Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

Mobile firms agree another 5G delay at US airports

Mobile firms agree another 5G delay at US airports

US mobile networks AT&T and Verizon have agreed to postpone the rollout of their new 5G service at some airports.

The C-band service, which offers faster speeds and broader coverage, was due to be turned on tomorrow.

But airlines in the US have pushed to delay the start, warning that the signals could interfere with aeroplane navigation systems.

The telecoms firms expressed frustration as they bowed to pressure to limit their rollout.

AT&T said it was "temporarily" deferring the rollout at a "limited number of towers around certain airport runways". Regulators had had "two years" to plan for the start of 5G service, it added.

"We are frustrated by the Federal Aviation Administration'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."

Verizon also said it had "voluntarily decided to limit our 5G network around airports".

This third postponement came as the White House and aviation authorities rushed to work out a solution to an issue that airlines have warned could cause major disruption, forcing them to ground some of their fleets and cancel flights.

In a statement, President Joe Biden thanked Verizon and AT&T for agreeing the delay, which he said would affect only about 10% of wireless tower locations.

"This agreement protects flight safety and allows aviation operations to continue without significant disruption and will bring more high-speed internet options to millions of Americans," he said, adding that officials would continue talks to find a "permanent, workable solution around these key airports".

Phone companies have spent tens of billions of dollars to upgrade their networks to deploy the 5G technology, which brings much faster internet services and greater connectivity.

But airlines fear C-band 5G signals will disrupt planes' navigation systems, particularly those used in bad weather. Two major planemakers, Airbus and Boeing, have also voiced concerns.


In a recent letter to regulators, the 10 biggest US airlines said they wanted 5G signals to be excluded from "the approximate two miles of airport runways at affected airports as defined by the FAA on 19 January 2022".

"This will allow 5G to be deployed while avoiding harmful impacts on the aviation industry, travelling public, supply chain, vaccine distribution, our workforce and broader economy.

"We further ask that the FAA immediately identify those base stations closest to key airport runways that need to be addressed to ensure safety and avoid disruption," they added.

There have been several delays already because of the aviation concerns, with launch dates in December and earlier this month both being pushed back. Wireless industry groups say airlines are distorting the risks.

Despite Tuesday's deal, some airlines including Air India and Japan's biggest airline, ANA Holdings said they had cancelled some U.S.-bound flights because of possible 5G interference.


The much-hyped expansion of 5G networks in the US has been chaotic, to say the least.

The rollout has been delayed twice - and now AT&T and Verizon have bowed to intense pressure, agreeing to defer opening some parts of the network near airports.

This happened because of concerns about the safety of aircraft. To mitigate those concerns, airlines would have had to operate under restrictions they clearly found intolerable.

But those safety issues have been well publicised for more than a year. There was clearly time to come up with a mitigation plan - and other countries have been able to do just that.

The question is, why were US regulators, telecoms operators, airlines and airports apparently unable to come up with a workable solution?

In other countries, telecoms companies have been required to reduce 5G signals around airports by taking steps such as pointing antennae away from control towers.

But US firms were not expecting those types of limits to be imposed when they spent billions on 5G infrastructure, said Diana Furchtgott-Roth, a professor of transportation economics at George Washington University and a former deputy assistant secretary at the US Department of Transportation.

"They want to get the most out of their investment," she said. "What they should have been told beforehand is that they would not have free rein to use it because it could interfere with the planes but they were not given that information in advance."

In an update on Sunday, the FAA, which oversees aviation safety across the US, said it had cleared "an estimated 45% of the US commercial fleet to perform low-visibility landings at many of the airports where 5G C-band will be deployed".

The FAA added that it had approved "two radio altimeter models that are installed in a wide variety of Boeing and Airbus planes".

"Even with these new approvals, flights at some airports may still be affected," the regulator said.

"The FAA also continues to work with manufacturers to understand how radar altimeter data is used in other flight control systems. Passengers should check with their airlines if weather is forecast at a destination where 5G interference is possible."

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×