Verizon and AT&T decline regulators’ request to delay new 5G services

Federal transportation officials want AT&T and Verizon to postpone their planned release of expanded 5G wireless services this week, citing fears of signal interference that they said could pose risks to flight safety. On Sunday, the wireless companies responded and said no. In a letter sent on Friday, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Steve Dickson, the head of the FAA, asked the two wireless companies to delay their planned introduction, on Wednesday, of new 5G technology for a “short period” of up to two weeks. Failing to reach a deal “will force the US aviation sector to take steps to protect the safety of the traveling public,” the officials wrote. “These steps will result in widespread and unacceptable disruption as airplanes divert to other cities or flights are canceled, causing ripple effects throughout the US air transportation system.” On Sunday, AT&T and Verizon said they intended to proceed with their 5G expansion. The aviation industry had nearly two years to upgrade any equipment that might be affected by the new spectrum use, the companies said. “Our two companies are deeply committed to public safety and national security, and fortunately, the question of whether 5G operations can safely coexist with aviation has long been settled,” John Stankey, the CE of AT&T, and Hans Vestberg, Verizon’s CE, wrote in a joint letter. The fight could add to the turmoil that has been plaguing airlines and their passengers in the past week, as carriers battled bad winter weather and a coronavirus wave that thinned their staffing during a peak holiday travel period.<br/>