This led to some telecommunications operators such as AT&T and Verizon delaying the deployment of 5G networks due to concerns from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA, for its acronym in English).
Why were there problems with 5G networks in the US?
Last year, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) assigned spectrum frequencies from 3.7 to 3.9 MHz or known as C bands to telecommunications operators, which are closer to aircraft radio altimeters.
Therefore, the International Air Transport Association (IATA)has asked governments to work with the aviation and telecommunications industry to avoid problems in airline operations.
In addition, it recommended as precautionary measures to carry out exhaustive tests, sufficient spectrum separation between the C band for 5G and the 4.2-4.4 GHz band, used by existing radio altimeters, the downward tilt of 5G antennas, especially in nearby areas to flight routes and establish risk zones around airports or in which the transmission of 5G signals is blocked.
“We must not repeat the recent experience in the United States, where the deployment of 5G applications in the C-band has caused enormous problems in aviation due to the risk of interference with radio altimeters, essential for instrument landing and other flight safety systems. aircraft,” IATA said in a statement shared with Expansion.
AT&T commented in writing that the company’s operation in the United States requested the FAA’s support to implement this technology in a safe and timely manner without interrupting flight services.
The Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT) said to Expansion So far there is no clear evidence that mobile service operations in the 3.7 to 3.9 MHz segment have an impact on aeronautical services.
Is there a risk of interference with 5G in Mexico?
In the country, the fifth generation of networks is just beginning to be woven with AT&T and Telcel; However, according to the Association GSMA and the IFT, in the country there is no risk of generating interference with the 5G network and aircraft radio altimeters.
The IFT explains that in Mexico one of the bands identified for the provision of 5G services goes from 3.3 to 3.6 MHz, which are below the band used by aeronautical services, which operate between 4.2 and 4.4 GHz. In addition , mobile services are not offered in the country in the standard Band C (3.7 to 4.2 MHz), which is where interference is generated in the air sector, since it is allocated for satellite.
“The problem is not 5G technology (which can operate in many different frequency bands), but the closeness with which mobile services can be offered in general to the bands in which aeronautical services operate,” explains the regulatory body of the telecommunications in a document.
Telcel He also ruled out that in Mexico there will be problems with the operation of the airlines due to the deployment of 5G, because the C bands will not be used in the country.
“The frequencies used in our country are different from those used by the United States, in fact, they are the only country with that case,” says the subsidiary company of América Móvil.
Currently 60 countries, such as Brazil, Canada, France and Thailand, already have 5G deployments at 3.5 MHz without reports of cases of interference between 5G and aircraft altimeters, says the GSMA.