Flights With 5G: Aeroplane Mode To Become Obsolete In The EU By Next Year
The European Union was at the forefront of seriously considering standardising the USB Type-C port for all smartphones. Not much later, countries like India followed.
While there's still some time before Apple is forced to update its outdated lightning port on iPhones, the EU is now set to make another standard offering on smartphones obsolete.
Every time you sit on a flight, operators urge all travellers to either turn off their smartphones or to put them in aeroplane/airplane mode. Now, EU is getting rid of this provision, even though specifics of the same are still being worked out.
Adios aeroplane mode!
The European Commission has decided to allow airline passengers to use data and even make calls while in the air. Tired of the slow free wi-fi on planes? Don't wish to shell out outrageous money for your flight journey? 5G technology might be of help in the air!
Airline passengers will not only be able to stream series and music, but they will also be able to make calls on planes that are equipped with 5G. The plan, EU claims, will "enable innovative services for people."
Also read:?TikTok Tells European Users That Chinese Employees Can Access Their Data
"The sky is no longer a limit when it comes to possibilities offered by super-fast, high-capacity connectivity," Thierry Breton, EU's Commissioner for the Internal Market, said in a statement.
Airlines will use special network equipment called "pico-cell" to route calls, texts, and data through a satellite network that essentially connects the aircraft with ground-based mobile networks.
Also read:?It's Official! All Devices Including iPhone In EU Need To Have USB-C Port By 2024
In 1991, the use of mobile phones was banned by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to prevent any signal interference. But life has tremendously changed since then, so it makes sense that internet access on planes should have been allowed a long time ago.
The new ruling requires all EU states to make 5G technology available on flights by June 30, 2023.
What do you think - is it a good move to enable 5G on flights? Let us know in the comments below.?For more in the world of?technology?and?science, keep reading?Indiatimes.com.?
References
Press corner. (n.d.). European Commission - European Commission. https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/mex_22_7152
Main, N. (2022, December 2). Airplane Mode to Become Obsolete in the EU. Gizmodo. https://gizmodo.com/airplane-mode-uk-airlines-air-travel-1849846995
