Safety
Industry Orgs Urge NEC To Delay 5G Deployment in C-Band
The industry appeal for deployment of 5G in C-Band followed an FAA bulletin calling for testing and reporting of possible interference of radio altimeters.

A broad group of aerospace manufacturers, operators, airlines, and other organizations are urging the National Economic Council (NEC) to hold off on the deployment of 5G technologies in the C-band until the safety and efficiency of the U.S. National Airspace System are ensured. Twenty-two organizations—ranging from NBAA and AOPA to Honeywell, Collins Aerospace, and Airlines for America—made that appeal in a November 5 letter to NEC deputy director Bharat Ramamurti, saying that that the “new 5G cellular systems operating in the C-Band will begin to deploy throughout the country shortly. These 5G systems have the potential to cause harmful interference to radio altimeters, which are crucial systems used by every commercial aircraft and helicopter, and many general aviation aircraft.”