Why do we have to switch our cellphones off on a plane?

Here's a simple experiment on how to justify the fact that cellphone signals indeed can interfere with other electronic signals. Put your cellphone beside the television set or FM radio receiver. Try to call or send an sms message. You will observe that the incoming signals going to your cellphone were received also by the television or the FM receiver. Due to difference in frequency, the TV receiver cannot decode those signal thus you can hear an annoying sounds on the speakers. The same principle goes with the plane. Airplane uses electronic devices to communicate with the airport towers or to other nearby airplanes during take off and landing. Interference to their communications might result to accident. So the next time you travel, don't forget to bring your book or just take a nap.

Although I too find this annoying, I try to see the positiveness of it; gives me a chance to read on a plane or just do something to completely relax. Remember the days before cell phones and what we did?

They just had a news program devoted to that very question (about a week ago.) It seems that the signals interfere with some of the planes different electronics, and important instructions from the control tower are often missed. By missed I mean that there are skips and jumps in the transmission. Now, if I was on a plane, I would want that pilot and control tower to have reliable communication at all times. It was an interesting program, and very eye opening, to say the least. In view of the fact that it's potentially putting a whole aircraft in danger, as well as the lives of all those people on board, I think it only makes sense to shut them off when asked. Besides, there are always books, hand-held games, crossword puzzles, or other things that can be used to entertain ourselves.

Right now I have got my third mobile phone. My first mobile phone broke and my second mobile phone I lost. That second mobile phone had a flight safe mode on it yet I still wasn't allowed to use it on my plane trips. I wonder if so mobile phones do affect something to so with the plane. It would be challenging to make sure all passengers were using the safe mode setting. Flight rules are strict it seems to me. Yes, some mobile phones have games on which would be lovely to use inflight.

Yes, I wondered and my answer what the same as yours. But now that you say the cell doesn't interfere with the signal I am eager to know why we have to turn them off then. Maybe its because when they are talking to us on the plane we won't pay attention. I don't know. I am way curious now.

The usage of cellphones during flights is very harmful and can cause damage by interfearing with the aircrafts communication system and navigation systems. Cellphones send out signals to satellites to attain a signal. When you flying some 35000feet above you do not get a signal and at this time the cellphone will try its best to catch hold of some available network. At the same time the aircrafts navigational system is also constantly sending signals to the ground of its movement above. So this could act as a hazard and disrupt a smooth flight and confuse captains. It could also cause a threat to the people travelling in that plane. With so much of sofisticated technology in an aircraft, the use of electronic devices serves as a severe threat..

Personally I think it is something to do with a Safety issue, even though I have seen people using theirs later in the flight. I know that people are allowed to use Laptops etc. so maybe this is a something to do with Security or privacy? Personally would be interesting to know wouldn't it?