On January 19, panic ensued as the U.S. threatened to cancel thousands of domestic flights. This came after the Federal Aviation Administration expressed fears that 5G C-Band would interfere with altimeters — devices used to help flights determine altitude.
Altimeters operate on an entirely different spectrum band yet the FAA banned flights from relying on altimeters for landings unless the airlines and manufacturers independently proved their altimeters would be safe after the 5G C-Band launch. The FAA had two years to prepare for the 5G C-Band launch yet failed to address the altimeter safety issue. This raises a lot of questions about the FAA’s behavior.
Check out this animated graphic to learn more about this issue and how it could have been avoided. Read more about the issue in Harold Feld’s new op-ed, “Our Federal Spectrum Process Is Broken: Here’s How We Fix It,” as featured in Forbes.