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by mystery250 on April 21st, 2006

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Why can't you use a cell phone on an airplane?

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  • by tjtx41 on April 24th, 2006

    tjtx41

    All electronic equipment is forbidden to operate on commercial aircraft from the time the doors are closed until the pilot says it is safe to use them - usually above 10,000 feet altitude. The problem is the possibility of interference with the plane's own electronic equipment.

    Cell phones are a special case that are forbidden the entire time the plane is in flight. The problem is that your phone may be connecting to dozens if not hundreds of towers simultaneously because of your super high elevation. The land-based cell phone system is designed to automatically detect which tower is receiving your strongest signal and ignore whatever portion of your signal is also arriving at nearby towers at a lower level.

    Imagine what would happen if hundreds of airborne passengers flying over a given city tried to use their phones with each of them connecting to dozens of towers. The computers controlling the system would be overwhelmed with conflicts and nobody could talk - not even those with their feet on the ground.

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