[frnewsjunkie]

It’s a possibility someone hijacked the plane ... but how did they keep over 200 persons from using their phones?... surely someone could have notified a family member.

[Red in Blue PA]

There are no cell towers at 35,000 feet.....nor at 25,000 feet.

[PapaBear3625]

It’s a possibility someone hijacked the plane ... but how did they keep over 200 persons from using their phones?... surely someone could have notified a family member.

You need to be near a cell tower for your cell phone to work. No cell towers out in the ocean.

[autumnraine]

A phone over the middle of the ocean?

[Blood of Tyrants]

Cell phones don’t when you are 100 miles away from the nearest tower. Just as an experiment, I turned my phone on recently while at cruising altitude over Georgia and got no signal at all. Cell tower antennas are configured to radiate outward and not upward.

[Viennacon]

Jammer?

[Bronzewound]

I think cellphone signals on commercial airliners are sent via the plane's communication system, which in this case, seems to have been off.

Please correct me if I have this wrong. Thanks.

[maggief]

http://www.malaysiaairlines.com/hq/en/mh-experience/business-class.html

Stay connected
Communicate with loved ones or workmates via calls or text messages using your seat entertainment controller that also works as an air-to-ground phone. You can even send and receive emails mid-flight.

http://travellingidea.wordpress.com/tag/malaysia-airline/

Unlimited Entertainment

The Select-In-Flight Entertainment system offers a world of high quality, and engaging entertainment onboard. Enjoy unlimited fun by watching latest blockbusters to popular TV shows, music videos to chat shows and multi-player games. Entertainment systems available onboard include Audio/video on demand, in-seat videos, overhead screens and portable media player.

Communicate with your loved ones or collogues via calls or text messages by using your seat entertainment controller that works like an air-to-ground phone so that you can easily send or receive mails even in the sky.

Boeing 777-200

http://www.malaysiaairlines.com/my/en/mh-experience/our-fleet/boeing-777-200.html

[hosepipe]

It’s a possibility someone hijacked the plane ... but how did they keep over 200 persons from using their phones?... surely someone could have notified a family member.

---

ONLY sattelite phones would work...
all others would not...

[Abathar]

Buddy of mine had a cell phone jammer once. He would turn it on in a busy cafe or where a bunch of people were talking just to watch everyone look at their phone at the same time.

You can buy a portable one that would work in an area the size of a plane for next to nothing. Now that I really think about it someone screwing with a plane load of people would be idiots not to have one with them.

[Mr. K]

there is no cell phone signal in the middle of the ocean