Using AeroMobile: Top tips for using your mobile phone in the aircraft

AeroMobile helps you keep in touch with family, friends and colleagues as you fly. You can make or receive phone calls, text messages, check emails and surf the Web using your own mobile phone or PDA just as easily as you can on the ground.

Just as when using mobile phones in other public places on the ground, in order to get to get the best out of the AeroMobile service in the aircraft please note the following points:

1.  Listen and respond to crew announcements
Cabin crew announcements will advise if the aircraft is installed with the AeroMobile system. AeroMobile makes it possible to safely use your mobile phone or PDA in the aircraft without affecting aircraft or ground systems. Not all aircraft have AeroMobile so please check with the crew if you are unsure before switching on or trying to use your mobile phone.

2.  When can I use my phone?
On an AeroMobile equipped aircraft cabin crew announcements will tell you when it is possible for you to switch on and use your phone. Typically this will be shortly after take off and until descent prior to landing. Listen out for crew announcements as it may occasionally be necessary to switch your phones off at other times. When required, turn your phone off and check that it is off.

3.  Using mobile phones in the aircraft cabin
Please be aware of the other passengers around you when you are using your phone
       • Always switch your phone to silent or vibrate mode during the flight
       • Speak softly – mobile phones have very sensitive microphones
          so there ’s no need to speak loudly or shout
       • Consider moving away from your seat to take or make a call, if possible
       • Use a phone headset and external microphone if you have one
       • On night time flights consider sending a text message or email instead
          of making or taking a call

4.  Availability
AeroMobile is the first service of its kind and is progressively being installed on airliners around the world. You can only use your mobile phone safely where the AeroMobile or a similar system is installed on the aircraft on which you are traveling. The AeroMobile system may not be installed on all the aircraft operated by an airline so please check, even if you have been previously been allowed to use phones on some aircraft of that airline. Please note that it remains a breach of aviation safety regulations and may be unsafe if you try to use your phone on an aircraft that is not installed with AeroMobile or similar systems.

As mentioned above, where the AeroMobile system is available it will be available during the cruise phase of flight after take-off and before landing. Phones can be switched on only after cabin crew announcements advise this is possible and must be switched off prior to landing.

As AeroMobile uses satellites to link calls and texts to the ground the service is available everywhere except extreme polar regions. Occasionally at peak times all lines may be busy – if so please wait and try re-dialing a few minutes later.

5. What do I need to use AeroMobile?
AeroMobile currently supports all GSM mobile phones and on some aircraft GPRS mobile data services are also available (please check with cabin crew). Your GSM phone subscription or account must have international roaming enabled and your service provider must have a roaming agreement with AeroMobile. That’s all you need and you simply use your phone just as you would when roaming in a foreign country on the ground.

All calls must be dialed as international calls – the simplest way of doing this is by dialing “+” then the country code of the country you are calling, then the phone number (omitting any initial 0’s or other prefix digits as necessary). Note that all calls are dialed as international calls even if you are flying over the country you are calling.

You will need to check with your service provider regarding what they will charge for AeroMobile calls – on a global basis these charges are comparable to international roaming call tariffs. Call charges will be billed directly to your regular phone service bill by your service provider – AeroMobile does not add any additional charges.

The economic savings deriving from AeroMobile’s short value chain are one of many benefits AeroMobile offers airlines. AeroMobile is the aviation industry’s only solution capable of supporting mobile communications services over all current and planned aircraft satellite systems. AeroMobile’s scope includes full support for current and future Inmarsat services (H / H+, Swift64 and SwiftBroadband) as well as Ku band solutions.

Our multifaceted approach to mobile communications (cellular) and wireless data services delivery allows airlines to offer a common product across their complete fleet irrespective of installed satellite technology. Furthermore with AeroMobile initially exploiting existing Inmarsat Classic satcom avionics operational cost savings are possible when combined with ARINC’s GLOBALink satcom solutions.

The AeroMobile hardware comprises an advanced architecture that can be installed in modular form, fully exploiting existing aircraft maintenance down time. The solution is also future proofed ensuring that any investment made by the airline is safeguarded for the future.


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