Airline cell service can be pricey but popular

U.S. airlines will face a decision about whether to provide cellular service on their flights and how to price it, if the Federal Communications Commission decides to allow calls from flights.

But the cost for the service already available on international airlines falls under roaming contracts that typically involve a monthly fee and a change for calls and data used, according to companies involved.

MORE: Foreign-based airlines already have cell service

Two major providers of cellular service aboard foreign airlines – OnAir and AeroMobile – say the costs for using your phone during a flight don't show up separately on the bill. If a passenger has a roaming agreement with their phone service, the phone will work on the plane without even using a password.

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"It's no different than on the ground – it's exactly the same," said Ian Dawkins, CEO of OnAir, which offers mobile service on 16,000 foreign flights a month. "As a user, you have a package whether it's monthly or hourly or whatever it is for data and voice, and we are part of that."

If the Federal Communications Commission agrees to lift its ban on cellular calls on planes, airlines would still have to decide whether to offer the service.

But if airlines do, the keys will be which phone companies have agreements with which cellular providers aboard which planes. OnAir, for example, provides cellular service aboard 14 airlines and has agreements with 350 phone companies worldwide.

Gogo, which offers wi-fi service aboard U.S. airlines when planes are at least 10,000 feet in the air, plans to offer calls and texting if airlines want it. Steve Nolan, a Gogo spokesman, said pricing would match the customer's own phone billing for roaming costs.

"Under Gogo Text & Talk, they will charge according to your plan in the U.S.," Nolan said. "In other words, if yo! u pay for unlimited text messages, you wouldn't incur any additional fees from your carrier."

Billing is under the passenger's agreement with the phone company for international roaming, without even mentioning OnAir or AeroMobile providing the service on a specific flight.

The billing varies by customer, company and country. Two passengers sitting next to each other on the same flight could pay different amounts to make a call or check their e-mail.