The present non-terrestrial feature transparency system spoofs the
Air-to-Ground Network and the ground-based cellular communication network
into thinking that the wireless subscriber devices have no special
considerations associated with their operation, even though the wireless
subscriber devices are located on an aircraft in flight. This
architecture requires that the non-terrestrial feature transparency
system on board the aircraft replicate the full functionality of a given
wireless subscriber device, that has a certain predetermined feature set
from a ground-based wireless service provider, at another wireless
subscriber device located within the aircraft. This mirroring of wireless
subscriber device attributes enables a localized cell for in-cabin
communication yet retains the same wireless subscriber device attributes
for the air-to-ground link. The Air-to-Ground Network transmits both the
subscriber data (comprising voice and/or other data) as well as feature
set data between the Aircraft in-Cabin Network and the ground-based
cellular communication network to thereby enable the wireless subscriber
devices that are located in the aircraft to receive consistent wireless
communication services in both the terrestrial (ground-based) and
non-terrestrial regions.