FCC to Allow Wireless Access on Planes

isd_glory writes "The FCC has unanimously voted to allow wireless internet connections on airplanes. If everything goes according to plans, airplanes might be offering passengers internet service by as soon as 2006. Furthermore, the FCC is also soliciting comments about the possibility of lifting the in-flight ban on cellphone use. While this could be new profit source for the cash-strapped airlines, it might also be a new way to annoy your neighbor sitting next to you."

Oh no....

[BWJones]

it might also be a new way to annoy your nighbor sitting next to you.

This is exactly where it is going to go. This is going to be horrible having to listen to calls like this: "Dude, dude, dude......guess where I am? Hehehe, dude, I am in a plane he he whoooooaaaa dude" your breaking up there.....CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW??? HOW ABOUT NOW????!!!?. Yeah thats exactly what I want. If the airlines want to make people even more crazy in the air they will subject us to stuff like that. Now, if they are smart, they will create cell phone free zones so that everybody does not have to be subjected to the mindless banter that people inflict on others around them.

It might even be a more horrible experience than I had on a flight from Sydney to Australia a couple of months ago with a couple of ecstasy addled passengers in front of me who were mixing alcohol with their e's as well. Those guys would not shut up. Cell phones have the same effect on some folks. They appear to be oblivious to anybody else around them and start the most inane loud conversations obligatorily involving anybody within earshot. All I have to say is that a good investment in Bose [bose.com] noise canceling headsets have been one of the best investments ever and appear to possibly become a necessity when flying.

Annoying

[AyeFly]

...another way to annoy the person next to you...
Jeez, the perfect thing for those long flights comes along, and its every geeks dream, and you are stupid enough to complain about having wireless internet on a plane??? Get a life, even if we nerds don't.

Re:Oh no....

[mind21_98]

...Sydney to Australia? Are you circling around the airport and landing again? ;)

SWEET!

[StevenHenderson]

Now the fat guy sitting next to me will not only be sweating and overflowing into my seat, but he might just be jerking off via his wonderful wireless connection now too. Wonderful.

Just wait for ...

[gonerill]

The first court case about the guy sitting next to you who started browsing pr0n about an hour into the flight.

Here come the LAN parties

[mind21_98]

I think I know the perfect things the airlines could offer. LAN parties. You just bring a laptop (or they could loan you one on selected flights) and you play with the people on the plane with you. I can imagine such a thing taking off, actually. Or they could just offer Internet. *shrug*

Counter-Strike anyone?

[nacturation]

Just play counter-strike on the airplane in mid-flight. Crank up the volume, have the guns blaring away, then you hear "Hostage down! Hostage down!" I'm sure it will be appreciated.

Re:SWEET!

[StevenHenderson]

Ah, the ever-present battle between high and low-tech perverts... :)

Re:Why does it have to be wireless?

[Drishmung]

Because the cable trailing along behind the plane is unsightly and tends to exceed the 100m limit quite rapidly.

This is the next step in wardriving...

[sugarboy]

"I got a network! Shit, out of range. I got a network! Shit, out of range. I got a network! Shit, out of range. Bugger."

Rethinking that seat choice.......

[dickeya]

That seat next to the crying baby is looking better and better already

Teenagers with cell phones suck.

VOIP

[Anonymous Coward]

Who needs cell phones on planes now? ;-)

Re:Counter-Strike anyone?

[Rude Turnip]

I'd love to see how everyone reacts to hearing "the bomb has been planted" with that grainy radio sound the game uses :)

Storm the front!

Re:Counter-Strike anyone?

[thogard]

Thats not quite as bad as a quote I heard from some Doom players talking to each other in a plane "You grab the hidden shot gun and I'll go kill the two up the front"

In other news

[oliverthered]

Shortly after taking off from Chesterfield-Spirit of Saint Louis Airport, in fog and light snow,
Flight 187 collided head on with the tower leaving 7 dead and 30 injured.
Forensic investigation has revealed that the pilot of the plane had just received an important phone call from his mother-in-law prior to the accident.

Re:Oh no....

[jsgates]

Headphones? I was just going for a quick elbow to the chest and a roll of ductape.

Re:Oh no....

[dicepackage]

If you went from Sydney to Australia I would say it was a very short day.

Re:Oh no.... Insightful?

[Anonymous Coward]

Half the reason I read /. is for the witty humor

Yeah me too... ... Have you found any?