FCC reversing its proposal to allow cellphone use

Federal regulators are withdrawing a proposal that would have allowed air travelers to use their cellphones at high altitude, rather than relying on in-flight WiFi services.

The proposal - introduced in 2013 by then-chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Tom Wheeler - sought to roll back a longstanding regulation that banned the use of cellphones on planes over concerns that cellular signals could interfere with pilot radios. New advances in in-flight communications have minimized those concerns, Wheeler argued at the time, a trend that meant the ban could be lifted.

Under the proposal, passengers would still have been required to keep their phones turned off or on airplane mode during takeoff and landing, but could have switched on their connections at cruising altitude.

The decision Monday to reverse the proposal came from Wheeler’s successor, Ajit Pai. Calling the plan “ill-conceived,” Pai said in a statement that he did not believe it served the public interest.

“Taking it off the table permanently will be a victory for Americans across the country who, like me, value a moment of quiet at 30,000 feet,” said Pai.

The proposal was initially met with a large public backlash, particularly from trade groups representing pilots and flight attendants. Many opponents argued that relaxation of the ban would result in passengers disturbing one another with noisy phone calls, and Wheeler was effectively forced to abandon the issue for the remainder of his term.

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

While most consumers may have difficulty getting a cellular signal at 30,000 feet, changes in technology are increasingly enabling the use of mobile data in the air. Communications satellites, drones and even lasers have been proposed as ways to get connectivity to hard-to-reach areas. This could ultimately mean more competition against in-flight WiFi, which is often derided as expensive and slow.

Had Wheeler’s proposal been approved, it would have fallen to individual airlines to decide how and when to equip their planes with equipment to support in-flight cellular service.