What is SO important ?

[TightSlot]

at least one active (probably inadvertently so) mobile on board

Agree - can anybody advise if the number of active handsets has any influence on possible interference. In other words, if there was no restriction at all, and therefore every handset was on, is this more like to negatively affect the aircraft: I would assume so, both because the number of potential sources of interference is higher, and also because the level of electrical energy (in total) would be higher - but I don't know for sure.

Since we don't regularly hear of resulting problems, I conclude that any risk is minimal

You wouldn't hear of them here on PPRuNe, but that doesn't mean that the problems are not there. If interference was proved a contributory factor in an accident report, then you would hear about it in these forums: However, you would not necessarily know about the more numerous day-to-day reports of suspected interference that are logged by pilots, but do not result in an accident.

airlines that can make money from it have actually encouraged the use of mobiles by providing on board connectivity.

My understanding is primitive, so please correct me if I am wrong - Here goes... Airlines can enable the use of mobiles in-flight by installing something called a "Pico Cell" on the aircraft. This means that passenger mobile phones connect to the local aircraft cell at a very low power setting, thereby avoiding repeated blasts of potential RM interference to the aircraft as multiple phones send out relatively high-power pulses in the fruitless search for a station (Cell?) to connect with. In short, airlines that enable mobile phone use in-flight, aren't simply allowing people to switch phones on and connect as normal, but have paid for equipment that enables the safe use of mobile phones to be installed. This cost is recouped by the cost of the in-flight calls, and in the hope of making an eventual profit.

I haven't actually met any pilots of large passenger aircraft that are comfortable with unrestricted use of passenger electronic devices in flight. I have met many pilots who have relayed experiences of suspected interference: The industry experts and legislators are similarly cautious. This combined opinion really ought to trump the anecdotally based scepticism of the opposing lobby. People enjoy the convenience of using their mobile phones, and resent restrictions on use: In order to justify non-compliance in their own mind, a fictitious web of semi-truths, soft facts and apocryphal incidents are spun together in an attempt to muddy the water sufficiently.

PV - I'm not referring to your post above, or any other specific person - I just happened to use your quotes as being the closest to hand.