Ofcom, the independent regulatory authority for UK communications industries, on 26 March confirmed plans to let airlines offer mobile communication services on UK-registered aircraft.

This capability will be subject to approval by the relevant UK and European aviation authorities: the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in the UK.

Ofcom specified that passengers’ cellphones and the onboard base station (Pico cell) must be switched off during take-off/landing to ensure they do not interfere with mobile networks on the ground. Once the aircraft reaches a minimum altitude of 3,000 meters, the system may be switched on by the cabin crew.

Mobile phones will connect to an approved system for 2G (GSM) data, voice, and text services. If the service is successful, Ofcom approval could be extended to 3G and other services in the future.