FCC Chairman Kevin Martin will recommend that the agency halt a proposal that would allow cellphone use aboard airplanes. Initially announced back in late 2004, the industry has worked to overcome technical hurdles to make the technology possible. Despite progress, several problems remain, including fine-tuning how pico cells interact with on-board cell signals and relay them to surface networks. Also, a CTIA test that took place last year demonstrated that in-flight cell calls continue to interfere with the ground-based networks. These technology issues, combined with an overwhelming lack of support of the idea by consumers, led to the FCC chair’s recommendation.