As reported by Bloomberg (and previously Wall Street Journal), AT&T and Verizon are delaying their rollout of 5G – specifically what is referred to as the C-band. It was discovered that it might interfere with aircraft electronics, federal officials said. The companies confirmed the 30-day delay to Jan. 5.
Technically, the 5G spectrum is near radio signals used by radar altimeters, devices that measure how close an aircraft is to the ground. The FCC earlier approved use of these airwaves, which took millions to obtain.
The FAA confirmed it is working with the FCC and other agencies to allow the new technology to safely coexist with aviation. Though, you have one agency saying yes, while the other says, wait!
The FAA bulletin said pilots should remind passengers to place any 5G device into airplane mode or switch them off during flight, and to notify the agency of any signs of interference. However, the bulletin also said there have been no confirmed reports of interference at this time.
On Thursday, the U.S. agencies in their statement pledged to “continue to coordinate closely to ensure that the United States keeps pace with the rest of the world in deploying next-generation communications technologies safely and without undue delay.”
For more on this case, check out the Bloomberg article.