US FCC votes to advance wireless spectrum auction, avoid aviation standoff

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By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Federal Communications Commission voted 3-0 on Thursday to advance plans to auction key wireless spectrum crucial for advanced technology uses and aims to head off another confrontation between airlines and telecom companies.

The FCC said it was considering whether some C-Band wireless auction proceeds should be used to help airlines replace radio altimeters that could face interference in flight from spectrum use.

In 2022, concerns 5G service could interfere with airplane altimeters, which provide data on a plane’s height above ground and are crucial for bad-weather landing, led to brief disruptions at some U.S. airports as international carriers canceled some flights.

The issue was resolved after a voluntary agreement was reached between Verizon, AT&T and major air carriers, but there have been other headaches as air carriers have worked to upgrade altimeters.

The Federal Aviation Administration plans to adopt rules setting new radio altimeter standards prior to the auction, the FCC said.

The FCC lost authority to auction wireless spectrum for two years over a standoff on the Pentagon’s wireless spectrum. Legislation passed this summer requires the FCC to auction at least 100 megahertz in the Upper C-Band by July 2027.

FCC Chair Brendan Carr said the new auction will allow for emerging 5G and next-generation 6G innovations as well as advance affordable broadband services.

Carr said it was important to avoid a conflict with airlines by “completing a generational upgrade of radio altimeters through new standards that are fully resilient to 5G services for years to come.”

(Reporting by David ShepardsonEditing by Rod Nickel)