American Airlines and QUALCOMM Complete Test Flight to Evaluate In-Cabin Mobile Phone

[Bugwart]

American Airlines and QUALCOMM Complete Test Flight to Evaluate In-Cabin Mobile Phone UseIn Flight cell phone use test

- Proof-of-Concept Event Highlights Safe and Reliable Mobile Phone Technology Using CDMA on a Commercial Aircraft -

FORT WORTH, Texas and SAN DIEGO, July 15 /PRNewswire/ -- QUALCOMM Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM - News), pioneer and world leader of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) digital wireless technology, and American Airlines, the world's largest carrier, today successfully demonstrated in-cabin voice communications using commercially available CDMA mobile phones on a commercial American Airlines aircraft. Through the use of an in-cabin third-generation (3G) "picocell" network, passengers on the test flight were able to place and receive calls as if they were on the ground.

The proof-of-concept demonstration flight originated out of the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. During the approximate two-hour flight, passengers were able to place and receive phone calls and text messages on their mobile phones. Passengers included members of the media and government representatives.

A small in-cabin CDMA cellular base station on the plane, that uses standard cellular communications, was connected to the worldwide terrestrial phone network by an air-to-ground Globalstar satellite link.

[Shizam76]

I thought any cell phone on a plane was a No-No since it "may interfere with the planes electronic equipment."

Are they re-evaluating this now?

[Airb330]

I hope they keep it the way it is. I don't want to sit next to people who talk on the phone the whole time. Yeah, good for busineses, but I seriously do not need to chat with friends or family while on a plane.

[Gamer03]

Originally Posted by Airb330

I hope they keep it the way it is. I don't want to sit next to people who talk on the phone the whole time. Yeah, good for busineses, but I seriously do not need to chat with friends or family while on a plane.

Good point.

[SNSE]

This is what I was referring to in the Wifi and 3G on airliners thread. Believe me, it is much further along in concept and discussions at the FCC than most people know. I am involved in this succession of events at my company and with the FCC. Qualcomm only used a 9600 baud connection through satellite for the backhaul to the switching network, but we already knew it worked. They just took the airline test step before somebody else did. American has been interested in this for over a year. You might see a commercial version of at least the Wi-fi portion in less than 24 months. That's not speculation, that's a real timeline. The voice portion and messaging on your phone may happen as a second tier deployment. But, there has already been testing done to find out how to do the backhaul from Air To Ground to support this. And yes, it works, and works well. The next step is the fight for the spectrum and licenses to deploy it. The technology part is already proven, and patented in concept.

[AnthroMatt]

I totally agree. Talk about air rage...if I ever sat next to some chatty person I might go nuts and do something that I regret. Not to mention I would probably hear 50 cent ringtones for 4 hours straight.

God help us all if Nextel ever gets approved for on board use.

[SNSE]

Probably just CDMA and GSM, adding iDEN may cost too much.

[jones]

What happens when you get off the plane in Europe? Most AA flights goes to Europe where GSM is the only Standard?

[AnthroMatt]

Originally Posted by jones

What happens when you get off the plane in Europe? Most AA flights goes to Europe where GSM is the only Standard?

I'm guessing that while flying over the Atlantic it would be hard for the picocells to reach any ground equipment anyway. I bet the phones would go dead long before the plane made it to Europe.

[ehcruzan]

Originally Posted by AnthroMatt

I'm guessing that while flying over the Atlantic it would be hard for the picocells to reach any ground equipment anyway. I bet the phones would go dead long before the plane made it to Europe.

Actually I seem to remember reading that the backhaul uses the Globalstar network of satellites.

[SNSE]

That would be addressed once you reached the edge of the Continental U S, however, broadband services would not be available. Simple phone services could still be used.

[agentHibby]

Originally Posted by Shizam76

I thought any cell phone on a plane was a No-No since it "may interfere with the planes electronic equipment."

Are they re-evaluating this now?

What I understand that the main problem is during the planes accent and decent.

[AnthroMatt]

Originally Posted by ehcruzan

Actually I seem to remember reading that the backhaul uses the Globalstar network of satellites.

True...it would depend on the orbit of the satellites more than whats on the ground.

[SNSE]

Over the continental U S, it won't be satellite. It will be ground based cells using EV-DO to backhaul to a CDMA and a GSM switch.