Holidaymakers flying to European destinations will soon be able to make calls and surf the internet in the sky.
A major travel rule change means that airlines operating within the European Union will be able to provide 5G to passengers.
This means travellers can make calls, text and stream videos without having to rely on patchy plane wi-fi.
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The move follows an announcement by the EU that airlines can use special network equipment called 'picocell', which employs satellites to connect phones to the ground, Mirror UK reports.
Thierry Breton, EU Commissioner for the Internal Market, said in a press release: “5G will enable innovative services for people and growth opportunities for European companies. The sky is no longer a limit when it comes to possibilities offered by super-fast, high-capacity connectivity.”
The European Commission wants it implemented as early as possible and has set a deadline of June 30, 2023.
The frequencies for in-flight 5G (5 GHz) are different from those necessary for flying a plane (4.2 to 4.4 GHz), meaning there is essentially no risk of pilot's transmissions being interrupted.
Airlines are likely to charge for the service which may incur international roaming charges as the plane travels across borders.
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