One simple reason for no phone calls from Malaysian flight 370.

[kstewart33]

From Time.com:

...But as anyone whose dinner, movie or recital has been interrupted by cell-phone calls can attest, there must be a way to thwart such calls. All you have to do is visit PhoneJammer.com to see a variety of such portable devices on offer.

“A phone jammer transmits low-powered radio signals to cut off communications between cell phones and cell base stations,” PhoneJammer.com says. “It does not interfere with any communications other than cellular phones within the defined regulated zone. Upon activating a phone jammer, all idle phones will indicate ‘NO NETWORK.’”

The portable units available from PhoneJammer.com include the Palm Mini Jammer (a cell-phone-size unit for $149 with a 5-m range, available in black, silver, beige and green), the High Power Portable Jammer (a smaller device with a range of up to 20 m for $205) and the Portable Adjustable Power Jammer ($395 with a range of up to 30 m and five-hour battery life).

Source: http://time.com/29111/malaysia-airlines-flight-370-phone-calls/

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. A simpler reason yet: Cell phones won't work if they aren't reasonably near cell towers.

An airplane over open water at high altitude is probably too far away from any cell towers for on-board phones to work unless the plane has satellite reception capability.

[NightWatcher]

2. Paging Occam's (or in this case, Ocelot's) Razor to cleanup aisle 4

You are correct

[VanillaRhapsody]

3. So how did the highjackers communicate with whomever they were meeting on some island (or

whatever the destination ended up being...) There had to be some communication with those at that location somehow...

[Uben]

5. Ever heard of radios?

Simple answer.

[VanillaRhapsody]

8. So they CAN receive radio signals but cannot get satellite transmission....

and no one else was able to hear said radio signal?

[Uben]

11. I suppose someone could have heard....

...if they were on the right frequency at the right time. But, they could have been communicating in code/language that the person listening could not understand.

Then again, it could have all been coordinated before the flight took place. Who knows?

[VanillaRhapsody]

16. Well that is the problem with this theory....

[oldhippie]

14. Do you know how much bandwidth .....

.... is available in the HF spectrum?

(Do you know what the HF spectrum is?)

[Brickbat]

17. There's a difference between a sat phone and a cell phone.

[tkmorris]

18. Cell phones don't communicate with satellites

Furthermore, there are all manner of ways to conceal radio transmissions, or at least the content thereof. Radio Shack sells radios capable of this, it doesn't take much.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. Which hijackers? What island?

We don't even know for sure yet whether there was a hijacking.

[VanillaRhapsody]

7. just extrapolating on this theory...

[Uben]

4. Which begs to ask.....

...why are cell phones allowed to operate in vehicles while the ignition is on? Since at least 60% of all accidents today are caused by cell phone activity, why don't we make them where they do not operate while the ignition is on? Hey, get a call, pull over, turn the ignition off, talk all you want, but no talking or texting while driving.

I'm on the road a lot. You can almost bet that someone is on the phone if you see them driving irratically.

[seveneyes]

9. Because of passengers

No reason to lock out those not driving.

[Uben]

12. Why would we let a passenger's phone rights prevail over safety?

We make them wear seat belts....for their safety. Same principle.

[TeamPooka]

10. If a plane fills with smoke you don't reach for your cell phone. nt

[closeupready]

13. Not true, if by that you mean, 'when danger flirts, thoughts of family

come last.'

[SirRevolutionary]

15. Ya I'd say...

1) they weren't close enough to cell towers or 2) there was no time to call because the plane fell out of the sky. Either one seems pretty logical to me.