Pressure Mounts on Feds to Delay 5G C-Band Deployment

Thom Patterson

Tuesday, November 09, 2021 at 09:59 PM ET

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Aviation leaders are concerned about potential safety issues linked to radio (radar) altimeter performance. Adobe Stock

Key Takeaways:

The aviation industry is pressuring the U.S. government to delay the C-band 5G deployment, citing concerns about potential interference with aircraft radar altimeters and aviation safety.
A coalition of aviation and aerospace organizations has called for a joint industry working group with the FCC and FAA to develop long-term solutions and mitigations to protect the flying public.
Major cellular carriers AT&T and Verizon have voluntarily postponed their 5G rollout until January 5 to allow further assessment of its impact on aviation safety technologies, following an FAA special airworthiness bulletin.

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Pressure from the aviation industry mounted on the federal government Tuesday to delay deployment of 5G technology to the C-band frequency spectrum owing to concerns about potential safety issues linked to radio (radar) altimeter performance.

NBAA and AOPA joined a coalition of leading aerospace manufacturers, airlines, pilots, and operators calling for a delay of the December 5 deployment until “the safety and efficiency of the National Airspace System is ensured.”