In late November, the European Commission ruled that airlines can offer 5G connectivity onboard their aircraft. (Photo: European Commission)
In late November, the European Commission ruled that airlines can offer 5G connectivity onboard their aircraft. A European Commission ruling has reserved certain frequencies to enable in-flight mobile communications since 2008. New implementation decision Enables widespread deployment of 5G.
US cell phone companies are still restricting the use of 5G near airports due to concerns about interference with aircraft equipment. In particular, the Federal Aviation Administration and some U.S. airlines are concerned that 5G will interfere with radio altimeters, a critical piece of equipment used to land planes in low visibility conditions.
“Altimeters operate on frequencies around 4.2 to 4.4 GHz, and certain altimeters that do not have modern filtering technology can pick up interference from devices operating on nearby frequencies,” explains James Vicarese Did. washington post. These frequencies are close to the frequencies used by 5G networks in the United States (3.7 GHz and 3.98 GHz). In contrast, 5G in Europe operates at frequencies above 5 GHz. This allows for more “gap spacing” and reduces interference concerns.
Since January 2022, more than 100 incidents involving potential 5G interference have been reported. The F.A.A. June statement Regional airlines require the installation of radio frequency filters on aircraft, which are the ones most susceptible to this type of interference.
A group of aviation stakeholders, including the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), has issued a petition to the FAA, Department of Transportation, and Department of Commerce. Address this issue proactively. The aim is to avoid avoidable flight delays and cancellations while deploying solutions that enable 5G growth.
Some U.S. airlines are installing alternative radio altimeters on their Airbus A320 aircraft in service. They are installing an upgraded version of his previous ERT 530 radio altimeter designed by avionics manufacturer Thales. As of mid-September, 50 of these aircraft were already Retrofitting ERT 530R.
There are still concerns about European airlines offering 5G connectivity on board. If hundreds of passengers try to connect to his 5G antenna at the same time, the output power will be high and could raise concerns for the aircraft’s electronics.
In an op-ed for the Washington Post, Vicares shared comments from former Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler, who believes concerns about altimeter interference may be overblown. “The reality is that the vast majority of aircraft have altimeters that are blocked from the signal,” Wheeler said. Additionally, older aircraft models are being replaced or shielded.
The technological concerns that led to the ban on cell phone use on flights could be resolved by the latest advances in picocell technology. Picocells connect to satellite or ground networks and radiate low-power signals throughout the aircraft.
