Both AT&T and Verizon were set to launch new their 5G service on Wednesday. However, both companies have announced a pause in the rollout for their services near some airports after major airlines have expressed their concerns about the service hindering the aircraft technology.
According to ABC News, on Tuesday, both AT&T and Verizon announced the decision to halt some of their rollouts. At the moment, it is not clear how long things will be on pause. However, the decision comes after airlines expressed that they would like for the companies to ban their new service at least two miles away from airport runways.
AT&T first announced their decision to delay turning on their new cell towers around runways at some airports as they work with federal regulators to figure things out. Verizon said they will be launching their 5G service and added, “we have voluntarily decided to limit our 5G network around airports.”
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They also added that the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) has “not been able to fully resolve navigating 5G around airports.”
The CEOs from some of the largest airlines have said that this new 5G service’s interference would make flights impossible, and the effects would be worse than they originally thought. In a letter to officials, they said, “To be blunt, the nation’s commerce will grind to a halt.”
The Biden administration also played a role in AT&T and Verizon’s decision to pause their service near airports as they tried to work things out between them and the airlines. President Biden said the comapnies’ decisions “will avoid potentially devastating disruptions to passenger travel, cargo operations, and our economic recovery, while allowing more than 90% of wireless tower deployment to occur as scheduled.”
Some of the major airlines that expressed concern with having the new 5G service near airports include, United, American, Delta and Southwest.
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TSR STAFF: Jade Ashley @Jade_Ashley94
