The U.S. Congress asked the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to study the effects of using cell phones on U.S. planes as part of the 2012 FAA Reauthorization passed earlier this year. However, the agency said that the ultimate decision does not rest in their hands, but in those of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
“The FCC is responsible for regulating cell phone issues in the United States. Since 1991, the FCC has restricted the in-flight use of cell phones in U.S. airspace because of potential interference with ground networks,” FAA spokesperson Brie Sachse told POLITICO.
Sachse stressed the FAA is simply following an order from Congress. “In the 2012 reauthorization bill, Congress directed the FAA to complete a survey of foreign governments regarding the impact of in-flight cell phone use for voice communications in scheduled passenger service in countries where in-flight use of cell phones is currently allowed.”
The FAA released a draft study Sept. 5 that found foreign aviation authorities have permitted, in some cases, the use of cell phone stations aboard aircraft and that those organizations “reported no confirmed occurrences of cell phones affecting flight safety.”
Those aviation organizations, which range from regulators in Saudi Arabia to Malaysia to the United Kingdom, did note that some passengers quibbled with the price of airborne cell phone calls, and had trouble identifying which planes were or were not equipped with the ability to place cell phone calls through phone base stations.
Most of the 11 non-U.S. authorities the FAA queried have similar policies to the FAA, but some offer exemptions if it can be proven that the cell phone stations do not adversely affect ground networks. The study is now open for public comment and a final report on airborne cell phone use must be filed to congressional committees by Nov. 10.