Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: FREE0612@uiucvmd (David Lemson) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Cellular Phone Use on Airport Runway Message-ID: <12214@accuvax.nwu.edu> Date: 16 Sep 90 18:55:27 GMT Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu Organization: TELECOM Digest Lines: 22 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 650, Message 9 of 10 In a message of Fri, 14 Sep 90 15:58:59 EDT, Monty Solomon writes: >The FCC claims that the cellular phones can't be used in the air >because they interfere with calls be earthbound cellular phone users. >How does cellular phone use in the air interfere with users on the >ground? The entire premise of cellular service assumes that your cellular unit transmits with a relatively low power, and has a fairly small range. This allows other cells in your general area to use the same frequency as you are using, but on the other side of town. If you are in a plane, you are likely to receive several calls land-based calls on your frequency at one time. (Ever notice how you can get FM stations from 100 miles away when you're in a plane?) Another problem may be that if you are moving at 350 knots, you will be switching cells every few seconds, putting a lot of load on the computers that switch calls between cells. When the entire network goes to micro-cells, this will be an even bigger problem.