Why is the FAA Standing in the Way of America's 5G Future?
Watching the commercials on television for various cell phone companies, you’d think 5G networks were ubiquitous already. Unfortunately, that is not so as there’s still work to do to win the global race to 5G. We are on the cusp of several nationwide 5G rollouts, and we badly need to proceed as quickly as possible, but this may not happen now that a government agency has suddenly decided to jump in the mix.
For several years, wireless providers have been slugging it out to lead the way for America’s 5G, as well as the ability to claim prominence in the competition for global 5G leadership as well. This fight has been complex, but was overall beneficial, as the companies stepped up ahead of their competitors and displayed U.S. leadership. Real competition does that. But just when we are ready to give China a run for its money (and worldwide influence), one of our own governmental players is trying to throw cold water on the fire. The culprit is the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) using flawed research to claim that 5G networks could interfere with certain aviation systems.
What does the FAA have to do with deploying 5G wireless networks you ask? Well, actually nothing. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is the expert agency that has that responsibility, and they are doing their job well. The experts at the FCC have studied the 5G spectrum in all its permutations and found it to be safe, effective, and ready for primetime. The aviation industry is basing its complaints on a discredited study. It tried to prove that the 5G spectrum would interfere with certain systems on commercial airliners. The FCC investigated the issue, as a matter of due diligence, despite the consensus that the study was flawed in both method and conclusion. The FCC determined that its spectrum plan included a more than sufficient “buffer” between the band of the spectrum, which would be used by commercial 5G networks, and the band dedicated to airline guidance systems. Safety concerns aren’t taken lightly as the FCC approved the spectrum for 5G use noting that “well-designed [radio altimeter] equipment should not ordinarily receive any significant interference (let alone harmful interference)…”
However, the FAA recently decided to take another bite at the apple. They resurrected the disputed study and the Wall Street Journal has reported that the FAA would issue a safety warning about potential dangers if 5G were implemented near some major airports. The FCC pushed back, insisting they had fully studied the issue, and 5G was deemed safe.
This administration has promised to bring 5G to all Americans, and has promised that it would stay ahead of the Chinese, who are quickly rolling ahead to deploy its own 5G technology. With massive state resources from the government behind them, Chinese-supported firms already have a major inherent advantage of US companies and are determined to win the 5G race around the Globe. The FAA’s attempts to delay 5G rollouts, motivated by who knows what reason, will seriously disadvantage American firms and only benefit China’s ambitions.
The Biden Administration needs to step up and direct the FAA to either back off their effort to hinder the roll-outs, or provide valid proof beyond one debunked study. Thus far they have provided neither.
Everyone should take safety seriously, particularly with regard to the commercial airline industry. The FCC has done that. Why the FAA suddenly wants to block expanded high speed internet excess, and in the process give succor to the Chinese of all people, is a mystery. If they have a reason, some other data, or an additional study, for goodness sake produce it. In the absence of that sort of evidence, they should withdraw their concerns, and allow America to move forward.
Steven P. Bucci is a visiting fellow at The Heritage Foundation. He previously served as a U.S. Army Special Forces officer and is a former deputy assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense.
