AT&T and Verizon aren’t delaying their 5G expansions any additional in spite of everything. Bloomberg notes the 2 carriers’ CEOs have issued a joint letter rejecting a request from the FAA and Transportation Department to stall their C-band service rollouts past January fifth to deal with issues of interference with plane methods. The firms argued that the federal government’s proposed plan would successfully give oversight of the community expansions to the FAA for an “undetermined variety of months or years,” and would not cowl rivals like T-Mobile.
The transfer would characterize an “irresponsible abdication” of community management, the CEOs stated. They additionally believed honoring the request could be to the “detriment” of consumers.
Instead, AT&T and Verizon tried to barter a compromise. They vowed to not deploy C-band 5G towers close to some airports for six months, however solely as long as the aviation business and regulators did not do extra to halt C-band deployments. American transportation businesses had requested on December thirty first for a normal delay now not than two weeks, however referred to as for a gradual deployment of service close to “precedence” airports by March to safeguard essential runways.
It’s not clear how the FAA and Transportation Department will reply. The rejection is not stunning, thoughts you. C-band service guarantees to ship extra of the long-touted velocity benefits of 5G with out the brief vary and poor indoor service of millimeter wave know-how. It might additionally add capability to maintain 5G networks working easily as extra customers improve their gadgets. However, officers and the aviation business have rather a lot to lose as effectively —they’re anxious C-band 5G might disrupt flights and put passengers in danger. You won’t see both facet capitulate shortly.