Residents near 124 airports in the country may soon access 5G services starting January 1 next year, as the government mandates the replacement or upgrade of radio altimeters in all old aircraft by the end of 2024. The rollout of 5G services in and around airports has been restricted due to concerns that spectrum in the 3300-3670 MHz band might interfere with aircraft radio altimeters. India utilizes the 3300-3670 MHz band for offering 5G services.
In November 2022, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) directed mobile operators not to install any 5G sites in the 3300-3670 MHz band within a 2.1 km radius of runways at airports nationwide. However, this measure was intended to be temporary until aircraft altimeters were replaced.
Telecom operators have complained that despite more than 16 months passing since the launch of 5G in India, they are still prohibited from offering next-generation services around airports, resulting in revenue losses. The existing altimeters operate in the 4200-4400 MHz band, about 500 MHz away from 5G operating frequencies. Concerns over interference have emerged due to the “extremely poor out-of-band reception characteristics” of radio altimeters.
The government has decided that the DoT and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will jointly ensure the replacement or upgrade of old aircraft altimeters by December 31 this year. Subsequently, 5G services will be launched from January 1 next year in all airports without any exclusions. Despite efforts by various committees comprising officials from the DoT, DGCA, Airports Authority of India, and telecom operators, the issue remains unresolved. An official, speaking on condition of anonymity, cited the lack of commitment from overseas manufacturers of aircraft carriers as a hindrance to finalizing the replacement timeline.
According to the government, a significant population in metros including Delhi and Mumbai, as well as other cities, remains deprived of 5G services since October 2022. Altimeters in other countries have already been replaced, but the process is yet to start in India. The issue first arose when the US Federal Aviation Administration warned in January 2022 that 5G signals in the C-spectrum band (3300-4200 MHz) could interfere with aircraft altimeter systems, which operate in the nearby 4200-4400 MHz range. A section of India’s aviation industry, including the Federation of Indian Pilots, had also voiced concerns about 5G mobile signals possibly impacting the operation of aircraft altimeters, crucial for landing in poor visibility conditions.
