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OccamsSchickQuattro t1_iyyzs4g wrote

I almost never put my phone on airplane mode simply because it’s never been properly explained to me as to why it needs to exist. In a normal 6 hour flight I’ll have good enough reception to receive a text maybe two times. Just turning off airplane mode isn’t going to allow anyone to do anything they can’t already do on a plane.

I still need to use the in air Wi-Fi if I want to send a text message out or if I want to watch in air entertainment.

The point in which your device stops working even when you don’t use airplane mode is super quick. Just last week I was watching the hockey game during takeoff and it was within 1 minute of us taking off that my phone could no longer support the game.

I don’t think this really changes anything either way.

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RenegadeSoundWAV t1_iyz1ns8 wrote

Not an electrical engineer nor an expert on this matter, but there used to be a time where cell phone bands weren't well regulated and the EM waves would interfere with communication devices. I remember this being a much bigger problem when I was in high school, where even cell phones on silent would interfere with the wireless microphones for our stage productions.

But I do know the reason they ask for all devices to be put on airplane mode or turned off - it is because it's easier to issue a blanket statement than require specific devices to be turned off.

I'm assuming the EU evaluated that the risk is nearly negligible - probably because the odds of anyone using such outdated tech is practically null.

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[deleted] t1_iyzsibi wrote

From the pilot side of it, we can tell when someone’s phone isn’t in airplane mode. It’s not every time but it happens frequently that when we get close to the ground we can hear our nav radios get scratchy.

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OccamsSchickQuattro t1_iz00vuz wrote

See and if anyone had ever just said that I’d use it every time.

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[deleted] t1_iz01hss wrote

As far as I know it’s never been an issue operationally but it’s more annoying than anything haha

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OccamsSchickQuattro t1_iz01xwp wrote

Hey man if it annoys the people flying the big metal tubes that’s enough reason for me. I fly a lot and I’ve noticed they’ve even stopped calling it out so I figured it was just an antiquated idea.

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IdleRocket t1_iz0iiav wrote

I'm calling bullshit that you have flown a single flight where all 150+ passengers have turned airplane mode on. I'm guessing your scratchy radios are something else.

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008Zulu t1_iyz5gvs wrote

Because there too many mobile phones, all built to very different standards, that it would be impossible to test them all against every type and configuration of electronics suite in every model of plane. In all likelihood they are safe, but no one wants to take the risk. So we have airplane mode.

The article specifies that 5G is the band approved in the planes, likely because European electronics standards (in planes) are higher than American, so knowing the frequencies it would be easier to have that one band instead of the 2G/3G/4G range.

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