Efforts to mitigate fears of interference between C-Band 5G and aircraft equipment in the US continued, with the nation’s Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) reportedly poised to meet with airline and mobile industry representatives.
The US talks are being held at a time when Nigerian licensees, MTN and Mafab Communications have been given go-ahead, by the industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission ( NCC) to begin deployment of 5G services.
Reuters reported talks between the parties would center on the key issue of retrofitting and replacing altimeters in some aircraft to remove claimed risks associated with the use of 5G in the C-Band.
The news publication noted the FAA hoped to get a solid timeframe for replacing equipment deemed vulnerable to interference.
Its meeting is the latest in ongoing discussions between the communications and airline industries on preventing interference to altimeters from operators’ deployments of 5G in spectrum frequencies won in an auction in 2021.
AT&T and Verizon delayed planned launches in the band following concerns raised by transport authorities. Several flights were canceled when they did eventually start limited deployments, though the predicted “chaos” did not materialise.
