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The new generation of commercial wireless communications (5G) and the multiplication of 5G antennas have raised concerns of interference with aircraft operations, particularly for landing at airports. While IATA recognizes the importance of making the spectrum available to support new high-speed cellphone services, maintaining current levels of safety of passengers, flight crews, and aircraft is crucial for aviation. IATA advocates for the safe co-existence of 5G and aviation to be one of governments’ highest priorities.
Protection on Civil Aviation Spectrum and Aircraft Safety Systems
Protection of civil aviation spectrum and aircraft safety systems is an IATA top priority. IATA continues engaging with governments to mitigate threats to the civil aviation spectrum, including encouraging responsible deployments of 5G. Our four strategic pillars include:
- Safe and uninterrupted airline operations- civil aviation should not be negatively impacted by any spectrum deployments.
- Cooperative coordination -government agencies should plan spectrum deployments collaboratively together with industry stakeholders.
- Protection of civil aviation spectrum resources and establishment of predictable global spectrum environment
- Robust aircraft and avionics design with clear and cost-effective migration path
Learn more about IATA's latest position: IATA's 5G position paper (pdf)
Report an interference incident: 5G Interference Reporting Form
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REGIONAL UPDATES
- IATA's 5G position paper (pdf)
- Presentation: 5G impact on aviation (pdf)
- ICAO State Letter on 5G (pdf)
- ICAO HLCC 2021-WP/30 - Safety Concerns Regarding Interference to Aircraft Radio Altimeters, Oct 2021
- IATA presentation:AEEC Spectrum Symposium: Ensuring Future Spectrum Compatibility - Perspective from international Airline (pdf)
- ICAO Assembly 41st Session - WP/80 - Strengthening Protections for Aviation Safety Systems from Harmful Interference (pdf)
Other External Websites
Latest Activity
- 5G Update - IATA Strategy - Frequency Management Workshop, June 2022 (pdf)
- ICAO MID Region: Guidance on Safeguarding measures to protect Radio Altimeter from potential harmful interferference from Cellular 5G Communications (pdf)
- WP 16 - MIDANPIRG/19 and RASG-MID/9 Meetings - GNSS & Radio Altimeter Interferences, Feb 2022 (pdf)
- WP 62 - MIDANPIRG/19 and RASG-MID/9 Meetings - G-5 Interference to Aircraft Radio Altimeters, Feb 2022 (pdf)
Latest Activity
- 5G and Aviation Services in Australia, ACMA, June 2023
- Paper presented by IATA on 5G interference to aircarft radio altimeters, Conference of Directors General of Civil Aviation (DGCA Conference), July 2022 (pdf)
- Paper on 5G Roll-out and Aviation Safety, DGCA Conference, July 2022, Bangladesh (pdf)
- DGCA Conference Action items - action 57/11 on 5G, July 2022 (pdf)
- Letter from IATA to Directorate General of Civil Aviation, April 2022 - India (pdf)
Latest Activity
- Joint User Requirements Group JURG #85 Meeting, 1 Dec 2023, online edition (pdf)
- EASA 5G Update, 4 Jan 2024 (pdf)
- EASA Safety Information Bulletin-Operations to aerodromes located in United States with potential risk of interference from 5G ground stations, June 2023
- Letter from IATA to H.E. Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, France, Sep 2022
- Mandate to CEPT on technical conditions regarding the shared use of the 3.8-4.2 GHz frequency band for terrestrial wireless broadband systems providing local-area network connectivity in the Union, Dec 2021.
Latest Activity
USA
- FAA Airworthiness Directive, May 2023 (pdf)
- FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin, May 2023 (pdf)
- Letter from IATA to US Secretary of Transportation, February 2023 (pdf)
- 5G C-Band Mitigated Airports, January 2023
- Latest update from the USA, January 2023 (pdf)
- FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin, October 2022 (pdf)
- Letter to FAA on 5 G by regional associations, August 2022 (pdf)
- Letter from IATA to US Secretary of Transportation, April 2022 (pdf)
Brazil
- Notice of Proposed Regulation Brazilian Airworthiness Directives, 27 Dec 2023 (pdf)
- ANATEL’s regulation/Act in Portuguese, June 2022 - English translation (pdf)
- IATA-ANATEL - Public Consultation on 5G, June 2022 - English version (pdf) - Portuguese Version (pdf)
- ANAC Safety bulletin (May 2022)
Canada
- Update from Canada, July 2023 (pdf)
- Update from Canada, May 2023 (pdf)
- Update from Canada, January 2023 (pdf)
- ISED decision, June 2022 (pdf)
- Joint NACC, IATA, A4A, ATAC Industry comments, Canada Gazette & Aviation comments, February 2022
IATA Position on 5G C-band Frequency Allocations and Assignments
IATA's full position paper (pdf)
IATA and its member airlines understand the economic importance of 5G deployments. However, in line with Article 4.10 of the International Telecommunications Union Radio Regulations (pdf) and ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices, we insist that maintaining current levels of safety for civil aviation must continue to be one of governments’ highest priorities.
Practical measures that have been codified in national telecommunication regulations and successfully deployed include:
- Ensure through testing sufficient spectrum separation between 5G C-band deployments and 4.2-4.4 GHz frequency band used by existing radio altimeters
- Clearly codify and enforce the maximum power limit for 5G C-band transmission and downward tilting (electronically or mechanically) of 5G C-band antennae
- Establishment of sufficient 5G C-band prohibition and pre-cautionary zones around airports