Passengers flying within the European Union will be able to browse the internet and make calls, from next summer, without switching to airplane mode.
The European Commission has authorised the use of 5G on board aircraft from June 30, 2023. This means flyers will no longer have to rely on the plane’s intermittent Wi-Fi and it’s all thanks to ‘picocell’, reports the Mirror.
Picocell are special network equipment that employs satellites to connect phones to the ground. So from next summer, when you’re zooming across the European skies, you’ll be able to catch up with the latest Netflix series or text and phone loved ones to your heart’s content.
“5G will enable innovative services for people and growth opportunities for European companies,” said Thierry Breton, EU Commissioner for the Internal Market. “The sky is no longer a limit when it comes to possibilities offered by super-fast, high-capacity connectivity.”
The frequencies for in-flight 5G (5 GHz) are different from those necessary for flying a plane (4.2 to 4.4 GHz), meaning there is essentially no risk of pilot’s transmissions being interrupted. The biggest limit on this disruption is likely to be how much data will cost.
Airlines are likely to charge for the service which may incur international roaming charges as the plane travels across borders. It is unclear whether the UK will also adopt the legislation and, if so, when.
The sound of phone calls filling the cabin could well raise tensions on planes where disruptive behaviour is now quite common. According to the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, a European flight gets disrupted once every three hours by “unruly” passengers.
Recently two fights erupted on a single easyJet plane to Alicante after passengers necked booze before it had even taken off. The pilot had to turn back twice after separate groups began rowing and police were called in to escort the troublemakers from the aircraft.
As a result, the EZY1919 flight was delayed for three hours at Manchester Airport. A spokesman for the airline said some passengers had been drinking their own alcohol on board and prior to the flight.
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