For those that mentioned possible SLF cell phone contacts....
That is unlikely.
Cell tower antennae are usually tuned to have optimal performance in 120 degree arc by 60 degree or less elevation. Depending on the frequency and a ton of other factors, practical range is 2 or 3 miles at best (that goes for SMS as well). On an airplane that means something like 10k feet since slant range will be approaching 3 miles, but usually much less because of being outside of antenna cone and an aluminum airframe does a wonderful job of attenuating signals.
Agreed, but I wasn't talking about attempts to connect at 10,000 feet, I was talking about practically every passenger in the last minutes and seconds of the flight desperately trying to speak to or text their loved ones.
If this was over land and anywhere near a mobile network then there is a strong possibility that at least one cell somewhere would have responded.