Transportation Department Mulls Airplane Cellphone Ban as FCC Prepares to Lift Its Own

The
Federal Communications Commission voted 3-2 today to move forward
on rescinding a long-standing ban on the use of cellphones on
airplanes, but that doesn’t mean the government is ready to leave
that decision up to the airlines. The Department of Transportation
may impose its own ban.

From the AP:

As one part of the federal government looks to remove
restrictions on making phone calls from airplanes, another agency
is apparently considering its own prohibition.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Thomas Wheeler told
members of Congress that while his agency sees no technical reason
to ban calls on planes, Department of Transportation Secretary
Anthony Foxx told him Thursday morning that the DOT will be moving
forward with its own restrictions.

One step forward, one step back.

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