Dept of Telecommunications Asks Telecoms to Not Install 5G Towers Near Airports Due to Aviation Safety Concerns

By B.N. Frank

5G warnings and opposition has limited, slowed, and/or stopped deployment worldwide, including near U.S. airports due to dangerous interference issues with aviation equipment (see 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). In fact, last month the Federal Aviation Association (FAA) announced that it had documented 100+ incidents of potential 5G aviation interference! Apparently, aviation interference risks have been a big concern in India as well.

From India Today:

DoT asked Jio, Airtel to not install 5G services near airports: everything you need to know

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has asked telecom operators to not install 5G towers near airports as it could possibly interfere with aviation safety.

Divya Bhati

In Short

DoT has asked telcos not to install 5G towers near airports.
The Aviation Ministry has also requested telecom operators to ensure a buffer zone as the 5G band could interfere with altimeters.
The 5G band is feared to interfere with the GPS and radio altimeters in airplanes.

By Divya Bhati: Telecom operators including Jio and Airtel are rolling out their 5G network coverage across India. 5G is now available in many Indian cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Varanasi and many others. But, despite residing in 5G-enabled cities, people living in nearby areas of Airport may have to wait for 5G a little longer. According to media reports, The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has asked telcos to not install 5G base stations near airports.

DoT has reportedly sent a letter to telecom operators and asked them not to install 5G base stations in the 3.3-3.6 Ghz band in the area of 2.1 kilometers. The buffer area should be covered from both ends of the runway and 910 meters from the center line of the runway of Indian airports with immediate effect.

“The telecom service providers (TSPs) are advised that in the area 2,100 meters from both ends of the runway and 910 meters from the center line of the runway of Indian Airports shall have no 5G/ IMT base stations in the 3,300-3,670 MHz,” the official letter by DoT reads.

“Ensure downward tilting of 5G base stations to an extent such that the 5G emissions do not interfere with radio altimeters,” the letter further stated.

The decision came after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Ministry of Civil Aviation raised concerns about the 5G band which could possibly interfere with the radio altimeter and GPS in airplanes. The concern is raised globally, especially for the old vintage aircrafts.

The aviation ministry has also provided a buffer and safety zone sketch to telecom providers and has asked them to ensure mitigation measures while deploying C-band 5G spectrum in and around an airport. They have also asked for some time to replace the existing equipment with new, updated variants.

Earlier this year, the concern about the 5G network interfering with flights was raised internationally. According to the US aviation regulator Federal Aviation Administration, “5G interference with the aircraft’s radio altimeter could prevent engine and braking systems from transitioning to landing mode, which could prevent an aircraft from stopping on the runway.”

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It’s possible that India doesn’t have 5G interference issues with anything other than aviation equipment; however, that’s definitely NOT the case in the U.S. In 2020, utility companies and associations filed lawsuits against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for not protecting utility infrastructure from potential electrical interference issues with 5G (see 1, 2). Telecom provider SpaceX has stated that Dish’s 5G satellites will cause interference issues affecting Starlink satellite service. DirecTV and RS Submit have also warned about satellite interference issues. The Department of Defense (DoD) has also been trying to resolve potential 5G network interference issues with military radar. In August, a bi-partisan group of senators requested that the FCC reconsider harmful interference risks with associated Ligado’s network before allowing it to be activated. Fortunately in September, Ligado cancelled trial network plans, perhaps because of a report that also warned about interference. Then, last month another report revealed that the telecom industry was aware of “known RF challenges” with 5G as well!

Other widely reported gripes regarding 5G include poor service (see 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) and cybersecurity risks (see 1, 2). Additionally, since 2017 doctors and scientists have been asking for moratoriums on Earth and in space due to biological and environmental health risks (see 1, 2, 3, 4). Since 2018 there have been reports of people and animals experiencing symptoms and illnesses after it was activated (see 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ). In 2019 telecom executives gave U.S. congressional testimony that they had NO independent scientific evidence that 5G is safe and the majority of scientists worldwide oppose deployment. Some researchers have also warned that activation may be contributing to COVID-19 infections as well as hundreds of thousands if not millions of bird deaths.