5G technology is set for another rollout on Wednesday. But airlines say it could cause “chaos.”
On Monday, a coalition of ten airlines – including the top brass at American, Delta, and United – sent a plea to the U.S. Government to stop the launch of the next phase of 5G mobile internet technology, which is scheduled to begin on Wednesday. This is not the first time airlines have expressed their concern about the new technology, and the launch of the 5G service has already been delayed twice. So what’s going on? Here’s everything you need to know: What is the heart of the matter? The new 5G technology uses frequencies similar to those used by aircraft to measure altitude, leaving the airline industry worried about interference with its instruments and the associated safety risks. The providers of 5G say that these concerns have already been addressed in two previous delays, that airlines have had plenty of time to prepare, and that the technology has been launched without issue in other countries. What are the airlines saying? Airlines are calling for more regulation of the 5G service in the vicinity of its key airports, presumably until more testing and safety assessments can take place. In the letter, the airlines request “that 5G be implemented everywhere in the country except within the approximate 2 miles of [certain] airport runways” around the country.
