The F.C.C. Joins the Gadgets-on-Flights Fight

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Connor Simpson 1,552 Views Dec 7, 2012

The calls are coming from inside the bureaucracy. The F.C.C. wants the F.A.A. to stop being a bunch of buzzkills and finally let us use our phones and tablets during takeoff. 

The Hill's Jennifer Martinez got her hands on a letter Julius Genachowski, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, sent to Michael Huerta, the Federal Aviation Administration's acting administrator, urging him to lighten the rules on the use of tablets and mobile devices during flights. We know this is a cause near and dear to some of your hearts, so take this as a good sign change might come. As The New York Times' Nick Bilton points out, it's one arm of the federal government telling another arm of the federal government to allow them to use their phones during takeoff. O.M.G. 

The best part of the whole letter, though, is Genachowski's reasoning for lightening the current rules. It's good for the economy: 

"This review comes at a time of tremendous innovation, as mobile devices are increasingly interwoven in our daily lives," Genachowski writes. "They empower people to stay informed and connected with friends and family, and they enable both large and small businesses to be more productive and efficient, helping drive economic growth and boost U.S. competitiveness." 

Bilton has been an especially vocal critic of the policy, so there's a certain glee to his report on the letter that's almost palpable. And while things are technically being reviewed right now, the process is expected to take forever. Hopefully with the F.C.C.'s help, which Genachowski offered in the letter, the process won't take so long and you won't lose your progress in Temple Run during takeoff on your next flight. 

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