Why you can't use a cellphone on a plane

We are pulling away from the gate, and the captain's put on the fasten seatbelt sign. Time to put away that cellphone. But have you ever wondered why, exactly, that you need to turn it off? If you leave your iPhone on during takeoff, can it cause the plane to crash?

Wired was kind enough to do the research, and they have the answers.

Sure, your mobile can interfere with avionics — in theory. But in practice, it's far from likely. Cockpits and communications systems have been protected against electromagnetic meddling through safeguards like shielded wiring and support structures since the 1960s.

So why the resistance? Part of it, naturally, comes from the call carriers. When phones ping for signals at 35,000 feet, they can hit hundreds of towers at once, necessitating complicated parsing of roaming agreements. Providers don't want the hassle if they're not being properly compensated, so the government has left the plane ban in place.

Personally, I don't think technology should really be the factor, but privacy and right to your own space. Do we all want to listen to the person next to us talk on their phone during the entire flight? I think not!