Introduction to Onboard
Mobile Telephony Service
The technology in mobile telephone communications has progressed significantly in just the past ten years, and new initiatives are being undertaken to place this technology onboard aircraft. The onboard aircraft telephone system would be developed so as to allow in-flight sending and receiving of phone calls, as well as text messages; this without interfering with critical onboard aircraft systems. The systems that are currently being developed rely on picocell technologies that interface with onboard control, transmission, and reception systems. This system has been called the Onboard Mobile Telephony Service (OMTS). The picocell technology used in OMTS is relatively new, especially its use on aircraft. Public information on the specifics of the system is limited, but the basic principles of OMTS are detailed on this site.