There are two types of flyers: those who are grateful for the time away from their cellphones and tablets during the duration of the flight, and those who don’t know what to do with themselves until the plane lands and they can reconnect with the outside world.
Well, there is good news for the latter.
The European Union has announced that passengers will now be able to use their mobile devices onboard due to 5G technology. The wireless service will be provided on aircraft using special network equipment called “picocell,” which uses a satellite to connect the plane’s network to the mobile network on the ground.
“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.”
Passengers have always been told to turn their devices to airplane mode to avoid electromagnetic interference, however, a 2017 survey by Allianz Global Assistance found that about 40% don’t make the switch while on board.
The risk of navigation interference is extremely small with 5G, meaning that phone calls during flights could be a real thing come summer.