American Airlines tests cellphone service

Looks like it could take a couple of years to get government approval, but American Airlines yesterday tested out a cellphone service on one of its jets.
The technology comes from Qualcomm, who supplied a rig consisting of a laptop-sized device called a picocell that relays signals from up to 20 phones to a dish antenna on top of the plane. The problem with the whole idea, of course, is that it will bring prices down compared with the satellite phones currently in planes, meaning a greater chance of having to listen to your neighbor gabbing. This is already a problem with satellite phones on planes despite the exorbitant rates, so airlines may want to think twice about pricing their airborne cellphone service within range of every pocket. We'll settle for WiFi, thanks.