Boeing, a US-based producer of aeroplanes, and India’s telcos are at odds over the deployment of 5G near airports. Boeing has informed the Centre that the existing mitigation measures being implemented in India are insufficient and has urged that there be no 5G services within 5.1 kilometres, or 3.2 miles, of the airports.

The operators have expressed opposition to the idea, claiming that if India agrees to Boeing’s demand and bans 5G in the 3,300–3,670 MHz or C–band spectrum for 5 km, it would have an impact on the majority of the country’s cities because several airports are located in the heart of them. Within 2.1 km of airports, 5G is currently prohibited.

Boeing has informed the Centre that the existing mitigation measures being implemented in India are insufficient

The government was recently informed by a US aircraft manufacturer that the current regulations must take into consideration aircraft departure from the runway centre line as well as glide slope during the approach. The aircraft maker is also thought to have brought up the issue at a 5G committee meeting on April 19 in addition to mailing a letter about it in March.

Executives from Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Airbus, and Boeing are also members of the group, along with representatives from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Boeing believed that the present mitigating procedures used in India are the bare minimum and do not account for aircraft deviation from the runway centre line and glide slope during the approach, according to the information provided by officials.

According to Boeing officials, the current 2.1-kilometre runway safety zone would need to be increased to a greater region if India takes these factors into account. Furthermore, the mitigating techniques are only temporary, and altering the aircraft’s altimeters is the only way to offer a permanent solution.

Boeing has been contacted by the DoT, which has requested calculations used to determine the safety zone’s length of 3.2 miles.

The telecom providers, on the other hand, are opposed to any efforts to expand the 5G no-go area. According to the operators, the equipment may be set up so that the current runway safety zone can be cut down from its current 2.1 km in order to deliver 5G services near airports. Boeing has been contacted by the Department of Telecommunications, which has requested calculations used to determine the safety zone’s length of 3.2 miles.

In order to prevent interference with aircraft radio frequencies, the DoT issued a directive to all mobile phone providers in November of last year prohibiting the installation of any 5G sites in the 3,300-3,670 MHz band within 2.1 kilometres of both ends of the runway at all Indian airports. Since late October, 5G has been deployed by Airtel and Jio using the C-band. The disagreement over supplying 5G around airports persists, despite numerous meetings between the stakeholders. The return of 5G and the period when aeroplane altimeters can be altered have no set timetables as of yet, which, according to telcos, puts them in a difficult position because they can’t provide 5G in locations where there is high demand.