# Using cell phones in Jets at high elevations **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 27, 2006, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-cell-phones-in-jets-at-high-elevations/354425 "2006-04-27T05:03:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Buck\_Rogers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/958977/32.png) [@Buck\_Rogers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Rogers)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-cell-phones-in-jets-at-high-elevations/354425/1 "2006-04-27T05:03:44Z")
I remember back between 1986 and 1996 I used to fly a lot across the country and my cell phone was able to make calls. It would cut out from time to time but I simply called back the person that was dropped. The interesting thing was they were never on my bill. I used to be curious where I was when I made the call and it never reported on the bill. I’m talking about a jet at flight levels above 38. I’ve tried it in the last 6 years and don’t think I’ve been able to make a call up there with a cell phone. My question is why was I able to make calls then but not now? What has changed? There are a lot of people who use this argument that people could not make calls on their cell phones from the jets during 911. If you know this answer, would you know why the calls never made it on my bill either? ---
**Author:** ![PBear42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PBear42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PBear42)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-cell-phones-in-jets-at-high-elevations/354425/2 "2006-04-27T06:02:32Z")
Oh boy, the WTC conspiracy again. For a mess o’links to prior discussions and other materials, see [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=7313376&postcount=18). For the best single discussion of the cell phone issue I’ve yet seen, see [here](http://911myths.com/html/mobiles_at_altitude.html). No idea about the non-billing, btw. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-cell-phones-in-jets-at-high-elevations/354425/3 "2006-04-27T10:34:41Z")
> [@Buck Rogers](#): > > I’ve tried it in the last 6 years and don’t think I’ve been able to make a call up there with a cell phone. :eek: Isn’t that against every civil aviation regulation known to man? Everywhere I’ve flown, cellphones have been totally banned throughout the flight and not permitted to be switched on until you’re back inside the terminal building (OK, everyone still turns them on as soon as the plane has touched down and rolled to a stop, but never in flight). ---
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-cell-phones-in-jets-at-high-elevations/354425/4 "2006-04-27T11:09:26Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > :eek: > > Isn’t that against every civil aviation regulation known to man? Everywhere I’ve flown, cellphones have been totally banned throughout the flight and not permitted to be switched on until you’re back inside the terminal building (OK, everyone still turns them on as soon as the plane has touched down and rolled to a stop, but never in flight). In the UK the last word for this should come from the [Civil Aviation Authority](http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?categoryid=3&pagetype=90&pageid=1347) Regarding the OP though I have heard (but not from an authoritive source) that getting a signal from a mobile phone to more than one receiver/transmitter of the phone network - as you might from an aircraft confuses the system. Could be why you didn’t get billed. It doesn’t sound likely to me though, I’m just offering it up for discussion. While I’m in speculative mood could the difference between then and now be something to do with old analogue and the new digital type phones? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-cell-phones-in-jets-at-high-elevations/354425/5 "2006-04-27T11:14:41Z")
I’ve only tried using a cell phone at about 10,000’ on descent. It worked with no problems. Then again, I live in a remote area, there was probably only one cell tower that it was able to talk to.