U.K.'s Communications Regulator to Approve Airborne Mobile Phone Use

The U.K.'s Office of Communications (Ofcom) has confirmed it plans to allow airlines to offer mobile communication services on U.K.-registered aircraft once the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Britain's Civil Aviation Authority give their go-ahead.

Ofcom's approval refers to systems where passengers connect their GSM (global system for mobile) phones wirelessly to an on- board base station for voice and text services.  Both the station and phones must be switched off when below 3,000 meters.

Benoit Debains, the CEO of OnAir, said his company was "delighted" by the decision, and would work with its U.K. customers, which include bmi and Ryanair, to ensure necessary licenses be obtained as soon as possible so that they can begin offering their passengers OnAir's voice and data services.

Ofcom's decision was developed jointly with other E.U. countries and will enable phone use in European airspace.  04-01-2008.

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