The request from the US aviation sector not to use a certain 5G spectrum is met with misunderstanding at AT&T and Verizon. They don’t believe there is a security problem.
The so-called C-band for 5G can be used from this week in the US. In itself, that is little more than a specific piece of spectrum to use the technology with. But both airlines and the American aviation regulator as Airbus and Boeing are asking not to use that spectrum for the time being. This is because they fear that the frequencies will impact the altitude measurement.
For that reason, US operators were asked last Friday by Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and FAA chief executive Steve Dickson to wait two weeks before rolling out the C-band. But neither AT&T nor Verizon want that. They will, however, wait for the roll-out of 5G around airports for six months.
Both companies refer to France in their reply, where the C-band is being rolled out with minor adjustments. “If American airlines can operate daily flights in France, they should also be able to fly in the US under the same conditions.”
Although we should note that the aircraft regulator FAA previously announced that France uses a different spectrum than the US and less energy; as a result, the radio frequency of the altimeter (altimeter) is further from the C-band, and there is, therefore, less chance of interference.
Earlier in December, Airbus and Boeing also asked not to use the C-band. It is a block from 3.7 GHz to 3.98 GHz in the US. This has the advantage of giving a nice combination of coverage (low frequencies usually go over a larger area or more smoothly through walls) and speed (high frequencies give higher speeds).
The aviation sector invariably insists that they have nothing against 5G. Still, in the interest of safety, they want to be sure that new parts of the technology do not cause malfunctions that could cause risks during a flight.