If you like peace and quiet on planes, count the days: In this article for Mobile Pipeline, I look at the future of voice and data in the air, with a focus on when cellular phones will work in airplanes as they do on the ground. The answer is a little complicated. In the U.S., the best estimate is mid-2007, if regulatory and safety concerns are sorted out. In Europe, mid-to-late 2006 for GSM and GPRS, but not 3G services or pure data.

The spectrum needed for cost-effective U.S. ground-to-air transmissions won't be auctioned until May 2006, by current estimates, and the bidders project a one-year timetable from winning the bid to full-fledged commercial service.

Meanwhile, data may roll out a little faster. OnAir, the Tenzing successor owned by Airbus and SITA, will offer satellite services for voice in late 2006 and data in early 2007. Connexion by Boeing has about 200 equipped planes now and many more to come, though all long-haul and overwater. AirCell and Verizon AirFone are watching the auction closely.

There could be one or two winners from the U.S. spectrum auction. Even with cheaper transport for data and voice in the U.S., costs per minute for cell access will probably rival the most expensive domestic roaming plans; OnAir expects to charge international roaming rates for its service outside the U.S.

But let's not forget VoIP. Connexion says Skype and other VoIP tools are among the most popular uses of its broadband satellite service.