraft others are holding back until they see some demand.
Data services are easier to provide: no unchargeable registration to worry about with Wi-Fi. Lots of flights (particularly in the USA) provide Wi-Fi access from the plane - at a price of course.
But Mobile Phone Expert is concerned that 58 per cent of the over 35s don't want in-flight calling, and that "this small change to the rules could have a huge impact on an airline’s business". We're not convinced that Ofcom sees its extensive consultations and statements on the subject as a "small change", but we're not convinced that Mobile Phone Expert is all that expert either. ®
COMMENTS
Flying calls?
If one's staff are so inept that they can't cope for the few hours while one is out of contact due to a flight, then one has hired the wrong people or failed to train them adequately. What do they do when one is asleep? Or on holiday? Or ill?
And if the answer is "Well, I'm big and important and I am the only one who can make decisions. Plus it makes me look big and important to the plebians." then...[slow clap] you have just gone and made yourself a single point of failure. Way to go.
We don't need "always on", all we need is a little bit of fore-thought. Proactive, not reactive.
The seemingly parentless kids are noise enough, thank you
As someone who takes at least one long haul trip each month I can attest to the fact there are already enough noise generators on board what with all those seemingly abandoned children who derive some sort of pleasure from running up and down the aisles, screaming awakening sleeping passengers, knocking arms whose attached hand is often carrying a glass filled with liquid and causing the long suffering cabin crew additional hassles during trolley service.
Then someones sweethearts discover the light and call buttons to complete the cabin crews work days.
I have seemingly developed quite an effective 'angry stare' technique that gives all but the most reckless child second thoughts on passing my seat. In the event this fails, my feet are equally adept at causing little Johnny to trip with similar effect.
If an adult passenger made proportionately as much noise as these unruly kids they would be restrained and confined to their seats.
All we need in the cabin, to go along with those little bastards who make a habit of hanging over the back of the seat in front of you are a bunch of adults shouting in to cell phones describing the cloud formations the aircraft is passing.
Cell communications should be limited text messaging only and the femto cell emitting a 'vibrate only' instruction to further minimise additional sounds.
The only relief we can expect is that the charges will be so high that only the expense sheet gang in Business or First classes will be persuaded to call.
Better signal
Wouldn't the phone users get a better signal if they went outside?
Lead by example :\
"Little bastards who hang over the seat in front..." etc? Anyone who made those noises in front of a kid of mine would end up enjoying his executive mini-scotch bottle as an enema.
Nice - your attitude probably explains why your child would be singled out for misbehaving. Little Johnny's behaviour is only 'cute' or 'inquisitive' to the parents. He is not special, he is not a beautiful or unique snowflake. He's the same decaying organic matter as everything else.
If you can't keep your kids under control and keep them behaving like civilised memebrs of society they are either too young to be in that situation or you fail as a parent. But why not have a pop at someone else about it. After all, it couldn't be your fault your kid is an annoying little twat now could it?
As if flying wasn't unpleasant enough!
Just what you need on a long haul flight, some £$&*! having a loud conversation on his mobile....
Actually, rather than fitting this device to the planes, can't they fit a device to trains and busses that jams the signal instead?
