The launch of new 5G cell phone service in the United States on Wednesday has sparked a battle between carriers and the airline industry, with airlines claiming that the high-speed wireless service interferes with aircraft technology and could cause “catastrophic damage.” “It could cause confusion,” he said.
The dispute forced Verizon and AT&T to temporarily limit 5G service near some airports, and airlines rushed to cancel and reschedule flights on Wednesday. But what is the root of the problem? Will 5G service really interfere with airplanes? And what does this mean for the future of his 5G network in the US?
What is the problem?
Verizon and AT&T plan to roll out 5G wireless services that offer improved connectivity, higher bandwidth, and ultra-fast internet speeds. important part of Fifth generation wireless technology (5G) operates within a specific frequency range that makes up what is known as the C-band segment of the radio spectrum. The problem is that this part of the spectrum is close to the segment of radio waves dedicated to civil aviation and air traffic operations.
The US Federal Aviation Administration said 5G networks could disrupt aircraft operations. The main concern is that cell phone towers and antennas near airports can interfere with the radio altimeter, an electronic device inside an aircraft that helps pilots measure altitude over terrain. This device is especially important when airplanes land in bad weather or when helicopters fly at low altitudes.
“The problem is that wireless signals are not 100 percent confined to their assigned spectrum bands,” said Randall Berry, a professor of electrical engineering at Northwestern University. “The concern here is that signals from 5G bands could leak into bands used by airlines and confuse altimeters.”
Verizon and AT&T say their equipment can be safely deployed without interfering with aircraft operations, but the CEOs of the major airlines said in a letter sent Monday to U.S. transportation and economic officials. He said the rollout of 5G could ground flights and leave tens of thousands of Americans stranded overseas. .
In response, the telecom giant agreed on Tuesday to temporarily restrict C-band 5G service around some airports as it continues to work with the airline industry and the FAA.
Is this really a cause for concern?
Berry added that while that is possible, there is not much reliable evidence to suggest that 5G technology poses a high risk to the airline industry.
Both AT&T and Verizon expressed frustration with the recent slowdown and said 5G technology has been safely deployed in about 40 other countries without disrupting aircraft operations.
Aija Leiponen, a professor at Cornell University’s S.C. Johnson College of Business, said there is some variation in how other countries regulate the C-band spectrum, but the Federal Communications Commission and similar agencies around the world are evaluating the potential safety risks of 5G technology. He said he was investigating the issue. .
“There are no known air traffic safety incidents related to this, and 5G is being rolled out in other countries much faster than in the United States,” she said.
Concerns about radio interference in aviation are nothing new. The use of cell phones on airplanes was once banned in the United States and many other countries due to concerns that cell phone signals could conflict with the plane’s avionics and other navigation systems. In 2013, the FAA began allowing the use of mobile devices on airplanes if they are set to “airplane mode,” which blocks the device’s ability to transmit radio signals to cell towers.
To reduce the potential for interference, Verizon and AT&T have agreed to maintain buffer zones around at least 50 airports, including major hubs such as New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport. Airlines also agreed to temporarily restrict the deployment of 5G services around certain airport runways.
how did we get here?
In the United States, the FCC is tasked with regulating how the various frequencies within the radio spectrum are used.
Last year, authorities auctioned off licenses for C-band spectrum, and Verizon and AT&T were among the cell phone companies that spent $81 billion to use C-band spectrum to roll out new 5G networks. It was.
In November, the FAA issued a bulletin to aircraft manufacturers and operators warning them that they “need to prepare for the possibility that certain safety devices may malfunction due to interference from 5G transmitters and other technologies.”
Leiponen said 5G networks have been in development for the better part of a decade, and there appears to be plenty of time to iron out potential safety issues.
“It’s kind of puzzling that we’re at this point where airlines are pushing the button to launch their networks and now the airline industry is putting the brakes on and trying to prevent this from happening.” she said.
Airline executives and the FAA said they had previously tried to raise questions about 5G technology, but those concerns were largely ignored. This back-and-forth situation has pitted the two industry sectors against each other and imposed new hurdles on the airline industry. The airline industry is still grappling with the aftermath of widespread flight cancellations caused by the Omicron variant and recent winter storms.
What did other countries do?
In several other countries, the rollout of 5G services has gone much more smoothly than the current situation in the United States.
In France, for example, regulators have limited the power of 5G antennas and restricted the height of antennas near airports to reduce the possibility of interference.
In Canada, areas around airports have been designated as “no-go zones,” and 5G services have been restricted. Nearby antennas should also be tilted down and away from the flight path to avoid interference with landing aircraft.
Berry said these examples show that the aviation and telecommunications industries can work together to safely introduce new technology.
“There’s enough evidence that C-band and radio altimetry can be used,” he says. “The question here is, are there good rules in place?”
