Boeing, telcos in spat over 5G services near airports

US aircraft maker Boeing and India's telcos are in a spat over the issue of 5G around airports. Boeing has told the Centre that the current mitigation measures taken in India are not enough and demanded that there be no 5G services in 3.2 miles, or 5.1 kms, around the airports.

The operators have opposed the view, saying that in case India accepts the demand of Boeing and bars 5G in 3,300-3,670 MHz or C-band spectrum for 5 kms, it would affect most of the cities in the country as many of the airports are in the middle of the cities.

Currently, 5G is barred within 2.1 kms from airports.

But the US aircraft maker wrote to the government recently saying that the current measures do not take into account aircraft deviation from the centre line of the runway and glide slope during approach.

Apart from writing a letter in March, the aircraft maker is also believed to have highlighted the point during a meeting of the 5G committee held on April 19, officials present told ET.

The committee includes officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and executives from Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, Boeing, and Airbus.

Officials aware of the details said that Boeing was of the view that the current mitigation measures taken in India are bare minimum which do not take into account aircraft deviation from the centre line of the runway and glide slope during approach.