Tango I hear what you are saying about cell phones and the link I will provide for you below substantiates some of what you say. However, from the incidents of interference reported in the past from older aircraft (not fly-by-wire models) it is suspected that these phones can and do interfere with navigational equipment while the aircraft is in critical phase of flight. This phase is the time frame including all ground operations when the aircraft is in motion and the first and last ten minutes of flight and all other flight operations conducted below 10,000'.

Instead of listing which aircraft you can possibly use them on and which ones you can't, the powers to be took the easiest (and safest) way out, by banning them on all aircraft. Recently they relaxed the rule in some countries to allow usage onboard until the engines are started. I let many a person I find standing just outside the aircraft door with a cellular to their ear know that they are welcome to use it onboard until you know when. Even those phones provided on board (and you are right; the charges are atrocious) should not be in use during critical phase. Some aircraft systems shut them down during this time. Also the cord is considered an obstacle if immediate evacuation were necessary.

I'm not disagreeing with you but just pointing out that the rule is there and cabin crew are obligated to enforce it, at least for now.

http://www.rvs.uni-bielefeld.de/publications/Incidents/DOCS/Research/Rvs/Article/EMI. html

Another site with more links about electronic devices is:
http://aviation-safety.net/events/ped/index.html

[This message has been edited by A Flygirl (edited 05-20-2000).]