Not so fast: similar results but less drama, eh!
By Denis Carmel
MANY OF US HAVE noticed the showdown between the Federal Aviation Administration and Verizon and AT&T, where even the U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, as a last resort in a Dec. 31 letter, called on the country’s major telcos to delay the implementation of 5G that was scheduled for Jan. 5, 2022, (after being delayed by one month) to allow for time to implement mitigation measures to prevent interference with spectrum used by airplanes.
The wireless operators had agreed on Sunday to temporarily implement measures that have been adopted by dozens of countries, including France that have imposed wireless limits near airports while regulators study the effect the signals have on aircrafts but did not agree to delay the start date for the implementation of 5G again.
It has since been reported AT&T and Verizon agreed to a further two-week delay late last night.
One wonders how come this issue was not resolved earlier but America is America.
Meanwhile, in Canada we have decided to do more study on the issue until the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) is satisfied that the implementation near airports does not constitute a threat.
ISED issued a decision in November 2021 to amend the Technical Requirement for Fixed and/or Mobile Systems (…) in the band 3450-3650 MHz, “which included proposed measures to protect radio altimeters operating in the band 4200-4400 MHz from harmful interference from 5G operation in the band 3450-3650 MHz (3500 MHz band). Given that radio altimeters are critical in aeronautical services, the amendments proposed to the SRSP were based on protecting the safety of Canadians while still allowing the deployment of 5G operations in the 3500 MHz band.”
That decision was based on evidence, which was challenged by wireless operators but not surprisingly, the department wanted to get more data before allowing deployment of towers in the vicinity of the 26 airports which allow automated landing. “These exclusion zones represent less than 1% of the population for most of the impacted Tier 4 service areas,” the ISED decision reads.
We are just as puzzled by the lack of ability to resolve this issue. We have been talking about 5G deployment for quite a while and we are wondering how many more issues are still unresolved by an ability to prove something unprovable. Health concerns about exposure to multiple spectrum bands or using a Chinese equipment provider.
Experts will continue to argue for years to come. And governments will avoid risks.
Meanwhile, the government will have to make a decision before the 3800 MHz auction, since that at is directly adjacent to the frequency altimeters use. ISED could be waiting to see where this lands in the U.S., where an overly aggressive lobby by Boeing could move the yardsticks.
