News
Global airline association reaches out to international telecommunication body to establish spectrum policy safeguarding Aircraft Safety Systems as 5G/6G Expands
November 21st 2025
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) urged the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and national telecommunications regulators to ensure that 5G and future 6G networks operating near aviation frequencies do not impair radio altimeters and other avionic systems. Read More » The call comes as the ITU is conducting detailed studies to determine the technical conditions for global 5G/6G deployment ahead of the World Radiocommunication Conference 2027 (WRC-27). This guidance, developed with national telecom regulators and aviation safety authorities, will set the long-term framework for protecting essential aviation systems while enabling future telecom connectivity. To support this process, IATA submitted a working paper, which will be presented at the ITU-R Working Party 5B in Geneva this month. The document outlines the operational scenarios and safety requirements that must guide future spectrum policy. “The benefits of 5G and 6G can never come at the cost of aviation safety. Spectrum decisions must be based on real-world aircraft operations, not idealized telecommunications industry modeling. That means ensuring ITU studies fully reflect the most demanding conditions pilots face. With input from aviation users, WRC-27 must deliver clear global rules to ensure the safe coexistence of radio altimeters and other safety-critical avionic systems with next-generation telecom networks across all phases of flight,” said Nick Careen, IATA Senior Vice President Operations, Safety and Security. In several countries, telecommunications providers have voluntarily implemented 5G mitigation strategies to mitigate potential interference with RAD ALT systems, including reducing transmission power, applying runway exclusion zones, and tilting antennas downwards. Some of these temporary measures are now approaching expiry. In Canada (1 January 2026) and Australia (1 April 2026), key mitigations will lapse within months. In the US, plans to auction the Upper C-Band (3.98-4.2 GHz)—immediately adjacent to the 4.2 GHz altimeter band—are advancing this month, and existing 5G mitigations are scheduled to be removed in 2028. However, next-generation radio altimeters that are more resistant to 5G are not expected to be available to airlines before the early 2030s. This creates a mitigation gap which adds to the complexity of maintaining safe airline operations. “With new spectrum auctions underway and protections being lifted in key markets, regulators must not assume safety will take care of itself. The industry needs clear, consistent safeguards to bridge the period before new altimeters are available,” said Careen.
