Regulatory Alert: DOT and AT&T/Verizon Agree to 5G Delay and Mitigation Measures
January 4, 2022
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reached an agreement with AT&T and Verizon to delay the deployment of the 5G C-Band network by two weeks and to adopt some additional mitigation measures to reduce potential impacts of 5G interference on the National Airspace System (NAS). FAA published a final “term sheet“ of the deal that can be viewed here.  
AAAE, along with other aviation stakeholders, participated in a briefing from FAA today regarding the agreement and its implications for the industry. We remain in close contact with senior leadership from FAA, lawmakers, and our airline partners, and are working to ensure that any disruptions to the NAS are minimized to the greatest extent possible.
Summary of the Agreement. Under the terms of the deal reached between DOT/FAA and AT&T/Verizon, highlights include the following: 
• The telecoms will move forward with the 5G C-Band rollout on January 19, with DOT and FAA agreeing not to seek or demand further delays.
• On or before January 7, FAA will provide a list of 50 “priority airports“ where the telecoms will implement additional mitigation measures for six months, or through July 5, 2022.
• As for the additional mitigation measures, the telecoms will be adopting “C-Band radio exclusion zones“ around the runways at 50 “priority airports.“ This will reduce C-Band signal levels by at least 10 times on the runway or during the last mile of final approach and the first mile after takeoff. These measures are similar to what has been adopted already in France. You can read additional details about these exclusion zones in the telecoms' January 2 letter to DOT and FAA. 
• The telecoms agreed to work with FAA and the aviation industry to support the technical assessment of altimeters and other equipment. This will help FAA and operators ensure continued operations at affected airports by allowing FAA to more quickly approve operations into areas where 5G interference may be present.
Impacted Airports. With a deal in place, Verizon and AT&T will be moving forward with their new 5G network on January 19 in 46 different markets. AAAE has received questions regarding the list of airports that will or may be impacted by the upcoming 5G C-Band deployment. The cities where deployment will occur are known as Partial Economic Areas (PEAs). To determine if the city in which your airport is located falls within the PEAs, please refer to this PEA list published by FCC. Cities that correspond to PEA numbers 1-4, 6-10, 12-19, 21-41, and 43-50 on this list may be impacted by the new 5G C-Band rollout. If the city does not fall within the PEAs identified, the 5G C-Band will not be rolled out in your area until late 2023. 
In light of the deal reached yesterday evening, FAA is currently evaluating all the airports that fall within the 46 markets, or the PEAs identified above, where the 5G rollout will occur. Of those airports, the agency will create a list of 50 “priority airports“ where the additional mitigation measures will be implemented by the telecoms, including the radio exclusion zones discussed above. These 50 airports have not been identified yet. However, FAA will be basing the list on the airports where the most operational impacts are expected to occur.
Operational Restrictions and Issuance of NOTAMs. As we reported in our December 30 Regulatory Alert, on New Years' Eve, FAA was expecting to release a series of NOTAMs that would identify airspace, airports, and instrument approach procedures (IAPs) where radio altimeters are unreliable due to 5G wireless broadband interference, and where operations will be prohibited under certain circumstances. While FAA has still not released these NOTAMs, AAAE has been told that the agency is expected to do so ahead of the January 19 5G network deployment. 
It is important to note that operators will be able to remove these restrictions by seeking approval from FAA and demonstrating that their aircraft or altimeter models are not susceptible to 5G interference. Aircraft and altimeter manufacturers and operators are working closely with FAA, and now the telecoms, on technical solutions that would allow operators to obtain approval from FAA to operate in areas designated by the NOTAMs. These “approvals“ are called alternative means of compliance (AMOCs) and will allow operators to use specific type of aircraft to fly into airports where 5G C-Band signals are present. 
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reached an agreement with AT&T and Verizon to delay the deployment of the 5G C-Band network by two weeks and to adopt some additional mitigation measures to reduce potential impacts of 5G interference on the National Airspace System (NAS). FAA published a final “term sheet“ of the deal that can be viewed here.  
AAAE, along with other aviation stakeholders, participated in a briefing from FAA today regarding the agreement and its implications for the industry. We remain in close contact with senior leadership from FAA, lawmakers, and our airline partners, and are working to ensure that any disruptions to the NAS are minimized to the greatest extent possible.
Summary of the Agreement. Under the terms of the deal reached between DOT/FAA and AT&T/Verizon, highlights include the following: 
• The telecoms will move forward with the 5G C-Band rollout on January 19, with DOT and FAA agreeing not to seek or demand further delays.
• On or before January 7, FAA will provide a list of 50 “priority airports“ where the telecoms will implement additional mitigation measures for six months, or through July 5, 2022.
• As for the additional mitigation measures, the telecoms will be adopting “C-Band radio exclusion zones“ around the runways at 50 “priority airports.“ This will reduce C-Band signal levels by at least 10 times on the runway or during the last mile of final approach and the first mile after takeoff. These measures are similar to what has been adopted already in France. You can read additional details about these exclusion zones in the telecoms' January 2 letter to DOT and FAA. 
• The telecoms agreed to work with FAA and the aviation industry to support the technical assessment of altimeters and other equipment. This will help FAA and operators ensure continued operations at affected airports by allowing FAA to more quickly approve operations into areas where 5G interference may be present.
Impacted Airports. With a deal in place, Verizon and AT&T will be moving forward with their new 5G network on January 19 in 46 different markets. AAAE has received questions regarding the list of airports that will or may be impacted by the upcoming 5G C-Band deployment. The cities where deployment will occur are known as Partial Economic Areas (PEAs). To determine if the city in which your airport is located falls within the PEAs, please refer to this PEA list published by FCC. Cities that correspond to PEA numbers 1-4, 6-10, 12-19, 21-41, and 43-50 on this list may be impacted by the new 5G C-Band rollout. If the city does not fall within the PEAs identified, the 5G C-Band will not be rolled out in your area until late 2023. 
In light of the deal reached yesterday evening, FAA is currently evaluating all the airports that fall within the 46 markets, or the PEAs identified above, where the 5G rollout will occur. Of those airports, the agency will create a list of 50 “priority airports“ where the additional mitigation measures will be implemented by the telecoms, including the radio exclusion zones discussed above. These 50 airports have not been identified yet. However, FAA will be basing the list on the airports where the most operational impacts are expected to occur.
Operational Restrictions and Issuance of NOTAMs. As we reported in our December 30 Regulatory Alert, on New Years' Eve, FAA was expecting to release a series of NOTAMs that would identify airspace, airports, and instrument approach procedures (IAPs) where radio altimeters are unreliable due to 5G wireless broadband interference, and where operations will be prohibited under certain circumstances. While FAA has still not released these NOTAMs, AAAE has been told that the agency is expected to do so ahead of the January 19 5G network deployment. 
It is important to note that operators will be able to remove these restrictions by seeking approval from FAA and demonstrating that their aircraft or altimeter models are not susceptible to 5G interference. Aircraft and altimeter manufacturers and operators are working closely with FAA, and now the telecoms, on technical solutions that would allow operators to obtain approval from FAA to operate in areas designated by the NOTAMs. These “approvals“ are called alternative means of compliance (AMOCs) and will allow operators to use specific type of aircraft to fly into airports where 5G C-Band signals are present. 
