and... on the technical side - the current proposals for offering cell (ie "mobile phone") service inside an airplane at cruising altitude actually involves installing a "mini-tower" in the plane itself to act as a relay, and then all phones in flight connect to the "plane tower" which relays the information to the ground - which in turn connects the users to their actual requested service (ie provider).

Part of the benefit is that digital phones (both CDMA and GSM based systems) when they discover a nearby tower will throttle power down and only communicate with the closest "tower" (in this case the one in the airplane)

There are several solutions along these lines (not sure which one AirCell uses) - but this is Motorola's patent on their version of an airborne cell-tower (or the "airplane payload" as its called in this patent): http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/66...scription.html

So - fortunately OR unfortunately - from a technical side offering cell service in flight is probably not far away. I presume that once the AirCell antennas are fitted to the 762's - it would only require that they install a "cell relay" in the cabin, and then relay the signals over to the cell providers "groundside."

From a business side - not sure how it would work (ie. - are you "roaming" on AirCell's tower in the plane? I presume "National Coverage" won't cover you up at 35,000 ft?)

And - on trains in Europe - the solution to "loud mouths" tend to be simply offering people "quiet cabins" on trains where cell usage is prohibited. Maybe the last 10 rows in coach, and 2 rows in FC will be designated "quiet" (tho I doubt that will happen). Kind of like getting a "smoking" and "non-smoking" section on airplanes back in the 70s - now it's a "talking" and "non-talking" section?