Selphin & El !
Re "There are more people out there who have had radio interference from ONE mobile phone than those who have not".
How do I quantify it...more than 50% of pilots (ie the majority) have had a situation where one mobile left on by a passenger has caused interference (by which I mean unwanted / distracting noise) heard through the headset. Last happened to me on Thursday at about 110 knots just before rotate. Really don't need it.
Last year one of our aircraft had a high speed abort because a mobile phone in the hold rang and the signal produced a baggage fire warning.
Checkout ARINC and Mike's links and you might learn something.
This is a serious safety issue which has cost people their lives. As I said the petrol station was a bit of light hearted (if slightly sadistic off subject) humour...but as you seem to get so excited about it here are the facts.
It is off subject because this 1999 explosion had nothing to do with interference.
The guy fumbled around in his pocket to answer it... managed to dislodge the battery which shorted on some coins...this was the spark which caused vapour ignition.
In August that year David Rudd (senior Motorola bod) confirmed that a dislodged battery (coupled with a short between contacts) would cause a spark capable of vapour ignition and this is where all the gas station warnings came from.
There are hundreds of thousands of gas stations and millions of mobiles in the world and most (if not all) mobile phone manufacturers issue guidance with every one sold not to have your mobile switched on when refuelling.
FEHoppy - Non transmitting devices are OK this thread is about mobile use.