Sharjah 24 – AFP: Airbus and Boeing said on Tuesday that the US aviation sector has "concerns" about 5G networks interfering with critical flight safety equipment.

A disagreement between airlines and cell providers over the US implementation of high-speed mobile broadband technology has escalated.

US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg received a letter from Jeff Knittel and David Calhoun "detailing the US aviation industry's shared concerns regarding 5G adoption in the United States," an Airbus official said.

Radio altimeters are used to measure a plane's height above the ground.

A potential 5G interference with radio altimeters has been completely evaluated and addressed, according to Boeing.

"We are working with aviation authorities, government leaders, airlines, and industry organizations to guarantee global aviation safety," it said.

Verizon and AT&T were set to start utilizing the 3.7-3.8 GHz frequency bands on December 5 after acquiring billion-dollar licences in February.

The US aviation regulator had worries about 5G signals interfering with altimeters, so the debut was postponed in November.

The FAA sought further details on the equipment, which may utilise 5G's frequency spectrum.

The FAA also issued regulations restricting the use of radio altimeters in certain cases, alarming US airlines.

Verizon and AT&T wrote to the FCC in November.

Commission affirming plans to deliver 5G in January 2022.

They stated they would take extra precautions beyond US law until the FAA finished its probe in July 2022.

For reasons of compatibility, the French authorities advised against using 5G phones on planes in February.

The interference from a neighbouring frequency to the radio altimeter would create "serious" mistakes while landing, according to France's civil aviation authorities.