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Article

Title: Your Call

Author: Staff Article Type: Product Analysis
Source: The Economist, v385 n8559 p76(1) Publication Date: Dec 15, 2007
  ISSN: 0013-0613
URL of Publication: http://www.economist.com

An increasing number of airlines are looking into the possibility of allowing passengers to use their cell phones during flights. Because there seems to be a huge rift in acceptance of this idea, with some people adamantly opposed and others strongly in favor, the airlines are taking cautious steps and are testing the market before deciding how and when to allow phones to be used in the air. The main reason why mobiles have so far been banned is not that they interfere with aircraft instruments but to avoid disruption of networks on the ground as lots of handsets pass overhead at high speed. Although the Federal Communications Commission decided that the in-flight use of mobile phones would not be permitted in the United States, new systems get around this problem and voice calling will be allowed in other parts of the world. JetBlue launched a free but limited Wi-Fi data service on one of its Airbus A320 aircraft, in partnership with Yahoo! and Research in Motion, makers of the BlackBerry. Passengers can use Yahoo!'s mail and instant-messaging services or get their email on their BlackBerrys. Air France will begin allowing mobile-data access and text messaging on an Airbus A318, and then switch on the voice service after three months. They plan on giving questionnaires to every passenger to see what the reaction is before making the decision to equip more aircraft.

Companies:
European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co (EADS NV) Research In Motion Ltd (RIM)
Yahoo! Inc

Products:
Airbus BlackBerry

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