[ad_1]
Telecom companies have reiterated that 5G signals on allocated frequencies will not interfere with flights and discussions on the issue have not been held recently. However, they remain open to discussing codified rules for 5G infrastructure near airports, the insiders said.
Sources at the two telecom service providers that are rolling out 5G — Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel — said the industry has ensured that 5G C-band signals do not interfere with flights. They added that the matter had not been discussed recently.
“The situation in the US and India is different. We have been clear that there will be a 500 MHz frequency gap here that will safely allow aviation without interference. But if the government wants to codify the rules, we will cooperate with them,” said a senior industry executive.
In India, C-band 5G will be introduced in the frequency range of 3.3 GHz to 3.67 GHz. However, in the US, operators used frequencies from 3.7 GHz to 3.98 GHz, which are closer to the frequencies of radio altimeters inside aircraft. Telecom companies have therefore argued that 5G C-band frequencies may not affect altimeter readings at all due to the safe distance between operating frequencies.
Forward backward
In January 2022, the Federation of Indian Pilots sent a letter raising the issue of possible interference with 5G signals with instruments such as radio altimeters on commercial aircraft. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has also written to the DoT saying that altimeters pick up the weakest signals from the ground and necessary precautions should be taken.
Altimeters measure the altitude above the terrain, along with the Global Positioning System (GPS), to determine the aircraft’s path. It helps pilots with situational awareness during low visibility and also provides input to onboard systems such as the Traffic Collision Avoidance System by measuring the presence of tall buildings, mountains and other obstacles, as well as the probable time of flight.
Senior officials from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) told Business Standard that the matter is still under consideration and no final decision has yet been taken on the matter of standard operating practices. “Discussions with interested parties took place earlier. “A decision has yet to be made,” said an official.
“Recently, there have been no meetings on this issue.” Talks could happen as the 5G rollout accelerates across the country,” another senior executive said.
At the time, the Mobile Operators Association of India, which represents telecom companies, said 5G signals would not interfere with aviation technology.
Earlier this year, the International Air Transport Association also flagged this issue, noting that some governments have gone to trial to establish enough spectrum separation between 5G C-band deployments and the 4.2-4.4 GHz frequency range used by existing radios. Altimeters.
It was also suggested that national aviation authorities clearly codify and enforce a maximum power limit for 5G C-band transmission and ensure that 5G antennas located especially near flight paths are tilted down. He also called for the establishment of sufficient 5G C-band exclusion zones and precautionary zones around airports.
US restrictions
Earlier this year, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced in January 2022 a list of 50 airports that would have buffer zones when telecom companies were to turn on new C-band 5G service.
In June, US telecommunications service providers such as Verizon and AT&T voluntarily agreed to delay the use of C-Band 5G until July 2023 as airlines work to retrofit aircraft to ensure they do not face interference. This includes radio frequency filters. After initially mandating additional precautions for certain aircraft models, the FAA has progressively given an increasing share of the US commercial fleet permission to conduct low-visibility landings at many airports where 5G C-band will be deployed.
The U.S. telecommunications industry has continued to stress that 5G C-band signals will not interfere with U.S. flights, given that countries like France, Spain, Ireland, and Finland have used C-band 5G for several years without consequence.
[ad_2]
Source link
