Group rallies to allow cellphone use on planes

A coalition of electronics manufacturers, phone service providers and consumer groups is trying to rally airline passengers this week to stop Congress from banning air-to-ground phone service. The group says that airline passengers in the USA should have the option of using technology that's available to them to talk while flying just as passengers in 72 other countries can. Most consumers "want the choice of being able to use this technology," says leader Carl Biersack, head of the Inflight Passenger Communication Coalition that's trying to rally passengers. Passengers, he says, should be able to "call home and say, 'I'm going to be an hour late,' to call the office and give some brief instructions, or to call and get the test results from an ill family member."