Why do you have to put your phone on airplane mode before take off?
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The real answer is because government is really slow to update its policies. The airplane mode policy is from an FCC regulation implemented in the 1990s (47 CFR I(b)22(h) 22.925. That regulation bans the use of cell phones on planes in order to “protect against radio interference to cell phone networks on the ground.” Meaning at 40,000 feet in the air, active cell phones would be picking up service from multiple cell towers on the ground while passengers are traveling at high speeds. This makes the cell phones work poorly and interrupts the regular use of those towers by adding random draws on the signal. This could crowd the networks on the ground and disrupt service. This justification is not warranted any more, but there are reports of some noise heard by pilots during communications with towers so the FCC has just left the policy in place.
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