They have facts. There was a Mythbusters episode that tested this stuff and the cell phone signals interfered with all the airplane's equipment skewing the signals so terribly that the pilot wouldn't know what was really happening. It also happens with radio signals.

There are facts which fortunately aren't in-flight experiences. In Mythbusters, it was proved that some of the mobile technologies interfered with the instruments and most of them could interfere. This can be lethal, because instrumentation (avionics) are crucial, and more in days when the maximum sight distance is less than 1min. (Theoretically, a plane could land safely and smoothly with zero visibility). If, for example, a mobile phone signal interferes with the altimeter, it could make the plane crash.

Using cell phones on aircraft is banned by the Federal Communications Commission, which regulates telephone use, not the FAA. In prohibiting airborne use in 1991, the FCC was mainly concerned about cell phones potential to interfere with ground-to-ground cellular transmission. The FAA has never outlawed cell-phone use in airplanes. However, the agency supports the FCC ban "for reasons of potential interference," according to an FAA advisory. Cell phones do have the POTENTIAL to interfere with navigation and communication systems on aircraft as they operate on a close frequency/wavelength. Phones transmitting near the 1700 Mhz range were found to have caused these incidents on aircraft: *Slaved Compass froze or overshot actual magnetic bearing *Needles on instruments (engine/aircraft & nav) appeared unstable *Digital VOR bearing display showed errors of 5 degrees *VOR To/From indicator reading was reversed *VOR & ILS course indicator errors with & without a failure flag *Sensitivity of the localizer was reduced *Background noise in the audio system *False warnings of unsafe conditions such as smoke alarms in the baggage compartments The CAA: Effects of Interference from Cellular Telephones on Aircraft Avionic Equipment http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/capap2003_03.pdf

Don't most phones transmit at 1900 MHz now? Perhaps the problems would no longer happen now. I think another test is in order.

Because of the speed at which the plane is flying and causing the phone to jump from tower to tower which would crash the whole network

Well can't say I know this for a fact but I always thought it was the concern with electronic interference with the planes equipment.

i think meth busters did some thing on that but thay realy culd not test it.

Because of money skyphones pay the airline, cellphones do not. The officail line is they interfere with electrical systems or radio communications, one airline recently said it would offer the service free.

Supposedly, to prevent interference with aircraft communications equipment.