Boeing Wants Cell Phones on Planes by 2006

Connexion, a Boeing company hopes to be selling cell phone services to airline passengers by as early as 2006.

Laurette Koellner, president of Connexion told Reuters that once regulatory and other issues are worked out, they plan on introducing a mobile phone service on their Boeing planes, even if that means by 2006.

But Connexion may have some obstacles to overcome in the way of Verizon and Cingular, both of which oppose in-flight cell phone usage, as surprisingly as that may sound. Both Verizon and Cingular are pushing for text message usage instead.

Connexion and other companies that plan on introducing their own mobile phone services will also have to face a new competitor in the skies – your cell phone provider. What once used to be a closed system is now being open to new players.

Connexion also plans to introduce a new broadband internet access service sometime in the next year or two.