US airlines are still super worried about 5G

US airlines are notwithstanding super worried near 5G

(Image credit: Shutterstock / Suwin)

Airlines and aviation officials are warning that the resumed rollout of AT&T and Verizon'south new 5G wireless service in January could lead to widespread flight delays beyond the US especially in snowstorms and other low visibility conditions.

As reported by Bloomberg, the officials say that C-band 5G threatens to interfere with altimeters and other equipment on planes and helicopters that runway aircraft altitude. If this happens, it could prohibit planes from landing in poor visibility, leading to delays, diversions and fifty-fifty the cancellations of flights.

While the wireless industry believes these claims are unfounded, the aviation industry is very concerned about how interference from C-band 5G could threaten its business which is already struggling as a result of the pandemic. At the same time, airlines are besides dealing with staff shortages and unruly passengers.

During a contempo Senate hearing, CEO of Southwest Airlines, Gary Kelly said that the deployment of 5G is the company'southward number one business in the nigh term. Co-ordinate to the trade group Airlines for America, flight disruptions from the rollout of AT&T and Verizon's new 5G wireless service could cost airlines every bit much as $2.1bn.

Airlines vs the wireless industry

C-band 5G uses signals that operate in airwaves close to those used past radio altimeters which airplanes use to determine distance by bouncing radio waves off the basis.

While the aviation manufacture says that tests show 5G can interfere with an aircraft'south altimeter, the wireless industry continues to dispute this claim arguing that 5G signals are far away enough from the frequencies used by altimeters and are set to operate at safe levels.

Based on some worst-instance assumptions, Airlines for America told the Usa senate that AT&T and Verizon'due south new 5G service has the potential to disrupt equally many as 350k flights a year. However, the FCC, which gave the approval for mobile carriers to use these new airwaves, has yet to impose any additional restrictions. The authorities agency is working with the FAA to resolve this ongoing dispute betwixt the aviation and wireless industries.

With the holidays coming up and AT&T and Verizon planning to resume their rollout of C-ring 5G on January 5, time is running out for the matter to exist resolved once and for all. If the FCC and FAA are unable to come to an agreement, nosotros could see flights either delayed or outright cancelled next yr during snowstorms and other times when there is low visibility.

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Via Bloomberg

After living and working in South Korea for vii years, Anthony at present resides in Houston, Texas where he writes about a diverseness of technology topics for ITProPortal and TechRadar. He has been a tech enthusiast for as long every bit he tin can remember and has spent countless hours researching and tinkering with PCs, mobile phones and game consoles.