In what’s being called the %EndOfAirplaneMode the European Union is allowing passengers to use their smartphones to full capacity while on airline flights.
The European Commission ruled in a new decision that airlines can provide full fifth generation (5G) wireless technology onboard airplanes.
This means that flyers will no longer be required to put their smartphones on “airplane mode” during a flight.
The deadline for European countries to make the 5G frequency bands available for airplanes is June 30, 2023.
Going forward, people will be able to use all their smartphone’s features mid-flight, enabling phone calls as well as data-heavy apps that stream music and videos.
In making the decision, the European Commission said the plan will “enable innovative services” and help European companies grow.
The European Commission has reserved certain internet frequency bands for aircraft since 2008, allowing some services to offer mid-air internet access.
However, internet service on airlines has been historically slow as it relied on equipment to connect people via a satellite between the airplane and the ground.
The new system takes advantage of the much faster download speeds provided by 5G, which can enable the download of an entire movie in less than two minutes.
There are concerns in the U.S. and elsewhere that 5G frequencies could interfere with flights, and even lead to incorrect altitude measurements.
But Europe operates on different frequencies for 5G wireless internet and there are lower power settings than those that have been approved in North America, making interference with airplanes less of an issue.