Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the civil aviation regulator in the US, has given clearance to telecom companies Verizon and AT&T to turn on additional 5G cell towers at some of the key airports in the country.
This came after consultations to ensure that these towers do not interfere with aeroplanes landing at the airport during a poor weather scenario.
FAA gave its nod after the wireless firms provided more precise data on the location of wireless transmitters.
The firms are also said to have supported a more detailed evaluation of how 5G C-band signals interact with sensitive aeroplane systems.
In a statement, FAA said: “The FAA used this data to determine that it is possible to safely and more precisely map the size and shape of the areas around airports where 5G signals are mitigated, shrinking the areas where wireless operators are deferring their antenna activations.
“This will enable the wireless providers to safely turn on more towers as they deploy new 5G service in major markets across the US.”
Earlier this month, CEOs of major US airlines raised their concerns over the deployment of 5G technology at airports, citing it could ground aeroplanes.
The airline companies explained that the 5G C-Band technology has the potential to interfere with aeroplane navigation systems.
Going forward, FAA also plans to work with helicopter operators and others in the aviation community to ensure that they can safely operate where 5G services are in place.
