Data provider AT&T announced on Tuesday that it has voluntarily agreed to delay turning on 5G on a limited number of towers surrounding airports.
The decision comes after the Federal Aviation Administration voiced concerns about how the 5G rollout may affect several large airlines‘ ability to land in low-visibility situations. The trade organization Airlines for America sent a letter to several federal agencies on Monday, asking for the rollout of 5G to be delayed in the area around select hubs and airports.
“We are frustrated by the FAA’s inability to do what nearly 40 countries have done, which is to safely deploy 5G technology without disrupting aviation services, and we urge it do so in a timely manner,” AT&T said in a statement. “We are launching our advanced 5G services everywhere else as planned with the temporary exception of this limited number of towers.”
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Verizon also confirmed that it would “voluntarily limit 5G access around airports” at the FAA’s request. “The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and our nation’s airlines have not been able to fully resolve navigating 5G around airports, despite it being safe and fully operational in more than 40 other countries,” Verizon said in a press statement.
“This agreement will avoid potentially devastating disruptions to passenger travel, cargo operations, and our economic recovery,” President Joe Biden said in a press statement, “while allowing more than 90 percent of wireless tower deployment to occur as scheduled.”
Executives at more than a half-dozen airlines issued a letter on Monday to the U.S. government asking for buffer zones without 5G presence around airports. The executives claimed that 5G would interfere with tools that track altitude and make landing in select circumstances difficult. The executives even claim that 5G’s impact on the aviation industry would grind the nation’s economy “to a halt.”
A4A expressed gratitude for the temporary delay. “This pause provides the opportunity to ensure all stakeholders, consumers, and the U.S. economy are served in the long run,” A4A CEO Nicholas Calio said in a statement. “We look forward to continuing this collaboration with all stakeholders so the United States remains a world leader in both safety and innovation.”
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The FAA started issuing notices Friday, warning that planes relying on untested altimeters or older versions will not be allowed to perform low-visibility landings where 5G is deployed.
AT&T and Verizon had previously delayed 5G turnout scheduled for Jan. 4 to allow the FAA to determine if there were any risks. The data providers delayed the networks’ activation until Jan. 19.
