Our Bureau

New Delhi , July 11

SOON you would be able to use your mobile phone even while flying across the continents.

German telecom major Siemens has signed an exclusive contract with French aircraft manufacturer Airbus to jointly develop a solution for the use of in-flight communication using the Global System for Mobile.

While Siemens will provide the technology, Airbus will take charge of its integration in the existing electronics systems of the aircraft.

The commercial launch of this new customer service is planned for 2006. With the integration of GSM, airline passengers will in future be able to use their mobile devices for in-flight phone calls or Internet surfing.

At present mobile phones are not permitted within aircraft since it creates interference with the aircraft communication system. However the Siemens nano-GSM base station on the airplane allows reception for a mobile phone, PC or organiser from any seat on the plane.

The product is based on IP and is linked to the terrestrial GSM mobile network with the aid of satellite technology.

"This technology prevents the end devices from establishing contact with terrestrial networks and hence interfering with the avionics.

"It therefore ensures that radio communication from the airplane is conducted solely via satellite.

"The new solution can be expanded to accommodate more GSM capacity and other technologies such as WLAN," a Siemens spokesperson in India told Business Line.

"Being able to use their mobile phones onboard aircraft has long been the wish of many passengers who often travel on business flights and depend on mobile communication solutions," Mr Christoph Caselitz, President of the business segment Mobile Networks at Siemens Communications was quoted in a press release.

The technology will also mean additional revenue for various airlines and also the mobile operators on whose terrestrial network the calls would be routed through.

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