Air France is set to begin a two-stage, six-month trial of OnAir, which allows people to use their mobile phones while in flight aboard certain Airbus 318s. The first stage of the trial will permit passengers to send and receive SMS, MMS and mobile email messages only and will last three months. The second stage of the trial will add voice calls. Passengers will be able to make calls once the plane has ascended higher than 10,000 feet. Calls are placed through an on-board picocell and routed via satellite to the ground-based networks. Call costs will be comparable to normal international calling rates and will be charged through passengers’ regular carriers. Air France may discontinue the voice call service at the end of the trial if it feels the quality is not good enough.