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From: dwl@hou5e.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.aviation,att.general
Subject: Re: Cellular phones in airplanes?
Message-ID: <967@hou5e.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 30-Apr-84 10:43:36 EDT
Article-I.D.: hou5e.967
Posted: Mon Apr 30 10:43:36 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 1-May-84 07:46:05 EDT
References: <2750@rabbit.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Information Systems Laboratories, Holmdel, NJ
Lines: 20

I don't know the availability of Cellular Mobile telephone service
in airplanes, but the current aircraft telephones are a lot less
expensive then the initial prices of CM equipment.  

I have a King KT96 Kingphone which retails for about $1800.  I
bought mine used for about $1000.  The service rate is strictly
usage-sensitive.  No monthly charge, and no bill at all for any
month in which you don't use it.  They keep a phone number reserved
for you as long as you keep the station license current.  Usage
costs about $1.00 per minute.  If you use Bell System ground
facilities, they impose a five minute minimum per call.  Other radio
common carriers are available which cost less, or do not impose a
minimum billing amount per call. 

Only drawback, the service is push-to-talk with units in this price
class. The $4,000 units provide full-duplex handset operation.

-Dave Levenson
-AT&T ISL Holmdel, 834-2322
-Mooney N5848Q, QM8-9463-094