Sen Rockefeller Concerned About Lifting In-flight Cell Phone Ban

Sen Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) has joined the chorus raising their voices over a Federal Communications Commission proposal to allow in-flight mobile phone calls, saying he has "serious concerns" about it.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler has pointed out that what the FCC is considering is getting rid of a technical prohibition that no longer applies in some circumstances, but that it is still up to the airlines to whether to allow calls. In letters to Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and FCC Wheeler, Sen Rockefeller said he is concerned that allowing such calls would compromise the overall safety of a flight. The FCC prohibition was based on the risk of interference to flight safety, but there has been a technical fix since then.