FCC’s Role in Expanding Inflight Mobile Wireless Services

The Federal Communications Commission’s proposal on inflight mobile wireless services on airplanes is consistent with the FCC’s role as an expert agency. We would like to offer additional information about why the FCC is taking this action now and provide a little more insight into what the proposal entails.

As the expert agency on communications, it is the FCC’s role to re-examine our rules in light of new technology and to eliminate unnecessary regulations when appropriate. Under the proposal, which will be put out for public comment, the default will still be (and in fact will more clearly be) that the use of mobile wireless services is prohibited, absent specialized onboard equipment. If the new technology isn’t installed, the prohibition remains. If the new technology is installed, airlines would still have the ultimate say on whether and how to provide service -- including the ability to program the system not to handle voice calls (while allowing text, email, and web browsing). In addition, systems can also be turned off if necessary for safety announcements and emergencies. It’s important to note this proposal is, indeed, only a proposal and that it asks many questions. The proposal is a technical one that would revise an existing prohibition on the use of mobile wireless services when airborne. This outdated rule was put in place 22 years ago during the era of first generation cellular systems (think car-phones) because of concerns about interference to systems on the ground.