Avionics
Arinc, Telenor announce ‘mobile in the sky’ plan
Will passengers flying on business jets and airliners really ever be able to use their personal cellphones to make and receive calls in flight? There is ev

Will passengers flying on business jets and airliners really ever be able to use their personal cellphones to make and receive calls in flight? There is evidence that such services are closer than most people imagined, thanks to new levels of cooperation between a handful of high-tech companies and an apparent willingness on the part of regulatory authorities to let passengers keep their cellphones on even after the aircraft has left the ground.

Arinc and Norway-based Telenor will soon start marketing new technology allowing airline passengers to use personal GSM mobile phones aboard commercial flights. The concept would use Inmarsat satellites to route mobile calls and would be brought to business aviation at some point in the near future–perhaps even before the airlines start using it.