Australia to Permit Mobile Phone Use in Airplanes

The Australian Communications and Media Authority is proposing to allow the use of mobile phones in Australian airlines for domestic and international services.

"Australia led the world when it trialled in-flight GSM mobile phone services in 2007," said Chris Chapman, ACMA Chairman. "There is growing recognition by regulators worldwide that in-flight mobile phone services can be deployed without interference to existing telecommunications services."

ACMA is proposing to amend the Mobile Phone Jammer Prohibition (the Notice that prohibits the general use of mobile phone jammers in Australia) to permit the use of pico cell technology used by in-flight mobile phone systems.

Trials of the technology that have been conducted over the past 18 months have been assessed as highly successful by the companies providing the service and did not result in any interference complaints to ACMA.

The ACMA is seeking public submissions on the proposed changes, and written submissions must be lodged with ACMA by no later than 17 November 2008.

Posted to the site on 15th October 2008