The Federal Communications Commission may drop a two-year-old proposal to let airline passengers use mobile phones while in flight, Chairman Kevin Martin said.
Leaving the existing ban in place would eliminate potential interference with wireless networks on the ground, Martin told reporters today after a meeting in Washington.
“At this point, the commission has enough concerns that we don’t think it’s appropriate to move forward,” he said.
The mobile-phone industry supports dropping the proposal because “the interference issue has not been solved,” said Joe Farren, a spokesman for CTIA – The Wireless Association. The Washington-based trade group represents carriers including AT&T Inc.’s wireless unit and Verizon Wireless.
The Federal Aviation Administration has a separate ban on in- flight mobile-phone use because of potential interference with navigation systems.
