U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says Verizon is “not moving fast enough” in its $2.4 billion, 15-year telecom contract with the FAA. “I want companies that want to move fast,” Duffy said at a press conference, Reuters reports. “I can’t wait 10 years. The American people can’t wait 10 years or 12 years to lay fiber.”
Verizon said in response it’s working with the FAA on solutions to create an advanced, safer national air traffic control communications. “We are open and willing to work with companies that may offer complementary services to this new communications network,” Verizon says. The company adds it’s “actively working with the FAA’s technology teams and our solutions stand ready to be deployed.”
Duffy said companies need to move fast to address aging systems. “It’s not going to be one company. We’re going to need a lot of companies to buy in and help build up the system,” he says.
The Government Accountability Office says the FAA must take urgent action to address aging air traffic control systems, saying that one third of the systems are unsustainable.
Duffy plans to ask Congress for tens of billions of dollars to reform air traffic control, according to Reuters. He spoke after Elon Musk’s Starlink unit last week denied it wanted to take over the Verizon FAA contract.
“Starlink is a possible partial fix to an aging system. There is no effort or intent for Starlink to ‘take over’ any existing contract,” SpaceX posted on X, the social media platform also owned by Musk.
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
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