The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that major US airlines will need to retrofit their planes by the end of 2030 to address potential wireless interference from 5G signals. The FAA is requiring all altimeters to meet next-generation performance requirements to ensure accurate readings.
Rebates for Airlines
The US government will provide up to $2.2 billion in rebates to airlines to cover the costs of retrofitting their planes. The rebates will be funded by the proceeds of the C-Band wireless auction run by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FAA estimates that the cost of retrofitting each airplane will be between $80,000 and $120,000.
The FAA requirements only apply to airplanes flying in US airspace, and foreign operators will not be eligible for rebates. The agency estimates that the total cost of retrofitting all civilian airplanes will be up to $7.1 billion.
In 2022, there were brief disruptions at some US airports due to concerns that 5G service could interfere with airplane altimeters. The issue was resolved after a voluntary agreement was reached between Verizon, AT&T, and major air carriers.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
