Verizon, AT&T agree to delay some 5G deployment until mid-2023
By
The two carriers agreed in January to delay through
AT&T (T) said with the FAA it had "developed a more tailored approach to controlling signal strength around runways that allows us to activate more towers and increase signal strength." AT&T (T) added that it had voluntarily "chosen in good faith to implement these more tailored precautionary measures so that airlines have additional time to retrofit equipment."
Concerns that the 5G service could interfere with airplane altimeters, which give data on a plane's height above the ground and are crucial for bad-weather landing, led to disruptions at some U.S. airports earlier this year.
In recent months, the Federal Aviation Administration has been urging airlines to complete retrofits of some airplane radio altimeters.
Acting FAA Administrator
Airlines for America, an industry trade group representing American Airlines (AAL), Delta Air Lines (DAL), United Airlines and others, said at an FAA meeting Friday they learned "the vast majority" of members fleet of 4,800 total aircraft "would need to be retrofitted by
The FAA said Friday "filters and replacement units for the mainline commercial fleet should be available on a schedule that would permit the work to be largely completed by
Airlines CEOs on
(Reporting by