AT&T, Verizon begin turning on C-band 5G

Representative image

After a six-week delay, and a whole lot of headaches, AT&T and Verizon have finally started to activate their C-Band 5G networks. People in some areas of the US will have access to the network today, as the two telecom giants work with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to work out a solution for activation near airports.

Verizon told Engadget that 100 million people in more than 1700 cities would gain access to its 5G Ultra Wideband network with C-Band 5G coverage.

Also Read: Explainer | Why are airlines so scared of 5G deployment in the US?

The C-Band 5G network has more bandwidth than traditional low-band spectrums that have been used till now, and should provide faster download and upload speeds than earlier 5G networks.

Verizon says that its C-band network is up to 10 times faster than 4G LTE, with download speeds exceeding 1 Gbps in some areas.

The delay in activation was due to a tussle with the FAA and airline companies that said turning on the new C-Band towers near airports would have catastrophic consequences, and would require the grounding and cancellation of many flights.

Also Read: AT&T, Verizon pause 5G rollout near US airports to avoid flight disruptions

The main issue was that C-Band 5G operated on the same spectrum as Altimeters, which measure the distance of a plane from the ground. Any conflict between the networks could have proved disastrous.

For now, the two sides have reached an agreement to not turn on C-Band 5G towers near priority airports for another six months, while the FAA investigates a solution.