# 5G interferes with aviation technology? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 19, 2022, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5g-interferes-with-aviation-technology/958029 "2022-01-19T02:41:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5g-interferes-with-aviation-technology/958029/1 "2022-01-19T02:41:53Z")
Apparently, 10 US carriers have been trying to get the US government to delay the rollout of 5G near airport because it interferes with aviation technology. > **[Airlines ask Biden administration for 'immediate intervention' on 5G | CNN...](https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/17/tech/faa-5g-flight-restrictions/index.html)** > > Executives from the largest US airlines asked the Biden administration for "immediate intervention" in the planned rollout of 5G technology near major airports on Wednesday, warning of dire consequences for transportation and the economy. The airlines have been trying to negotiate with telecommunication companies directly. Oddly (sarcasm), telecom companies seem unmoved by the fact that it may soon be difficult to move via air. I am trying to wrap my brain around the idea that someone thought it was just fine to develop cell phone technology that makes it dangerous to land planes and roll it out globally. I’d blame Trump, but it must go back farther than that, knowing tech runways. Does anyone know anything more about this? ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5g-interferes-with-aviation-technology/958029/2 "2022-01-19T02:42:41Z")
There’s already a thread, but I can’t get it for you on my phone. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5g-interferes-with-aviation-technology/958029/3 "2022-01-19T02:44:42Z")
> [@What’s up with airlines and 5g?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-up-with-airlines-and-5g/957991/13): > > The US is using a 5G frequency band that is much closer to the radar altimeter band so there is a greater risk of interference. From here: There is no single part of the electromagnetic spectrum that 5G occupies. Some countries are using 600 megahertz to 900 megahertz, which isn’t dissimilar to 4G. Some are placing it between 2.3 gigahertz and 4.7 gigahertz, which boosts data speed somewhat. And others are using 24 gigahertz to 47 gigahertz, which requires more towers but offers even highe… ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5g-interferes-with-aviation-technology/958029/4 "2022-01-19T03:27:00Z")
Thank you ---
**Author:** ![epbrown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47774/32.png) [@epbrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2022, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5g-interferes-with-aviation-technology/958029/5 "2022-01-20T20:23:25Z")
Another take: the 5G band will interfere with ground radar on the older planes, so they won’t know how close they are when landing. A serious issue, so why aren’t the 5G providers more civic-minded? The airlines had ample warning that it was coming, and dragged their feet on upgrading altimeters in the older planes. Even now, as they squawk about delaying the 5G roll-out, they will offer no time-table for when they will upgrade the older planes. Basically, they’ll stall as long as they can get away with, so the cell providers are ignoring them. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2022, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5g-interferes-with-aviation-technology/958029/6 "2022-01-21T00:09:07Z")
It’s not just so simple to swap something out. There is a somewhat lengthy (& expensive) certification process to upgrade components in commercial aviation. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2022, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5g-interferes-with-aviation-technology/958029/7 "2022-01-21T11:54:53Z")
**[According to Wikipedia, 5G was first introduced in 2016](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5G)**. That should have been plenty of time to retrofit vulnerable aircraft. And if not, it should have been plenty of time to fast-track a solution for a problem that the airlines are telling us could be extremely devastating.