Qantas are one step further to the mobile phone trial reported last year - one of the regulatory bodies has approved the trial.
From the Australian Communications and Media Authority:
MR 37/2007
18 April 2007
Final stage in place to allow a limited evaluation of mobile telephone services on board a commercial aircraft
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has enabled a limited evaluation of GSM mobile phones and GPRS devices on a commercial aircraft.
The evaluation – which is limited to one aircraft for up to 12 months - will be conducted by Qantas. It will be one of the first implementations of this kind of service in the world.
‘The granting of permissions for the evaluation service is the culmination of many months of work aimed at facilitating an industry need,' said Chris Chapman, ACMA Chairman. ‘The application to conduct the evaluation touched on a number of ACMA's responsibilities in the radiocommunications and telecommunications regulatory areas.'
To clear the way for the evaluation, ACMA has granted various approvals and exemptions including a carrier licence and a scientific assigned apparatus licence for a network control unit (see backgrounder), and two Nominated Carrier Declarations.
The evaluation will be conducted on one Qantas passenger aircraft operating only on domestic Australian routes. Qantas has decided to commence the evaluation with email and text only, disabling voice services. ACMA and other government bodies will consider the potential for permanent regulatory arrangements for the service once the results of the evaluation are known.
Media contact: Donald Robertson, ACMA Media Manager, on (02) 9334 7980.
Backgrounder
What is the network control unit?
A network control unit (NCU) is a device designed to facilitate on-board mobile phone communications, by passengers, in the 1.8 GHz band under a roaming agreement with the mobile phone user's normal carrier. Part of the NCU blocks access to terrestrially-based radiocommunications in the frequency bands 870 – 960 MHz or 825 – 845 MHz (the 900MHz band). The system consists of pico-cells on-board aircraft, connected by satellite link to a ground GSM/GPRS switching system. The airborne part of the system is connected to the terrestrial part by the aircraft's satellite system.
The NCU transmits a background radio noise signal inside the aircraft when the aircraft reaches an altitude of 6000 metres.
The NCU is intended to offer services comparable to existing mobile phone services, including:
* full duplex voice and text messaging support for GSM phones capable of operating within the 1800 MHz / 1900MHz GSM frequency band; and
* GPRS (general packet radio service) and related services i.e. MMS, EMS , picture messaging and email (when using Swift 64 or a broadband IP SATCOM). GPRS is a wireless data service, based on internet protocols that is available with almost every GSM network.
The system will also allow a service level control by the Crew Control Panel which is intended to give the cabin crew the ability to vary the service level on-board the aircraft should aircraft operation requirements dictate. This is proposed to include, but not be limited to:
* the ability to disable voice service allowing text-only capabilities
* complete disabling of the system while still managing phones that may be switched on
* showing the number of attached phones, and
* splitting VIP/crew and passenger services.
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