To keep up with the pack, United is going to soon permit the use of cell phones on domestic flights while taxiing to the gate.

Apparently, they have tested passenger electronic devices onboard to 'determine their possible interference with ground navigation and communication.'  Their test results must have checked out, because they have submitted those results to the FAA for review.

I find it interesting how now, when the 'competitors have relaxed their policies on the use of cell phones', there are suddenly no more safety concerns for using them while taxiing to the gate.

Think of all the passengers in the past who ignored the cell phone rule and talked during taxi anyway.  Or the uncomfortable position that flight attendants were continually placed in to try and enforce a safety policy on passengers impatient to call the office before arriving at the gate.

If that 'no cell-phone use during taxi' safety policy was so pointless as to warrant removal, then why not check the facts, run the tests, and do whatever you have to do BEFORE drilling into F/As (acting as safety cops) and passengers (who lash back abuse to said safety cops) the all-serious safety concerns of using cell phones during taxi.  This avoids a 'see I told you so' attitude on the part of passengers.  The SITYS attitude that can occur when a previously important and all-serious 'safety policy' becomes a well-it-really-wasn't-a-safety-issue-we-didn't-know-what-we-were-talking-about-and-gee-everyone-else-is-now-doing-it policy revision.