Brussels, 14/11/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 14 November, the European Commission adopted new rules that will allow air passengers flying over the European Union at an altitude of over 3,000 metres to use the latest wireless communication technologies. This decision allows airline companies to authorise the use of smart phones and tablets during flights, thanks to the spectrum for 3G (UMTS) and 4G (LTE) communications. Hitherto, only 2G technology (GSM) was authorised on board aircraft flying over the EU. By end November, the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) will issue guidance on the safe use of devices during flights. Airlines operating within EU airspace will remain in charge of what services they choose to equip their planes with, and whether or not they wish to apply the new option proposed by the Commission. According to surveys carried out by the sector, SMS and electronic mail are more important for passengers than voice communication. (IL/transl.jl)