Verizon and AT&T are delaying the roll-out of their wider 5G networks after the Federal Aviation Administration warned that some aircraft’s safety systems might be disrupted by the new wireless technology, according to The Wall Street Journal.
On December 5th, AT&T and Verizon planned to start operating new 5G networks that use “C-band” frequencies. The launch will now be postponed until at least January 5th, according to the firms.
5G smartphones are still nowhere to be found, even though Verizon and AT&T continue to offer ultra-fast 5G connection in specific regions via high-band millimeter wave technology.
The two firms, on the other hand, have relied on the C-band to significantly increase 5G availability across the United States.
AT&T and Verizon together spent nearly $70 billion earlier this year to acquire access to a slew of C-band spectrum that was up for sale.
The other major player in the wireless market, T-Mobile, has got a mid-band spectrum, that doesn’t function in the C-band. For some time, the air transportation sector has been concerned about C-band interference.
For example, the rollout of C-band 5G is likely to result in “significant disruptions” in the use of America’s National Airspace System, according to industry representatives during an August meeting with the Federal Communications Commission.
The concerns peaked this week, when the FAA released a “special information bulletin” about potential issues with radio altimeters interfering with safety equipment that relies on them.
The agency cleared that there are no documented incidents of “harmful interference” in other countries at present. However, it has warned aircraft operators to prepare for the possibility of interference from 5G transmitters and other technology that could lead to the malfunctioning of safety equipment of flights.
AT&T said Thursday that it is collaborating with the FAA and FCC to better understand the aviation sector’s worries.
This is the narrowest path to allowing experts and engineers to determine whether any genuine co-existence concerns exist.”
The CTIA, the major wireless trade group asked companies to use C-band 5G without yielding any harmful effect on aviation equipment.