So How Were Those 911 Cell Calls Made?

QUALCOMM Press Release
12-23-5
"Today, American Airlines and QUALCOMM showcased their strength as technology pioneers and market leaders in their respective industries," said Dan Garton, executive vice president of marketing for American Airlines. "American is committed to researching and providing innovative, cutting-edge products and services that enhance our passengers' traveling experience and give our customers what they value. Even though commercial availability of cell phone use in flight is approximately 24 months away, American Airlines knows that our customers want to stay connected and this proof-of-concept event is an important step in bringing in-cabin wireless services to our customers."

American Airlines and QUALCOMM Complete
Test Flight to Evaluate In-Cabin Mobile Phone Use
FORT WORTH, Texas and SAN DIEGO - July 15, 2004 - QUALCOMM Incorporated
http://www.qualcomm.com/press/releases/2004/040715_aa_testflight.html


The Strange Case Of The 911 Cell Phone Calls
September 2004

Last month, Qualcomm Corporation issued a press release stating that they had developed a new technology that would finally make it possible to make cellular phone calls from commercial airliners. Using a technology called "Pico Cells", the system will work as a link between the airliner and ground towers. According to the press release, it is currently impossible to connect by cell phone in a plane that is above 4,000 feet.

During the Republican National Convention in New York City last month, Deena Burnett, widow of Flight 93 victim Tom Burnett, spoke of the four telephone calls she received from her husband aboard the doomed airliner on September 11th, all of which were received from his cell phone, one of which lasted 13 minutes.

With the FAA statement that Flight 93 never went below 29,000 feet until its' sudden fatal plunge, these two stories seem to be mutually exclusive. Either it is possible to make cell phone calls from a commercial jetliner in flight at cruising altitude - or it isn't.

If it is already possible to use a cell phone on a plane, why is Qualcomm so excited about their Pico chip? If it is not possible to do so, there's an even bigger problem.

Because there are no survivors of any of the 911 planes, the only "eyewitness" testimony we have is the paraphrased transcripts of phone calls made to family members. This is where we get the descriptions of "Arab looking men" with knives and box cutters, talking about "Allah". It is from these calls we hear the immortal and heroic "Let's roll!".

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