Telcos to Put More in-Building Solutions Inside Airport for Improving Connectivity: Report

Reported by Tanuja K June 7th, 2024 at 01:32 pm

DoT has asked telcos not to deploy 5G within a 2.1 km radius of the runway. The Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGCA) even rejected the proposal from the telecom operators to provide 5G using low radio-frequency power output inside airports.

Highlights

The Indian telecom operators have been asked by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to deploy more in-building solutions inside airports to improve connectivity for the passengers.
At this point, telcos can't deploy 5G inside airports due to concerns about C-band 5G interfering with the aircraft altimeters.
With respect to 5G, till the time all concerns are removed, it can't be launched inside the airports.

The Indian telecom operators have been asked by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to deploy more in-building solutions inside airports to improve connectivity for the passengers. At this point, telcos can't deploy 5G inside airports due to concerns about C-band 5G interfering with the aircraft altimeters. A senior DoT official told thehindubusinessline that 3G/4G can help users sufficiently to get their work done. With respect to 5G, till the time all concerns are removed, it can't be launched inside the airports.

DoT has asked telcos not to deploy 5G within a 2.1 km radius of the runway. The Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGCA) even rejected the proposal from the telecom operators to provide 5G using low radio-frequency power output inside airports. C-band 5G could interfere with the aircraft altimeters, which are important to gauge the distance between the aircraft and land. Any misreadings could lead to fatal accidents, and thus, neither DoT nor the DGCA wants to take any risks here.

The official said that work is ongoing to change the altimeters inside the aircraft and there is a deadline for the work. There have been many arguments in this regard before. Some from the industry believe that there is a sufficient spectrum gap to ensure that C-band 5G in India doesn't interfere with the aircraft altimeters. However, since it is a sensitive subject, the government doesn't want to take any risks.

There is no timeline as to when the telcos will start offering 5G inside the airport. However, proper 4G coverage and Wi-Fi networks inside the airports can ensure that customers can get any or all of their online work done with ease.

Industry body Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) had requested the government that airlines be given a deadline to upgrade their altimeters so that telcos can launch 5G soon. However, nothing of that sort has happened yet.