AT&T and Verizon have agreed to delay the launch of 5G because of concerns it might interfere with airplane safety systems. Originally planned to launch Dec. 5, 2021, the companies are delaying their 5G rollouts for about a month.
During that time, the wireless companies will “further assess any impact on aviation safety technologies,” the Federal Communications Commission and FAA said in a joint statement.
The delay comes after the FAA issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) warning pilots of the risk of “potential adverse effects” on radio altimeters once 5G wireless broadband networks are deployed.
According to reports in national news outlets, including the Washington Post, aviation advocacy groups have been warning regulators for months that the 5G rollout could interfere with radio altimeters, which allow pilots to measure how far a plane is from the ground.