The Wall Street Journal reported that airplane WiFi contractor AirCell will block voice calls over the Internet.
But pilots, flight attendants and air marshals, WILL be allowed to make VoIP over AirCell’s in-cabin WiFi — as long as these calls concern scheduling, safety and security issues, says Rush Shaw.
The FCC has banned cell phone use in airplanes. But Voice over WiFi isn’t cellular service. It’s WiFi. The FCC worries that regular cellphones may cause havoc with terrestrial cellular towers because a single user can “see” literally dozens of cell towers at once.
The FCC could reconsider the issue later “if appropriate technical data is available,” reports the Washington Post.
European airlines are gearing up to offer in-flight mobile phone service by the end of the year. OnAir, using Inmarsat, plans to launch GSM and GPRS mobile phone services on some European flights. Mobile OnAir will be available from mid-2007 on Airbus and Boeing aircraft fitted with OnAir’s mobile technology, at rates similar to current international roaming charges.
AirCell paid $31.3 million at an FCC auction last year to take over the 800 MHz frequencies once used for (wired) air-phone service from Verizon’s Airfone.
Aircell can be used for in-cabin WiFi (or Voice over WiFi). At some point, multiple Cabin Picocells, supporting CDMA and GSM voice communications for commercial cell phones may be offered (pending FCC approval).
AirCell is building out its network of 80 to 100 ground towers and talking to multiple airlines. No customers have been named yet. By early 2008, AirCell hopes its broadband service will enable airline passengers to use their own Wi-Fi devices, such as laptops and PDAs, through their air-to-ground link.
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