European airlines are getting internet

Following a recent decision by the Federal Aviation Administration to allow the use of electronic devices during all phases of flight in the US, the European Commission announced yesterday that tablets, smartphones and e-readers could now be used during takeoff and landing in Europe.

Today, the EU is granting airline passengers even more freedom as airlines now have permission to deploy 3G and LTE networks on their aircraft. Up to this point, select airlines have provided passengers with 2G networks suitable for calls and texts. Such networks, however, are far too slow for any practical web browsing.