Hi Rick,
I hope you are right, however, I have never seen anyone use these phones for calling.
Consider the huge difference between being available on your own number (and having your contacts on the ready) rather than calling from an in-seat phone. Also the fact that you are billing directly to the phone and not via a (complex) corporate process using credit cards could lower the barrier of using the service. Many companies have flat-rates for their staff phones so high prices shouldn't really be a barrier.

It would be ok if pax would employ some social intelligence, but that would be expecting a lot. I back this up from countless experiences of inappropriate mobile phone use on premium classes in trains.

Will be interesting to see how this is going to go, especially as some airlines (e.g. LH) have inseat phones but are not allowing private cell phones.

Cheers,
Hansie