US FCC chief confident 5G wireless dispute can be resolved

Federal Communications Commission chair Jessica Rosenworcel said Thursday she is confident questions raised about the impact of planned use of spectrum for 5G wireless communications on aviation safety can be resolved. "You asked if I have confidence in our ability to resolve these issues with mitigation. The answer to that is yes," Rosenworcel said, adding "discussions are ongoing." Earlier this month, AT&T and Verizon Communications agreed to delay commercial launch of C-band wireless service until Jan. 5 after the FAA raised safety concerns. FAA chief Steve Dickson said Tuesday "we will figure this out" but said it is unclear what mitigations will be needed to address safety concerns. The FAA issued a Nov. 2 bulletin warning action may be needed to address potential interference caused by the 5G deployment with sensitive aircraft electronics like radio altimeters. People briefed on the matter said potential mitigation measures include small exclusion zones around airports, downward tilt of some antennas and reduced power levels to areas around airports to reduce the amount of skyward energy. More meetings are scheduled Friday as the White House, FAA, FCC and other US agencies try to resolve concerns. The goal is to reach agreement before Dec 5, officials said, which is roughly when the FAA would need to issue a formal directive to airlines on safety concerns without a new delay.<br/>