Failure to Communicate

Air travel in America is facing so many challenges.  Pilot shortages are causing planes to be grounded across the nation.  Fuel costs are rising as energy prices increase globally.  And we’ve all seen the growing number of videos documenting in-air altercations as passengers quarrel over covid-19-related protocols.  Now new telecom networks which will eventually bring us the next round of viral videos are adding to the difficulties. 

Advancing technologies are on their fifth generation (5G).  It all started in the 1980s with an analog system which was only capable of transmitting voice.  Then a digital voice version was built in the 1990s.  Next things got really interesting as the 3G network offered mobile data.  America is largely working in the 4G era which gives us access to broadband capabilities.  Meanwhile, 5G is being built-out and promises greater bandwidth, better reliability (we’ll see about that), and less latency (a measure of time it takes packets of data to arrive at their destination on a network).

This technology has become the latest challenge to air travel.  Telecom companies are in the middle of turning on their newest network.  Knowing this, several airline executives wrote a letter to President Biden concerned about flights being grounded due to interference between 5G transmitters close to airports and radar altimeters.  This might not be a challenge on blue-sky days but imagine having to land a plane with low visibility without knowing how high off the ground you are.

Two regulatory bodies are tussling over this matter.  The Federal Communications Commission doesn’t believe there is a problem, while the Federal Aviation Administration disagrees.  In the meantime, several international flights were canceled earlier this week, citing concerns about 5G.  Two industries are stuck for now, and regulators are digging in their heels, advocating on behalf of those they oversee.  For now, America is stuck waiting for connections.