Worried that 5G deployment will affect aviation safety! Dispute between U.S. aviation agency and telecommunications agency

According to foreign media reports, a few days ago, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) is preparing to issue warnings to pilots and airlines, stating that a new 5G wireless service may interfere with aircraft cockpit safety systems and automation systems. Go online at the beginning of the month.

 

Although 5G (fifth generation mobile communication technology) is a new generation of broadband mobile communication technology with high speed, low latency and large connection characteristics, it has been questioned when it is deployed in Europe and the United States, and even 5G has once appeared to spread the new crown virus. Rumors.

 

According to foreign media reports, a few days ago, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) is preparing to issue warnings to pilots and airlines, stating that a new 5G wireless service may interfere with aircraft cockpit safety systems and automation systems. Go online at the beginning of the month.

 

The report pointed out that the FAA is drafting a special announcement and related authorization, stating that certain automated functions used by pilots to help aircraft fly and land may be affected by signal towers that transmit new 5G signals on the ground.

 

 The FAA pointed out that cockpit-related systems are very common in modern air travel and can help aircraft land in bad weather, prevent crashes and avoid air collisions. If commercial pilots cannot use these functions, it may cause a large number of flights to be cancelled, delayed or diverted in 46 countries where 5G signal towers are located.

 

However, the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) rebutted the safety issue, saying that after reviewing the potential impact on aviation safety, it formulated spectrum usage rules in early 2020. The existing evidence does not support the conclusion that 5G networks will interfere with aviation safety.

 

The core issue of the dispute between the two parties is the band of the radio spectrum between 3.7 and 4.2 GHz. This band is very suitable for 5G network transmission, and has been served in mobile phone networks in other countries.

According to the spectrum usage rules formulated by the FCC in March 2020, wireless companies may deploy 5G signal towers that transmit between the 3.7 to 4.2 GHz band on December 5 this year.

 

The aeronautical equipment works in the frequency band near 4.2 to 4.4 GHz. Therefore, the FAA feels that the possibility of interference is increased. In addition, the FAA also hopes that the FCC will share specific data on the location, power, and angle of 5G signal towers. However, the FCC seems unwilling to do so.

 

The FAA pointed out that more specific information will help them adopt more targeted and less destructive warnings. In addition to commercial jets, the agency is also concerned about the potential interference of signal towers on small private jets, including medical helicopters landing in hospitals.

 

Meredith Attwell Baker, president of CTIA (American Wireless Communications and Internet Association), said that the safe operation of 5G networks will not cause harmful interference. The industry has already used controversial Wireless spectrum.

 

Regarding the dispute between the two institutions, a person familiar with the matter disclosed that since August this year, FCC and FAA staff have been discussing the issue every week. As the two sides refused to give in, the White House finally began to intervene and mediate