The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is currently conducting tests in collaboration with the Departments of Space and Technology to ensure that 5G connections do not interfere with aircraft systems. The DoT aims to enhance 5G connectivity at approximately 124 airports across the country. If successful, by the end of September, both residents near airports and travelers will have access to 5G services.
Due to concerns about potential interference with aircraft radio altimeters, which measure an aircraft’s altitude and assist in air traffic management, the 3,300-3,670 MHz frequency band—used for 5G services in India—is restricted near airports.
“We are conducting tests with the Department of Science and Technology (DST), and we expect to have a solution within a month. This is a priority,” stated a senior government official. The official also mentioned that the telecom department recently approved the installation of in-building solutions (IBS) to improve coverage in and around airports and is working with the civil aviation ministry to enhance 5G connectivity.
In-building systems are designed to provide high-quality cellular and wireless connectivity indoors, where signals from cell towers may not penetrate effectively. In November 2022, the DoT directed telecom operators not to install 5G stations within 2.1 kilometers of each runway end in the 3,300-3,670 MHz band.
Airport Connectivity Challenges
Indian telecom companies that have commercially launched 5G services argue that the restriction of 5G technology near airports is costing them significant revenue. They claim that the investments made in the 5G spectrum are not yielding returns from businesses and consumers due to the lack of connectivity at airports.
Currently, aircraft altimeters operate in the 4,200-4,400 MHz range, 500 MHz away from 5G frequencies. Concerns have been raised about potential interference due to the subpar out-of-band receiving capabilities of some radio altimeters. In June, the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA), which represents telecom service providers worldwide, sent a letter to the DoT urging a reconsideration of its 2022 ruling and requesting that telecom operators be allowed to expand their mobile networks across airports.
The GSMA pointed out that India already has a 530 MHz guard band between mobile systems and radio altimeters, which is wider than in many other countries. The association urged the DoT to work with aviation stakeholders to expedite the replacement of radio altimeters that may be vulnerable to interference from 5G emissions, ensuring harmonious coexistence between different services and technologies using the radio spectrum.
The issue arose when the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a warning in January 2022 about possible interference with aircraft altimeter systems from 5G transmissions in the C-band (3,300-4,200 MHz) operating near the 4,200-4,400 MHz band. However, the situation in India differs from that in the U.S., where 5G networks can operate up to 3,980 MHz, leaving only a 220 MHz gap between radio altimeters and 5G systems. In India, the gap is 530 MHz—nearly double that of the U.S.
Globally, by the end of Q1 2024, 186 operators, including those providing Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services, out of roughly 300 operators offering 5G services, have deployed their next-generation networks using the 3.5 GHz frequency spectrum. According to the GSMA, there have been “no reported cases of interference” caused by 5G networks.
