AIR FRANCE will take delivery in early 2007 of the first new build
Airbus aircraft fitted with the OnAir GSM equipment, enabling the use
of mobile phones on board. The Airbus A318 will take part in a
six-month trial to try and establish the impact that the system will
have on passengers and crew. The OnAir service will allow Air France
travellers to use their own GSM mobile phones and GPRS-enabled devices
such as the BlackBerry or Treo, to make and receive voice calls or to
send and receive SMS messages or emails during the flight without
harmful interference to the aircraft navigation systems. It is one
for the future, which will be closely watched by other airlines.
Whether a no phone zone will replace the old smoking areas remains to
be seen.
http://www.airfrance.co.uk
http://www.onair.aero/en/faq/faq_mobile_industry.pdf