What’s happening in the 5G flight-safety battle?
Telecom companies were to launch a new, faster wireless Internet service in early December. The plan met some hurdles after air safety regulators prepared to introduce disruptive flight restrictions, as they said 5G service could potentially pose a risk to cockpit equipment on aircraft. The telecommunications industry disputes whether the service would pose any threat.
then now what?
Verizon and AT&T are due to begin offering the service on January 19, after two delays.
As such, the Federal Aviation Administration recently issued regulations that prevent aircraft from landing in certain low visibility conditions at sites where 5G service has been activated. In the meantime, the agency is planning to consider some of the planes safe to make such landings after the test, to help minimize any air-traffic disruptions.
On Sunday, the FAA said it has approved an estimated 45% of the US commercial fleet to land in low-visibility conditions at 48 of the 88 airports directly affected by potential 5G interference. The agency also said that more approvals are likely to be received in the coming days.
In a letter addressed to Biden administration officials on January 17, chief executives of passenger and cargo airlines requested that 5G service not be active within 2 miles of a major airport’s runway. The carriers said in the letter that if this happens they could face significant flight disruptions.
The FAA said Monday that the agency is continuing to work with airlines and wireless companies to try to limit any delays and cancellations associated with the deployment of 5G service. In response to a letter from airline executives, AT&T and Verizon said on Tuesday they would temporarily limit 5G signals near some airports. Both carriers said they would launch new services elsewhere as planned.
Why is the aviation industry worried about flights?
The issue is whether the new 5G signals affect aircraft equipment that help planes land in tough weather conditions and avoid accidents. Instruments called radars or radio altimeters use radio frequencies to measure the distance between aircraft and the ground.
Aviation officials worry about cellular frequencies that telecommunications companies plan to activate, which could interfere with altimeters, potentially turning off readings that carry instruments and endangering aircraft. . 5G service will operate in a frequency known as C-band, which is close to the airwaves used by altimeters.
Telecom-industry representatives say that connections on the C-band will not interfere with cockpit equipment, citing analysis by technical experts from the Federal Communications Commission and other regulators around the world.
So will the new 5G service make flights unsafe or not?
The FAA has said it is taking steps to ensure that aircraft do not operate in unsafe conditions due to 5G service. The agency has said that the point of its restrictions on aircraft using certain radar altimeters is to ensure that the equipment does not potentially degrade.
Telecom industry representatives say that signals on the C-band will not cause harmful interference to cockpit equipment. He pointed to the fact that the US has included a buffer band to separate the new 5G signals from those used by radar altimeters.
Does the new 5G service only affect commercial flights?
No, helicopters and private planes also depend on altimeters. According to Helicopter Association International, a trade group, some law-enforcement and fire-service helicopters could be put on hold if new 5G services are rolled out. The FAA has approved an exemption from allowing air ambulances to fly, removing the need for them to rely on altimeters.
Radar engineers and manufacturers said helicopters typically have more varied flight paths than planes and fly more slowly, putting them at risk of longer bursts of more cell towers and potential interference.
Private aircraft and helicopters use a far greater number of airports and takeoff and landing sites than commercial aircraft. Airports Council International-North America, another trade group, has called for the 5G rollout to be delayed until it is referred to as a sufficient mitigation to keep flying safe.
How big is 5G deal for the telecom industry?
Fifth-generation cellular technology is significantly faster than previous services, making activities such as downloading software and streaming video easier. Such links are already available in parts of the US from Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile US Inc. in several spectrum bands. Coverage isn’t uniform, and AT&T and Verizon specifically require more frequencies to protect their networks from overcrowding.
For example, Verizon bid $45.5 billion for its C-band license, and plans to use them to offer more 5G service to mobile customers and to provide home Internet links in some areas where cable broadband Not available or costs too much.
Why did this fight come to the fore now?
The conflict is occurring in large part because federal agencies did not act before to work through their disagreements.
Concerns about possible interference with cockpit equipment were on the FCC’s radar, according to a commission order published in March 2020. In that order, in part, it found that a study did not demonstrate that harmful interventions were likely to occur under appropriate scenarios and suggested that an industry task force continue to analyze the issue.
The FAA brought up its concerns in December of that year in a letter sent shortly before the start of the FCC auction, and called for the sale to be postponed. Trump administration officials did not agree with the FAA’s last-minute concerns and the C-band auction went ahead. But this issue did not go unnoticed by the aviation industry. By last autumn, the two regulators had begun sharing the information both had been seeking for months.
How are other countries handling the issue?
Other countries have allowed telecommunications companies to offer wireless services around the same frequencies, although with some restrictions. For example, France has a limit of 5G operations at about 20 airports where pilots have low visibility during landing, while regulators in other countries have limited power levels for ground stations.
What does all this mean for airline passengers?
The ceasefire between transport authorities and telcos in early January this year was expected by the aviation industry and government officials to avert the most serious flight disruptions.
Under that agreement, the FAA selected 50 airports for the buffer zone where telecommunications companies would be confined for six months, with 5G signals expected to become operational this month. On that list are some of the larger traveler hubs, such as Chicago’s O’Hare International, and facilities that often encounter fog and clouds, such as San Francisco International.
Some busy airports such as Hartsfield-Jackson and Ronald Reagan Washington National in Atlanta were not included because they are not in areas where the new 5G service is being deployed first. And at other airports, according to the FAA, the towers are far enough apart to create a natural buffer for 5G connections.
Aviation industry and government officials have said they expect at least some flights to be canceled, delayed or diverted after Verizon and AT&T activated the new 5G service on January 19. In the meantime, flight operators and manufacturers can follow the steps to demonstrate to the FAA. The agency has said that their altimeters are able to operate reliably and accurately in the new 5G environment.
In its letter to federal officials on January 17, however, Delta Air Lines Inc., United Airlines Holdings Inc. and United Parcel Service Inc. CEOs of large carriers, including the U.S. airline unit, had warned of significant flight disruptions due to the service, saying many major hubs could still face FAA sanctions.
The CEO also said in the letter that manufacturers have told him that a large number of aircraft may need to be shut down indefinitely due to concerns about some safety and navigation systems that rely on data from radar altimeters. .
Have any airlines said they plan to switch flights?
Yes. As of Tuesday afternoon, at least four international carriers had said they plan to suspend some flights starting Wednesday due to operational concerns related to the FAA’s sanctions and guidance not to operate Boeing 777 jets. are making. Airlines that announced the stoppage include Emirates Airline, which said it would halt flights to nine US cities, and Japan Airlines Co.
What about T-Mobile?
AT&T and Verizon paid a premium for early elimination of C-band spectrum. T-Mobile also bid in the same FCC auction but only walked away with the license becoming available in late 2023, so its 5G network isn’t affected by the latest standoff with the FAA. That said, T-Mobile could face the same problems that its rivals could now if the latest security concerns are not addressed over the next two years.
Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint.
download
Our App Now!!
,