Why 5G can disrupt air traffic

Frankfurt A temporary waiver is intended to defuse the dispute that has been smoldering for weeks between US wireless providers and the aviation industry. The two US wireless operators AT&T and Verizon agreed on Monday to postpone the long-planned introduction of a new 5G standard at least around airports in the United States by six months. At the same time, however, they refuse to fundamentally shake the schedule for 5G.

Major restrictions in the intended use of the C-band, i.e. the particularly fast frequency range, are unacceptable, according to a letter from the two companies. It would be “an irresponsible waiver”, the telecom companies justified their stance with a view to the fierce international competition.

Not only the US aviation authority FAA and employee representatives from airlines have long warned that 5G could cause interference with radar. The two major aircraft manufacturers Airbus and Boeing also recently reported concerns. Interference could affect the ability of aircraft to fly safely, wrote top managers of both companies to the US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.

In the eyes of aviation experts, the new mobile communications standard, with frequency bands that sometimes exceed 3.7 gigahertz, is approaching the range used by the radar altimeters in commercial aircraft. You use the band between 4.2 and 4.4 gigahertz.

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A group with experts from the USA and Europe, specially convened for the topic, warned of a “risk that should not be underestimated” almost two years ago. The FAA also pointed out in a so-called airworthiness instruction that the receivers of the radar altimeter would usually work very precisely, but it could not be ruled out that “radio emissions” from other frequency ranges cause errors.

Great time pressure in the USA

There are two reasons why the problem is now being discussed so vigorously, especially in the USA: On the one hand, the US wireless service providers in the USA want to use the fast C-band, which transmits above 3.7 gigahertz.

It’s different in Germany. For example, the German Air Traffic Control (DFS) pointed out some time ago that only frequency ranges below 3.7 gigahertz can be used for 5G in this country. This means that this value is still far enough away from the range of the altimeter, there is no risk of disruptive radio emissions.

On the other hand, the wireless service providers in the USA want to start the C-band on January 5th. So time is of the essence. The airline association Airlines for America has asked the US telecommunications authority (FCC) to stop the use of the C-band around airports. The group even wants to go to court if the FCC does not act.

Last Friday, US Secretary of Transportation Buttigieg and the head of the US aviation security agency, Steve Dickson, submitted a compromise proposal for their part. After that, AT&T and Verizon should postpone the start of 5G by two weeks for the time being in order to gain more time. But they failed.

Telekom is already broadcasting 5G at BER

In Germany, Deutsche Telekom has now put a 5G antenna into operation at the new BER airport in the capital. According to the company, this sends at 3.6 gigahertz.

At other airports, customers can access services from more distant radio masts, some of which even transmit on even lower frequencies. Both the European aviation authority EASA and the DFS had recently stated that they had not detected any disruptions from 5G so far. But the situation will continue to be monitored.

The more powerful the 5G network in Europe becomes, the more the possible consequences of the 5G network are likely to be discussed again here. There are numerous citizens who fear for their health because of the new radio standard. At the same time, over time there will be more and more findings and studies about the real consequences of 5G.

Because that is probably the biggest problem in the current debate: There is still too little reliable information and facts on possible “side effects” of the new radio standard. The German Federal Office for Radiation Protection recently noted that there has been no evidence of possible negative consequences for health so far. At the same time, however, the experts are calling for more extensive research.

More: Disappointment 5G – Why the new standard still brings little to customers

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