IP: SKY HIGH E-MAIL? NOT SO FAST: Edupage, May 14, 2001

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

>During the recent Inflight Passenger Entertainment and
>Communications conference in London, telecom companies unveiled
>plans to make a host of Internet and wireless services, including
>e-mail, available during flights. These services may not be
>offered in the United States, since U.S. airlines have yet to
>announce plans to build such systems. In addition, the Federal
>Aviation Administration has yet to certify the safety of in-flight
>wireless systems. Tenzing Communications is conducting a trial of
>802.11 wireless local area network technology with Scandinavian
>Airlines. The system could allow travelers to use an 802.11b PC
>card in their laptops to access Web content and write and receive
>e-mail messages during a flight. However, wireless systems pose a
>major danger for airlines since wireless transmissions could
>interfere with a plane's navigation controls. The FAA prohibits
>the use of wireless devices during flights for this reason.
>While United Airlines and American Airlines say they both plan to
>offer in-flight Web content, they declined to discuss the
>technology they will use.
>(Wired News, 11 May 2001)



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