AT&T and Verizon have both voluntarily agreed to delay the deployment of their new C-Band 5G services near certain US airports. The move comes after several carriers, including Delta, United and Southwest Airlines, wrote to the federal government to warn of potential flight delays due to the rollout.
Verizon said it will launch its 5G Ultra Wideband on 19 January, but will limit the network around airports. The operator expressed some frustration, noting that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not been able to fully resolve “navigating 5G around airports, despite it being safe and operational in more than 40 other countries. An AT&T spokesperson told CNBC the carrier was “frustrated” by the Federal Aviation Administration’s inability to safely deploy the networking standard without disrupting aviation services, a feat the company said 40 other countries have done without issue.
In a letter obtained by Reuters and the Wall Street Journal, airlines warned interference from 5G cell towers could affect the safety equipment on their planes. Devices like airplane altimeters, which pilots use to land when visibility is low, operate on C-Band adjacent frequencies. Airlines asked that AT&T and Verizon not offer 5G service within two miles of some of the country’s busiest airports. “Immediate intervention is needed to avoid significant operational disruption to air passengers, shippers, supply chain and delivery of needed medical supplies,” they said.
AT&T and Verizon had already agreed to establish buffer zones around 50 airports to reduce the risk of flight disruption. The companies delayed the rollout of the 5G network in December, and then postponed by another two weeks in January, to give the FAA more time to address any interference concerns.
FCC Jessica Rosenworcel welcomed the news and said the FAA has a process in place to assess altimeter performance in the 5G environment and resolve any remaining concerns. “It is essential that the FAA now complete this process with both care and speed” she concluded.
