US communications regulator, the FCC, has held off on plans to lift the ban on cellphone usage whilst onboard a plane.

Although the FCC has been inundated with requests from consumers to maintain a ban on in flight mobile phone usage, the latest obstacle has been thrown up by the mobile industry itself.

The mobile industry has expressed concerns that infrastructure on the ground would struggle to cope with calls made from a handset thousands of miles up in the air and travelling at speeds of 500Mph. Such usage could easily tie up a number of cell towers at any one time.

Meanwhile, the European Aviation Regulatory Authority is examining a similar proposal to allow mobile calls in flight.