At present, it is not possible to use cellular phones in aircraft. On the one hand, interaction with the electronic on-board systems is feared and on the other hand, no mobile radio networks where a cellular phone could log in are available especially in the case of long-distance flights over unpopulated regions or water.
At present, the aircraft of many airlines are equipped with proprietary communication systems which allow the passengers to conduct voice and/or data communication during the flight. As a rule, these systems are expensive to procure since all seats (or at least rows of seats) must be equipped with corresponding terminals. The connecting costs are also high.