UPDATE Inside Towers reported that foreign airlines told the FAA they can’t meet the proposed June 2024 deadline to retrofit radio altimeters to withstand possible 5G interference. Now, U.S. airlines are saying the same thing. Only this time, wireless carriers are saying enough is enough.
Airlines for America (A4A) represents American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and others. A4A “strongly urged” the FAA to move the proposed deadline, according to Reuters. The group also pressed the agency to revise a proposed 5G safety directive “to reflect technical realities and the continued safe operation of many aircraft.”
In January, the FAA proposed requiring passenger and cargo aircraft in the United States to have 5G C-band-tolerant radio altimeters or approved filters by February 2024. The agency reiterated last Friday it will evaluate all comments, Inside Towers reported.
AT&T and Verizon spent more than $80 billion on the C-band 5G spectrum in the FCC auction. Last June, the wireless carriers voluntarily agreed to delay some C-band 5G use around certain airports until this July as air carriers work to retrofit airplanes to ensure they will not face interference.
The FCC did not comment on the latest request for a delay. CTIA said the FAA provided ample time for airlines and should not extend the deadlines. “By requiring accountability, the FAA is taking important steps to ensure radio altimeter performance is more resilient while enabling timely C-Band 5G deployment,” CTIA stated, Reuters reported.
The A4A, a group which includes Boeing, Airbus Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, pilot unions, and airlines, said the directive “does not provide sufficiently robust controls to ensure safety as both aviation operations and wireless services co-evolve” and does not include a realistic cost estimate.
The International Air Transport Association warned costs would be far higher than the $26 million estimated by the FAA. IATA said costs could be at least $637 million, Inside Towers reported.
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
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