FAA names 50 airport buffer zones to counter potential 5G dangers
The ongoing story of the AT&T and Verizon 5G rollout continues. Concerns over air safety have delayed the debut of the new technology, originally scheduled to launch in early December.
AT&T and Verizon now plan to turn on the 5G switch on Jan. 19, with a big caveat. Or 50 big caveats to be more precise. Both carriers will activate the service with buffer zones near 50 airports for six months in order to monitor potential flight disruptions. These buffer zones will restrict the 5G signals closest to the airports, protecting the last 20 seconds of flight.
The rollout is a big deal for the two companies, and it's been a source of some high-stakes maneuvers lately.
Last year, the carriers secured access to a portion of the C-band spectrum, which will allow them to up their 5G game as far as speed and coverage are concerned. The problem is that certain aircraft instrumentation can be subject to interference from the C-band spectrum. Namely, the radio altimeters used in low-visibility conditions. Those instruments operate on an adjacent spectrum.
The telecom giants have pointed to months of safe C-band operations in Europe, particularly in France, in an attempt to bolster their claim. But federal aviation officials remain skeptical, citing studies that show a very real prospect for aircraft interference. The Federal Aviation Administration plans to release flight restrictions to address 5G safety concerns as soon as this week, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Related: What you need to know about 5G interfering with aircraft
On Friday, the FAA identified the 50 airports that will include the 5G "buffer zones." The list features some of the country's busiest facilities, such as LAX and Chicago O'Hare. It also includes those known for low visibility, such as San Francisco International and Seattle/Tacoma International. The six-month delay will allow the feds to work with the airline and aerospace industries to ensure that operations can safely co-exist with 5G on the C-band spectrum.
Take a look at the list of airports from the FAA below.
For now, it's a compromise that all sides can live with.
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The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
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- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month