Anyone who has suffered from loud mobile phone users on trains is going to be dismayed by this news. The European Commission has given the green light to airlines flying in European airspace to permit the use of mobile phones on board. Airlines will be able to install mobile phone base-stations known as "pico cells" on board the aircraft. These will be switched on once the aircraft has reached an altitude of 3000 metres (about 9800 feet). The signals from the pico cell will be relayed to the terrestrial networks via a satellite link. Once an aircraft leaves European airspace, the pico cells ...