By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Intensive talks were continuing Monday aimed at heading off a impasse between U.S. wireless firms and the aviation sector that could significantly disrupt flights starting Wednesday.
On Sunday, the chief executives of AT&T and Verizon Communications rejected a request to delay the planned Jan. 5 introduction of new 5G wireless service over aviation safety concerns but offered to temporarily adopt new safeguards.
The aviation industry and FAA have raised concerns about potential interference of 5G with sensitive aircraft electronics like radio altimeters that could disrupt flights.
AFA-CWA President Sara Nelson, who represents 50,000 flight attendants at 17 airlines, urged wireless carriers to agree to a 10-day deployment delay to finalize precautions.
“We’re hopeful that the telecom companies come to their senses today,” Nelson said Monday on MSNBC. “We are simply not going to take off if those flights are potentially at risk.”
The carriers declined comment Monday as talks continued with federal agencies.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Federal Aviation Administration chief Steve Dickson had asked AT&T CEO John Stankey and Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg Friday for a delay of up to two weeks.
The White House on Sunday asked both carriers to agree to a short delay, officials briefed on the talks said. A White House spokeswoman declined to comment.
The wireless companies Sunday said they would not deploy 5G around airports for six months but rejected any broader limitation on using C-Band spectrum. That exclusion zone around airports is not as large as the FAA wants.
Trade group Airlines for America, representing American Airlines, FedEx and other carriers, had asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to halt deployment around many airports, warning thousands of flights could be disrupted daily.
The FAA is preparing to issue notices detailing restrictions on flights and airports because of potential interference.
The airline group warned Monday https://www.airlines.org/5G those FAA safety restrictions “will be highly disruptive to airline passengers and the shipping public.”
The wireless carriers, which won the spectrum in an $80 billion government auction, previously agreed to precautionary measures for six months to limit interference.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Nick Zieminski)
