5G network at airports slowed down by insufficient progress in replacing outdated altimeters

All of the aircraft radio altimeter filters is supposed to be replaced by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). It is improbable that 5G would reach India’s airports until that is accomplished

A significant amount of time has passed since the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) ordered telecom companies to refrain from operating 5G networks close to airports. According to an RTI answer acquired by The Hindu, there has been no significant advancement in the effort to replace or retrofit "altimeters," a vital piece of technology that assures safe aircraft landings, in order to avoid interfering with 5G networks.

There is now no timeframe for airlines to act and shield their aircraft from signal interference, despite the fact that a meeting to address the issue was held in April. Due to this delay, travellers using 5G-capable devices won't be able to access fast internet in places where there is a great demand for such networks, such airports. The potential benefits of these networks are limited by the lack of 5G availability in airports, especially for regular flyers who frequently own newer devices that can handle 5G speeds.

On the other hand, if we look at the United States, it is resolving the problem. The US Department of Transportation has permitted telecom providers to run 5G networks at airports starting in February 2024 after giving airlines numerous extensions to replace or upgrade their altimeters. Only a few altimeters remain that won't be allowed to land in low visibility situations after the majority of them were changed at the US government's insistence.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had raised concerns that 5G frequencies in the C-band would interfere with the radio altimetre frequencies inside the aeroplane , in the United States, the similar problem has existed. which forced the US telcom companies to repeatedly postpone the debut of C-band 5G.

Following which, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) had warned telecom companies Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea in a letter to refrain from immediately deploying C-band 5G base stations within a proximity of 2.1 Km of Indian Airports.

All of the aircraft radio altimeter filters were then supposed to be replaced by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). It is improbable that 5G would reach India’s airports until that is accomplished. Customers who live close to airports won’t be able to use 5G inside their houses, but they will undoubtedly notice it in other parts of the city. Many airport-served cities now have 5G network coverage and many more will have it in the upcoming months. However, it will still take some time for the 5G ecosystem to develop to the level at which the market for 4G devices is now.