In-Flight Cell Phone Use Favored by FCC: FAA Asked to Enable Greater Use of Electronic Devices

The Federal Communications Commission is in favor of in-flight cell phone use. The FCC believes that travelers should have greater use of cell phones and other electronic devices on planes.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski recently wrote a letter to Michael Huerta, the acting administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, asking the group to "enable greater use of tablets, e-readers, and other portable devices," according to The Hill.

The FAA currently prohibits cell phone calls on planes so that it doesn't interfere with ground networks and some airlines allow devices such as tablets and smartphones to be used as long as it doesn't affect the equipment.

However during the summer, the FAA launched a study on the current policies on electronic devices to see if the devices could be used more greatly on planes as there is a high demand to have this ability by travelers. The study does not include voice communication during flights as many feel that in-flight cell phone conversations would be a bother to other passengers. Even FCC Chairman Genachowski didn't say that people should be able to talk on their phones during takeoff and landing.

Although it hasn't been proven that electronic devices interfere with plane equipment, there is still a ban on the use of phones and other devices on planes during takeoff and landing.

There were no reported issues during the study. The FAA is now reviewing its policies on cell phone use.

"This review comes at a time of tremendous innovation, as mobile devices are increasingly interwoven in our daily lives," Genachowski writes. "They empower people to stay informed and connected with friends and family, and they enable both large and small businesses to be more productive and efficient, helping drive economic growth and boost U.S. competitiveness."

Electronic devices are becoming a bigger part of travel. In the past few years the FAA has approved in-flight Wi-Fi and travelers are now able to stay connected during flights through this service, with the exception using them during takeoff and landing.

Some airlines, such as American Airlines, have even replaced their pilot manuals with iPads.

Some believe the FAA won't change their policy because they don't want to pay the money to test out each individual electronic device to see how they affect planes.

Some airlines argue that using electronic devices during takeoff and landing is too distracting and would keep people from paying attention to safety instructions and emergency announcements. However people are still able to read regular books at this time, making this argument a bit silly as other things could keep a passenger distracted if they wanted to be.

A complete policy change won't take place overnight as different devices may have different effects but it would make sense for things like iPods and other devices that don't transmit a signal to be able to be used at all times on a flight.