AT&T and Verizon Propose 5G Limits to Break Air-Safety Standoff

AT&T and Verizon said they will limit some of their fifth-generation wireless services for six months while federal regulators review the signals’ effect on aircraft sensors, an effort to defuse a conflict that has roiled both industries. The cellphone carriers detailed the proposed limits November 24 in a letter to the Federal Communications Commission, saying they would lower the signals’ cell-tower power levels nationwide and impose stricter power caps near airports and helipads. “While we remain confident that 5G poses no risk to air safety, we are also sensitive to the Federal Aviation Administration’s desire for additional analysis of this issue,” the companies said in the letter to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. Wireless industry officials have held frequent talks with FCC and FAA experts to discuss the interference claims and potential fixes. They don’t expect the temporary limits to seriously impair the bandwidth they provide customers because networks already direct signals away from planes and airport tarmacs, according to another person familiar with the matter. Still, the voluntary limits are a rare step for wireless companies that place a high value on the spectrum licenses they hold.