AT&T, Verizon to delay C-Band spectrum use pending air safety review

AT&T Inc and Verizon Communications said they had agreed to delay by a month the commercial launch of C-band wireless service pending an assessment of any impact on aviation safety technologies. The FAA and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said in a joint statement they would “continue to coordinate closely to ensure that the United States keeps pace with the rest of the world in deploying next-generation communications technologies safely and without undue delay.” The carriers had been set to use the spectrum on Dec. 5 and have agreed to delay it until early January. Both carriers agreed they would delay deployment at the Transportation Department’s request. AT&T said it would “continue to work in good faith with the FCC and the FAA to understand the FAA’s asserted co-existence concerns. It is critical that these discussions be informed by the science and the data.” The FAA and FCC are holding intensive discussions about the issue and the White House National Economic Council has also been involved, officials said.<br/>