(CNN) The promise of 5G, the next generation of wireless technology – faster internet, better connectivity, and easier access – has long excited people.
The potential dangers of the U.S. deployment are becoming clearer and are understandably frightening, including the possibility that certain instruments on the plane may malfunction.
Due to this concern, major international airlines such as Emirates, Air India, All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines, Lufthansa and British Airways have announced changes to some flights.
Note: Much of the content below is taken directly from CNN reporting by Gregory Wallace, Pete Muntian, and Michael Balaban. Read the latest report on 5G deployment.
The situation is frustrating for the airline industry, although only certain flights to certain airports are affected by cancellations. And his warnings about the potential for disaster for airlines if their new 5G networks interfere with certain planes’ altimeters are enough to make anyone stop, sit back and say, “Wait a minute.” should be sufficient.
Is this a problem of government capacity?
The development was certainly a mess. Asked about government power by CNN’s Jeff Zeleny, President Joe Biden said at a press conference Wednesday that the dispute is between private entities, airlines and telecommunications companies, both of which are regulated by the government. He claimed that there was.
“What I’ve been doing is getting the 5G guys (mobile phone companies) to be patient and comply with the airlines’ requirements until the airlines have a year to modernize so 5G doesn’t interfere. “There is a possibility of landing,” he said.
“Delinquent” status
Airline industry critics are unlikely to buy that argument. Emirates President Tim Clark told CNN’s Richard Quest on Wednesday that the entire incident was one of the “most delinquent and totally irresponsible” situations.
Clark said his airline was not aware of any issues with the 5G rollout until Tuesday morning. “To the extent that it compromises the safety of the operations of our aircraft and substantially all other 777 operators to, from, and within the United States.” ”
What will the relationship be with 5G?
U.S. cell phone companies are using C-band, a set of radio frequencies meant to “supercharge the internet as we know it,” as CNN’s Samantha Murphy Kelly puts it. , paid the government $81 billion in 2021.
She writes: “Think of it this way: If 3G is a two-lane highway and 4G is six lanes, 5G will make it 12 lanes. It will handle this increase in traffic and bandwidth without delay and Ultimately, self-driving cars will process all the information needed to make instant life-or-death decisions, and the healthcare industry will be able to use next-generation telemedicine and robotic surgery. I will contribute to the promotion.”
What is the problem with 5G and airplanes?
According to a CNN report by Wallace, Muntean, and Balaban, “The Federal Aviation Administration has announced that 5G cellular antennas near some airports (not on air travelers’ mobile devices) can be used to alert pilots of distance. “These systems, known as radar altimeters, are used during flight and are considered critical equipment.” (Radar altimeters differ from standard altimeters, which rely on barometric measurements and do not use radio signals to measure altitude.)
What on earth didn’t airlines know about this development?
Let Mr Clark from Emirates Airlines explain this in some rather unbelievable and frustrating terms.
“We were aware of the 5G issues, we understand.
“I know everyone is trying to push 5G forward. At the end of the day, it’s a really cool future of communication and information flow, whatever it is.”
“I didn’t know that the antenna power in the US is twice as much as in other parts of the world.
“We believe that the antenna itself is installed in a vertical position rather than in a slightly tilted position, thereby compromising not only the radio altimeter system, but also the flight control system of the fly-by-wire aircraft. I did not know.
“Therefore, we made the decision late last night to suspend all services until we have clarity.”
How did such a warning come about?
The FAA issued an emergency warning in December as carriers put the final touches on C-band technology. Specifically, the FAA instructs pilots not to use altimeters that can be affected in certain low-visibility conditions, jeopardizing a pilot’s ability to land in some situations at certain airports. there is a possibility.
Has 5G been activated in the US?
5G has already been activated to some extent. But carriers including CNN’s parent company AT&T and Verizon were planning to activate new, better versions using C-band technology on Wednesday. Telecommunications companies are delaying turning on certain towers near major airports.
What happened in other countries?
In Europe, including the UK, the switch to 5G is progressing smoothly. According to CNN’s Charles Riley and Joseph Ataman, the reason is technical.
From their report: C-band uses a spectrum of radio waves with frequencies between 3.7 and 3.98 GHz.
In Europe, companies providing 5G services It uses spectrum in the slow 3.4-3.8 GHz range.
The aviation industry is concerned that US 5G services in the C-band are too close to the spectrum used by radar altimeters (4.2-4.4GHz). His 5G in Europe has a bigger buffer.
Some countries limit the power sent to 5G antennas near airports and require antennas to be tilted away from the flight path.
What’s next?
In a statement, Biden thanked Verizon and AT&T for delaying the rollout of 5G at some airports as airlines warned of dire consequences for traffic and the economy.
Federal authorities and wireless providers will continue to negotiate.
Asked Tuesday how long the FAA took to plan implementation and whether the agency “dropped the ball,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said, “If we look back and see how we got here… There will be plenty of time to confirm whether this has been achieved.” ”
