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Despite what flight attendants say, making a call probably won't send your plane crashing to the ground. So why can’t you use it?
Your cell phone can interfere with avionics in theory. But in practice, it's not very likely. Cockpits and communications systems have been shielded against electromagnetic interference since the 1960's.
What’s really going on it resistance from the call carriers. When phones ping for signals at 35,000 feet, they can hit hundreds of towers at once, necessitating complicated roaming agreements. The technical problem is not insurmountable, but there isn’t enough demand for action. Only 16 percent of U.S. fliers are interested in using cell phones on planes; most people are vehemently opposed.
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