Scott McCartney’s “Middle Seat” readers say, Fly Now, Talk Later:
The boys from NPR’s popular ‘Car Talk’ radio program offer a free bumper sticker as a public service to reduce auto accidents among cellphone-distracted drivers: ‘Drive Now, Talk Later.’Judging from the Middle Seat Mailbox this week, we ought to start our own public service campaign with a ‘Fly Now, Talk Later’ bumper sticker.
That’s because the FCC may allow cell phone use on planes:
On May 10, the Federal Communications Commission will auction off two licenses for air-to-ground communications that can be used for onboard cellular service or onboard Wi-Fi connections. The companies say a new technology called “pico cells” — antennas installed on airplanes that are supposed to keep phones from trying to link to antennas on the ground — will eliminate safety concerns for jets since the phones will operate at much lower power, and won’t interfere with navigation-signal receivers.