Photo by Bao Menglong
AT&T and Verizon announced that they will hold back the expansion of new 5G cellular service within close range of a few airports. This halt is done, says US president Joe Biden, in an effort to prevent possible catastrophic disruptions from occurring as airlines had been warning about months ago.
As of Wednesday, 5G is set to expand beyond the scope it was originally meant for with plenty more benefits than its predecessors, including faster internet access.
The arrival of 5G will inevitably lead to changes in how planes are kept safe while flying. According to aviation regulators and airlines, the new technology is expected to interfere with safety tools used for calculating an altitude. The telecommunications industry has replied that airlines and regulators have had a lot of time to devise plans for the emergence of 5G.
The airlines are still waiting to see if their recent adjustments will be enough to avoid flight disruptions on Wednesday. Delta Air Lines noted that it was getting ready for potential turbulence should restrictions caused by 5G deployment occur, but other foreign carriers have canceled flights to the US.
Some top-tier US airlines and an industry trade group were still on the verge of acknowledging the delay, but there is no clear statement from Biden or any company on when it will end.
The Federal Aviation Administration has reached an agreement with AT&T and Verizon to delay the start of their new 5G service by two weeks and add additional safety measures throughout airports before it begins.
On Monday, airline heads addressed a letter to the administration, claiming that starting service will result in huge problems that the “nation’s commerce will grind to a halt.” Biden responded by echoing the warnings.
Biden said Tuesday in a statement indicating that the delay will take place, “This agreement will avoid potentially devastating disruptions to passenger travel, cargo operations and our economic recovery.”
More than 90% of the planned 5G expansion will go on as scheduled, and federal representatives will proceed to associate and communicate with carriers, airlines and aviation manufacturers to seek out a “permanent, workable solution,” he further said.
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