Telecoms regulator Ofcom has confirmed plans to allow mobile phones to be used on aircraft.
Proposals first unveiled in October last year would permit travellers to make calls during flights at an altitude of 3000 metres and higher, using onboard satellite communications to relay signals to receivers on the ground.
Passengers will still be unable to use their phones during take-off and landing, due to the risk of interfering with cockpit equipment.
Ofcom's plans are subject to approval from aviation authorities, including
the European Aviation Safety
Agency and the UK's Civil Aviation
Authority.
If approved, individual airlines will be left to decide if there is sufficient
demand to deploy the required equipment on their planes.
In-flight calls will initially only be available to GSM phones, but Ofcom believes that 3G support could be introduced at a later stage.
