The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted 3-0 on November 20th to advance plans to auction key wireless spectrum crucial for advanced technology uses, with one objective being to improve connectivity between airlines and telecom companies, according to Reuters.

The FCC said it was considering whether some C-Band wireless auction proceeds – likely to happen in 2026 – should be used to help airlines replace radio altimeters that could face interference in flight from spectrum use.

The need for a fresh look at airline communications flows from problems in 2022 when concerns over telco’s 5G service could interfere with aircraft altimeters, which provide data on a plane’s height above ground and are crucial for bad-weather landing, land which ed to brief disruptions at some US airports as international carriers cancelled some flights.

That particular problem was resolved after a voluntary agreement was reached between Verizon, AT&T and major air carriers, but there have been other headaches as air carriers have worked to upgrade altimeters.

The Federal Aviation Administration has plans to adopt rules setting new radio altimeter standards prior to the C-band auction, the FCC said. Legislation passed this summer requires the FCC to auction at least 100 megahertz in the Upper C-Band by July 2027.

FCC Chair Brendan Carr (pictured) said the new C-band auction will allow for emerging 5G and next-generation 6G innovations as well as advance affordable broadband services.

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Categories: Articles, Regulation, Spectrum

Tags: 5G, 6G, FCC, spectrum