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Tag: AT&T

  • AT&T Fined $23 Million for Bribing a Politician’s Ally

    AT&T is adding to the long list of fines levied against, this time to the tune of $23 million for bribery.

    AT&T has a long history of running afoul of regulations, being fined millions in the process. According to the Department of Justice, the latest fine is a whopping $23 million for bribery.

    Illinois Bell Telephone Company, LLC, which does business as AT&T Illinois, today agreed to pay $23 million to resolve a federal criminal investigation into alleged misconduct involving the company’s efforts to unlawfully influence former Illinois Speaker of the House Michael J. Madigan.

    AT&T admitted to arranging “for payments to be made to an ally of Madigan to influence and reward Madigan’s efforts to assist AT&T Illinois with respect to legislation sought by the company.”

    Under the agreement, the prosecution will be deferred for two years, giving AT&T time to abide by conditions set by the DOJ. Should those conditions be met, the case will be dismissed in two years.

  • No More Free Streaming Services For New AT&T Customers

    No More Free Streaming Services For New AT&T Customers

    AT&T is no longer bundling HBO Max, or any other streaming service, with its top-tier plan, bucking a popular trend among wireless carriers.

    Wireless carriers are always looking for ways to reduce churn, the changeover of customers that bounce from one carrier to another. Bundling extra services, such as TV streaming options, has proven to be a good way to keep customers from jumping ship. While Verizon and T-Mobile both bundle services with their plans, AT&T has now ended its bundling promo, according to Next TV.

    “HBO Max is a great service, but we constantly experiment with the features we offer our customers to give them the best value,” AT&T said in a statement.

    While it’s not exactly the same, AT&T did increase the amount of hotspot data on the unlimited plan from 40GB to 50GB. Only time will tell which option new customers will prefer.

  • FAA: Boeing 737 Fleet Still Susceptible to 5G Interference

    FAA: Boeing 737 Fleet Still Susceptible to 5G Interference

    The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has warned the existing fleet of Boeing 737s are still susceptible to 5G interference.

    Verizon and AT&T spent billions buying C-band spectrum for their 5G networks at a recent FCC auction, only to have the FAA and airline industry raise concerns about 5G interference. Because C-band spectrum is so close to the spectrum aircraft altimeters use, there were concerns 5G could interfere with those altimeters, leading to significant dangers during flights, and especially when taking off and landing.

    Despite eventually coming to terms that allowed Verizon and AT&T to continue with their deployment, the FAA has issued an Airworthiness Directive (AD), indicating that Boeing 737s are still particularly susceptible to interference.

    This AD was prompted by a determination that radio altimeters cannot be relied upon to perform their intended function if they experience interference from wireless broadband operations in the 3.7-3.98 GHz frequency band (5G C-Band), and a recent determination that, during approach, landings, and go-arounds, as a result of this interference, certain airplane systems may not properly function, resulting in increased flightcrew workload while on approach with the flight director, autothrottle, or autopilot engaged, which could result in reduced ability of the flightcrew to maintain safe flight and landing of the airplane.

    It’s currently unclear what, if any, mitigation efforts may be taken.

  • Congress Is Not Impressed With FCC/FAA 5G Controversy

    Congress Is Not Impressed With FCC/FAA 5G Controversy

    Congress is weighing in on the botched rollout of 5G C-band spectrum — a rollout that put the FCC and FAA at odds — and they’re not impressed.

    Verizon and AT&T spent more than $68 billion to license mid-band 5G spectrum, called C-band. C-band is considered the ideal compromise between speed and coverage, and is essential to wireless carriers’ attempts to deploy the next-generation network.

    Unfortunately, the spectrum in question is dangerously close the spectrum used by aircraft altimeters, leading airlines and the FAA to object to its use. Eventually a compromise was reached, with Verizon and AT&T agreeing to exclusion zones around airports. The agreement was not reached without a number of delays, threats, negotiations, and appeals to the White House.

    Congress is now reviewing the situation and has had some tough words for the two agencies, according to NASDAQ.

    Representative Garret Graves, of the Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee, said the two agencies played “chicken with one another – or whatever ridiculousness happened – and now we ended up threatening aviation safety. We had flights canceled. … It’s embarrassing.”

    Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio said “the current interagency process for auctioning off spectrum is completely broken.”

    “Having a dropped call is way less serious than having a dropped airplane out of the sky,” DeFazio said.

  • T-Mobile ‘Remains Firmly in First Place’ in the US 5G Wars

    T-Mobile ‘Remains Firmly in First Place’ in the US 5G Wars

    T-Mobile is continuing to dominate the US 5G market, beating both Verizon and AT&T, in OpenSignal’s latest report.

    T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T are racing to switch their networks over to 5G, rolling out new spectrum as fast as they can. T-Mobile gained a huge advantage with its purchase of Sprint, taking over Sprint’s wealth of mid-band spectrum, which is ideal for 5G deployment. Verizon and AT&T, on the other hand, spent some $68 billion at a single FCC auction to bolster their mid-band spectrum, only to run into issues with the airline industry that have impeded their ability to fully use their spectrum.

    Between the early lead T-Mobile was able to take, and its spectrum not being subject to the same concerns as Verizon and AT&T, in terms of the airline industry, T-Mobile has cemented itself as the 5G company to beat in the US.

    According to OpenSignal’s January 2022 5G Experience Report, T-Mobile now wins in four of six categories: 5G Availability, 5G Reach, Upload Speed, and Download Speed. Verizon won the other two categories, 5G Games Experience and 5G Voice App Experience, while AT&T did not win any categories.

    “The experts have spoken: T-Mobile 5G is number one in speed and coverage, and we’re continuing to pull away from the pack,” said Neville Ray, President of Technology at T-Mobile. “We have the largest 5G network covering 310 million people – 210 million of whom are covered by Ultra Capacity 5G. That’s more than double Verizon’s Ultra Wideband and light years ahead of AT&T’s 5G+. Our competitors are trying desperately to convince consumers and businesses otherwise, but there’s no denying T-Mobile is THE leader in 5G and in a position to deliver the best network performance and capabilities to customers throughout the 5G era.”

  • AT&T Now Offering 5Gbps Fiber Internet in 70 Markets

    AT&T Now Offering 5Gbps Fiber Internet in 70 Markets

    AT&T is claiming to be the fastest major internet provider, thanks to its 5Gbps fiber service that is now available in 70 metro areas.

    Fiber internet is the gold standard for home users and businesses alike, powering the next generation of AR, VR, gaming, development, and business processes. As one of the biggest internet providers in the US, AT&T has been expanding its fiber offerings and increasing speeds.

    According to the company, its latest upgrade covers almost 5.2 million customers in roughly 70 metro areas, including L.A., Atlanta, and Dallas. Customers will be able to choose from symmetrical 2-Gig and 5-Gig tiers.

    “As we set out to become America’s best connectivity provider, we’re doubling down on fiber in our broadband infrastructure,” said Jeff McElfresh, CEO of AT&T Communications. “With true multi-gig speeds, and symmetrical upload and download, AT&T Fiber will redefine how we experience the internet and drive innovation, from education, to work, to entertainment.”

    The company plans to bring multi-gig internet service to 30 million customers by the end of 2025.

  • FAA: 78% of US Commercial Aircraft Safe Amid 5G Concerns

    FAA: 78% of US Commercial Aircraft Safe Amid 5G Concerns

    The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has cleared roughly 78% of the US commercial aircraft fleet for low-visibility approaches near C-band 5G.

    The airline industry has been at odds with Verizon and AT&T over the rollout of C-band 5G. C-band is in the mid-band range of frequencies that are very close to those used by aircraft altimeters. The airline industry and FAA have been concerned that C-band could interfere with altimeters, putting aircraft at risk in low-visibility conditions.

    After delays and negotiations, Verizon and AT&T began rolling out their new spectrum on January 19, and the FAA has now cleared a large portion of the US aircraft fleet for low-visibility approaches.

    “The FAA issued new approvals Thursday that allow an estimated 78 percent of the U.S. commercial fleet to perform low-visibility landings at airports where wireless companies deployed 5G C-band,” the FAA’s statement reads. “This now includes some regional jets. 

    “Airplane models with one of the 13 cleared altimeters include all Boeing 717, 737, 747, 757, 767, 777, 787, MD-10/-11; all Airbus A300, A310, A319, A320, A330, A340, A350 and A380 models; and some Embraer 170 and 190 regional jets.

    “The FAA is working diligently to determine which altimeters are reliable and accurate where 5G is deployed in the United States. We anticipate some altimeters will be too susceptible to 5G interference. To preserve safety, aircraft with those altimeters will be prohibited from performing low-visibility landings where 5G is deployed because the altimeter could provide inaccurate information.”

    The FAA says altimeters that are not deemed safe will need to be retrofitted or replaced.

  • US Carriers Deny Blocking iCloud Private Relay — Mostly

    US Carriers Deny Blocking iCloud Private Relay — Mostly

    Following reports that T-Mobile was blocking Apple’s iCloud Private Relay, all three major US carriers have denied actively blocking it — for the most part.

    iCloud Private Relay is a feature introduced as a beta in iOS 15 and macOS Monterey. The feature is similar to a VPN, and hides a person’s internet traffic. Some users reported that T-Mobile was starting to block the feature, something that 9to5Mac confirmed.

    According to The Verge, all three carriers are trying to reassure users they are not intentionally or actively blocking Private Relay. Verizon and AT&T, in particular, said they are not blocking the feature in any way.

    Things are a bit more complicated with T-Mobile. The vast majority of customers will not experience any issues, but accounts that are using T-Mobile’s Family Controls won’t be able to use Private Relay.

    “Customers who chose plans and features with content filtering (e.g. parent controls) do not have access to the iCloud Private Relay to allow these services to work as designed. All other customers have no restrictions,” T-Mobile’s spokesperson The Verge.

    That explanation is inline with Apple’s own description of Private Relay:

    Networks that require the ability to audit traffic or perform network-based filtering will block access to Private Relay.

    T-Mobile also told The Verge that it discovered an issue with Private Relay that could cause it to not work, and informed Apple so they could fix it.

    “Overnight our team identified that in the 15.2 iOS release, some device settings default to the feature being toggled off. We have shared this with Apple. This is not specific to T-Mobile.” 

    A Potential Future Showdown

    Hopefully all three carriers maintain their current stance. As The Verge points out, European carriers — including T-Mobile — have been campaigning against Private Relay, even asking the EU Commission to block the feature. The carriers claim it is “cutting off other networks and servers from accessing vital network data and metadata, including those operators in charge of the connectivity.”

    There’s two issues with the carriers’ actions:

    First, should the carriers succeed in convincing the EU Commission to block the feature, it’s a reasonable assumption that VPNs will likely be next on the chopping block, given that Private Relay offers many of the same benefits.

    Successfully blocking Private Relay — let alone if the carriers target VPNs next — will significantly undermine many users’ privacy and security online.

    Second, if the EU Commission gives in and blocks Private Relay, it will essentially confirm the right of companies to mine at least some datafrom paying customers, regardless of whether the customer agrees to it.

    As we have written about before, it’s one thing for the provider of a free service to mine data from their customers. Since they’re providing a service for free, profiting from the customer’s data is often the accepted trade-off.

    On the other hand, when a customer is paying for a service, there should be an expectation that’s where the transaction ends — the company provides a service in exchange for a fair amount of money, end of story.

    If the carriers are successful in their goals, it will set a dangerous precedent that will erode privacy for everyone.

  • Here’s the 50 Airports Excluded From Verizon and AT&T’s 5G

    Here’s the 50 Airports Excluded From Verizon and AT&T’s 5G

    The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has released a list of the 50 airports where Verizon and AT&T have agreed to enact 5G exclusion zones.

    After false starts and negotiations, Verizon and AT&T’s C-band 5G will finally go live on January 19. As part of their concessions addressing concerns about possible interference with aircraft altimeters, both carriers have agreed to exclusion zones around airports.

    By not deploying in the immediate vicinity of airports, it’s hoped any possible interference will be mitigated. These zones are specifically around airports where low-visibility landings occur.

    The FAA released a statement regarding the zones:

    Many airports are not currently affected by the new 5G deployment, even though they are not on this list. These include airports not in the 46 markets where the new service will be deployed and airports that do not currently have the ability to allow low-visibility landings.

    The wireless companies agreed to turn off transmitters and make other adjustments near these airports for six months to minimize potential 5G interference with sensitive aircraft instruments used in low-visibility landings.

    T-Mobile, of course, uses spectrum that poses no risks to altimeters. As a result, T-Mobile’s 5G is unaffected and the company does not need to use exclusion zones. Below is a list of the airports that will have the Verizon and AT&T exclusion zones. 

    Facility – Name

    AUS – AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTL

    BED – LAURENCE G HANSCOM FLD

    BFI – BOEING FLD/KING COUNTY INTL

    BHM – BIRMINGHAM-SHUTTLESWORTH INTL

    BNA – NASHVILLE INTL

    BUR – BOB HOPE

    CAK – AKRON-CANTON

    CLT – CHARLOTTE/DOUGLAS INTL

    DAL – DALLAS LOVE FLD

    DFW – DALLAS-FORT WORTH INTL

    DTW – DETROIT METRO WAYNE COUNTY

    EFD – ELLINGTON

    EWR – NEWARK LIBERTY INTL

    FAT – FRESNO YOSEMITE INTL

    FLL – FORT LAUDERDALE/HOLLYWOOD INTL

    FNT – FLINT MICHIGAN

    HOU – WILLIAM P HOBBY

    HVN – NEW HAVEN

    IAH – GEORGE BUSH INTCNTL/HOUSTON

    IND – INDIANAPOLIS INTL

    ISP – LONG ISLAND MAC ARTHUR

    JFK – JOHN F KENNEDY INTL

    LAS – HARRY REID INTL

    LAX – LOS ANGELES INTL

    LGA – LAGUARDIA

    LGB – LONG BEACH (DAUGHERTY FLD)

    MCI – KANSAS CITY INTL

    MCO – ORLANDO INTL

    MDT – HARRISBURG INTL

    MDW – CHICAGO MIDWAY INTL

    MFE – MCALLEN INTL

    MIA – MIAMI INTL

    MSP – MINNEAPOLIS-ST PAUL INTL/WOLD-CHAMBERLAIN

    ONT – ONTARIO INTL

    ORD – CHICAGO O’HARE INTL

    PAE – SNOHOMISH COUNTY (PAINE FLD)

    PBI – PALM BEACH INTL

    PHL – PHILADELPHIA INTL

    PHX – PHOENIX SKY HARBOR INTL

    PIE – ST PETE-CLEARWATER INTL

    PIT – PITTSBURGH INTL

    RDU – RALEIGH-DURHAM INTL

    ROC – FREDERICK DOUGLASS/GREATER ROCHESTER INTL

    SEA – SEATTLE-TACOMA INTL

    SFO – SAN FRANCISCO INTL

    SJC – NORMAN Y MINETA SAN JOSE INTL

    SNA – JOHN WAYNE/ORANGE COUNTY

    STL – ST LOUIS LAMBERT INTL

    SYR – SYRACUSE HANCOCK INTL

    TEB – TETERBORO

  • FAA Will Not Seek Further 5G Rollout Delays From Verizon and AT&T

    FAA Will Not Seek Further 5G Rollout Delays From Verizon and AT&T

    The Federal Aviation Administration has said it will not seek any more delays from Verizon and AT&T in regard to their 5G rollout.

    Verizon and AT&T have twice delayed their rollout of C-band spectrum, from December 5 to January 5, and now from January 5 to January 19. As we have covered extensively, the delays were sparked by concerns that C-band spectrum could interfere with aircraft altimeters.

    Verizon made it clear it was planning on proceeding with deployment after this last delay, even issuing a press release promising customers they would have access to the faster 5G later this month.

    “This massive launch will put incredible speeds, reliability and security in the hands of our customers and amplifies our offering of reliable home and business broadband options to more places around the country, well ahead of the commitment we made last year,” said Hans Vestberg, Chairman and CEO of Verizon. “As 5G Ultra Wideband becomes available to more and more people and businesses, it will allow our customers to do more amazing things.”

    In a letter to the carriers, US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and FAA Administrator Steve Dickson, signaled there would be no further requests for a delay.

    Thank you for your willingness to work with the Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration to reduce the impact of 5G C-Band deployment on the national airspace.

    Your voluntary agreement both to delay initial deployment by two weeks, and to subsequently adopt some additional mitigations, will give us additional time and space to reduce the impacts to commercial flights. We look forward to working with you to implement the steps in the attached term sheet. We understand you will work with the Federal Communications Commission to further memorialize the additional mitigations you are putting in place.

    Thank you again for taking this meaningful step. We are confident that your voluntary steps will support the safe coexistence of 5G C-Band deployment and aviation activities, helping to retain America’s economic strength and leadership role around the world.

    This appears to end a long, drawn-out saga for Verizon and AT&T, as well as the airline industry.

  • Verizon and AT&T Agree to New 5G Delay, President Biden Weighs In

    Verizon and AT&T Agree to New 5G Delay, President Biden Weighs In

    Verizon and AT&T have backed down from their previous stance, agreeing to a new two-week delay for their C-band 5G rollout.

    As we have previously written about extensively, Verizon and AT&T have been at odds with the airline industry over their C-band 5G. The airline industry and the FAA are concerned about possible interference with aircraft altimeters, but the two carriers are eager to use spectrum they spent $68 billion to acquire.

    In the last chapter of this saga, both companies refused to delay any further past their January 5 deployment date, which was already a month delay from their initial plans. In response, the aviation industry appealed to the White House.

    According to CNET, both wireless carriers have now agreed to a new two-week delay, potentially avoiding a long and costly legal battle.

    “We’ve agreed to a two-week delay which promises the certainty of bringing this nation our game-changing 5G network in January delivered over America’s best and most reliable network,” Verizon spokesperson Rich Young said in a statement emailed to CNET.

    President Joe Biden voiced his support for the agreement, while also reiterating his administrations commitment to advancing 5G in the US.

    My Administration is committed to rapid 5G deployment, while minimizing disruptions to air operations and continuing to maintain the world’s safest airspace. Last night’s agreement is a significant step in the right direction, and we’re grateful to all parties for their cooperation and good faith. This agreement ensures that there will be no disruptions to air operations over the next two weeks and puts us on track to substantially reduce disruptions to air operations when AT&T and Verizon launch 5G on January 19th.

  • Aviation Industry Appeals to White House Over 5G Concerns

    Aviation Industry Appeals to White House Over 5G Concerns

    The Aerospace Industries Association has appealed to the White House to intervene over concerns about the safety risks of 5G deployment.

    Airlines, the FAA, the FCC, Verizon, and AT&T have been in a tug-of-war over the future of mid-band 5G deployment. Verizon and AT&T are desperate to begin rolling out the $68 billion of spectrum they acquired at a recent FCC auction, but the airline industry and the FCC are worried about possible interference with airline altimeters. 

    After Verizon and AT&T rebuffed requests to delay their deployment further — past the January 5 date they had set — the industry is now appealing to the White House, according to Bloomberg.

    “We respectfully call on President Biden to intervene and delay the full implementation of C-band 5G until proper risk assessments have taken place and crewmembers are fully briefed as to the extent of the disruptions,” the group said in a statement.

    There has been no response yet from the White House.

    One thing is clear: T-Mobile is increasingly coming out an even bigger winner in the 5G wars than it already was. The company acquired a wealth of mid-band spectrum when it bought Sprint. T-Mobile’s nearly insurmountable lead in 5G was one of the main reasons its two biggest competitors spent so much money at auction. Unlike the spectrum they acquired, however, T-Mobile’s spectrum is far enough away from altimeter frequencies that it poses no risk.

  • No More Delays: Verizon and AT&T Reject US Request to Delay 5G

    No More Delays: Verizon and AT&T Reject US Request to Delay 5G

    Verizon and AT&T’s CEOs have rejected a request from the FAA and US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to delay mid-band 5G.

    Verizon and AT&T have been at odds with the airline industry over the C-band spectrum the companies plan to use for 5G. The two companies spent over $68 billion on the spectrum at a recent FCC auction, since C-band is squarely in the mid-band range, making it ideal for 5G. 

    Unfortunately, the spectrum is very close to the frequencies used by airline altimeters, sparking concerns by the airline industry and the FAA. Secretary Buttigieg had asked the two carriers to delay rollout for no more than two weeks past their January 5 deployment date, already a month later than the two companies originally planned.

    It seems neither company is willing to comply, with Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg and AT&T CEO John Stankey penning a joint letter saying they will not delay deployment any longer. According to CNBC, the two companies are willing to delay deployment around airports for another six months, but they will not delay general deployment.

    The two companies plan to follow an “exclusion zone” plan, similar to what companies in France are doing. Adjustments would be made to account for the stronger 5G signals used in the US versus France, but the goal would be to limit potential interference in the proximity of airports and helipads.

    “The laws of physics are the same in the United States and France,” the CEOs wrote. “If U.S. airlines are permitted to operate flights every day in France, then the same operating conditions should allow them to do so in the United States.”

  • Microsoft Buying Xandr Ad Business From AT&T

    Microsoft Buying Xandr Ad Business From AT&T

    AT&T has agreed to sell its ad marketplace, Xandr, to Microsoft as the ad industry tries to adapt to a post-cookie world.

    The ad industry has been working to cope with changes to online advertising, including initiatives to replace the web browser cookies that have formed the backbone of the industry for years. AT&T says Xandr compliments Microsoft’s current efforts in the context of the open web.

    “Microsoft’s shared vision of empowering a free and open web and championing an open industry alternative via a global advertising marketplace makes it a great fit for Xandr. We look forward to using our innovative platform to help accelerate Microsoft’s digital advertising and retail media capabilities,” said Xandr’s EVP and GM Mike Welch.

    “With Xandr’s talent and technology, Microsoft can accelerate the delivery of its digital advertising and retail media solutions, shaping tomorrow’s digital ad marketplace into one that respects consumer privacy preferences, understands publishers’ relationships with consumers and helps advertisers meet their goals,“ said Mikhail Parakhin, President of Web Experiences at Microsoft.

    The deal is subject to regulatory review. Neither company disclosed the financial terms of the deal.

  • Boeing, Airbus Join Chorus of Airlines Calling for Halt to 5G Rollout

    Boeing, Airbus Join Chorus of Airlines Calling for Halt to 5G Rollout

    Executives from both Boeing and Airbus have joined the chorus of airline executives calling for a halt to the rollout of C-band 5G.

    As WebProNews has covered extensively, C-band is in the mid-band range of available spectrum for 5G, and is considered the sweet spot for speed, coverage, and penetration. Verizon and AT&T coughed up more than $68 billion for C-band spectrum, only to have the airline industry raise concerns the spectrum is too close to that used by aircraft altimeters.

    The FAA weighed in with new guidance limiting the use of those altimeters in low visibility conditions over fear of interference. Those efforts only raised more concerns, with United Airlines CEO saying continued rollout of the spectrum “would be a catastrophic failure of government.”

    According to Reuters, Boeing and Airbus executives are weighing in, sending a joint letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

    “5G interference could adversely affect the ability of aircraft to safely operate,” the letter said, adding the rollout could have “an enormous negative impact on the aviation industry.”

  • DirecTV Prices Going Up in January

    DirecTV Prices Going Up in January

    DirecTV is raising its streaming and satellite TV packages starting in January.

    DirecTV was spun off from AT&T in August, and now competes with the likes YouTube TV, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV, and fuboTV streaming services, while still competing with Dish Network for the satellite market. Unfortunately for DirecTV customers, the company is planning on raising prices across both of its services in January.

    According to The Verge, satellite TV customers will see their plans go up anywhere from $1 to $10. Meanwhile, streaming TV customers will see increases ranging from $4 to $10.

    Many providers often give up channels rather than increase prices. YouTube TV recently announced it would drop its price by $15 if it loses Disney-owned channels. In contrast, DirecTV said in a statement seen by The Verge that its prices were increasing because it is committed to offering the most robust packages. 

    “While competitors continue to shrink their offerings, your DirecTV team maintains a steadfast commitment to carrying the most robust channel line-up in the industry and unrivalled [sic] leadership in premium sports and news content,” the company wrote. “In addition, we continue to invest in providing better customer service, releasing new technology upgrades that will enhance our signal reliability, and launching improved features. We are also delivering greater flexibility to watch what you want, when you want it, from virtually anywhere in the U.S.”

  • United Airlines CEO: 5G Rollout ‘Would Be Catastrophic’

    United Airlines CEO: 5G Rollout ‘Would Be Catastrophic’

    United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby is warning that Verizon and AT&T’s 5G rollout would be catastrophic for the airline industry.

    Verizon and AT&T spent over $68 billion on C-band spectrum for their 5G networks. C-band spectrum is squarely in the mid-band range, making it ideal for 5G. Unfortunately, the spectrum is very close to the same frequencies airline altimeters use. Although T-Mobile spent $9 billion, it was largely to fill out its existing spectrum, spectrum that poses no danger to the airline industry. Verizon and AT&T, in contrast, delayed their rollout of the new spectrum before agreeing to throttle back the power in an effort to avoid issues.

    Unfortunately, Kirby doesn’t think that will be enough. According to The Independent, Kirby warned Congress in a US Senate Commerce Committee meeting, that the C-band rollout “would be a catastrophic failure of government.”

    Not everyone agrees Kirby’s fears are warranted, with the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CITA) saying concerns about interference amount to fear-mongering.

    “The aviation industry’s fear-mongering relies on completely discredited information and deliberate distortions of fact,” says CTIA.

    At the same time, Kirby was quick to point out the consequences of the FAA’s new directive aimed at addressing the 5G issue, in which the agency prohibits the use of altimeters in low-visibility conditions.

    “Unless something changes – we will not be able to use radio altimeters at 40-something of the largest airports in the country,” Mr Kirby said. “It is a certainty. This is not a debate.”

    The debate between 5G and the airline safety looks to be far from over, but one thing is clear: Until the issue is resolved, airline passengers will likely experience more delays as the industry accommodates the FAA’s new directive.

  • 5G May Still Interfere With Aircraft in Low Visibility Conditions

    5G May Still Interfere With Aircraft in Low Visibility Conditions

    Despite a deal being reached between Verizon, AT&T and the FAA, the carriers’ 5G may still cause problems with aircraft in low-visibility conditions.

    Verizon and AT&T spent billions purchasing mid-band spectrum for their 5G rollouts, only to have the FAA raise concerns about the spectrum interfering with aircraft altimeters. The issue stems from the spectrum being in the 3.7 to 3.98 GHz range, considered a sweet spot for 5G, but relatively close to the spectrum altimeters use in the 4.2 to 4.4 GHz range.

    Verizon and AT&T came to an agreement with the FAA to limit the power of their 5G signals, but the FAA is warning pilots that may not be enough. In a statement on 5G, in which the FAA declares its belief that 5G and aviation can safely coexist, the agency does provide a warning about possible interference.

    The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all transport and commuter category airplanes equipped with a radio (also known as radar) altimeter. This AD was prompted by a determination that radio altimeters cannot be relied upon to perform their intended function if they experience interference from wireless broadband operations in the 3.7-3.98 GHz frequency band (5G C-Band).

    The interference will especially be a concern in low visibility situations.

    This AD requires revising the limitations section of the existing AFM to incorporate limitations prohibiting certain operations requiring radio altimeter data when in the presence of 5G C-Band wireless broadband signals as identified by NOTAM. These limitations could prevent dispatch of flights to certain locations with low visibility, and could also result in flight diversions.

    The only carrier unaffected by the FAA’s concerns is T-Mobile. The magenta carrier’s mid-band 5G spectrum falls in the 2.5 GHz range, a range that is no threat to altimeters.

  • AT&T Enterprise Customers Hit by Data-Stealing Malware

    AT&T Enterprise Customers Hit by Data-Stealing Malware

    AT&T customers are being hit with a malware attack that uses a network edge device to steal data.

    According to Ars Technica, researchers at Qihoo 360 discovered a new botnet that is targeting the EdgeMarc Enterprise Session Border Controller. The device is commonly used by small to medium-sized enterprises on AT&T’s network.

    “However, during this brief observation, we confirmed that the attacked devices were EdgeMarc Enterprise Session Border Controller, belonging to the telecom company AT&T, and that all 5.7k active victims that we saw during the short time window were all geographically located in the US,” wrote Qihoo 360’s Alex Turing and Hui Wang.

    The vulnerability traces back to 2017 when a researcher discovered a way to attack the devices using an on-device account that used “root” and “default” as the username and password. Despite being discovered years ago, Ars says it’s unclear if AT&T ever notified customers of the vulnerability.

    A patch was released 19 months later, in December 2018. Because the patch required manual installation, however, it’s a safe bet many companies never installed the fix.

    Qihoo 360’s researchers have already found more than 100,000 devices using the same TLS certificate as infected devices. This may indicate the vulnerability is far more widespread than just the confirmed victims.

    “We are not sure how many devices corresponding to these IPs could be infected, but we can speculate that as they belong to the same class of devices the possible impact is real,” the researchers added.

  • Verizon, AT&T Limiting 5G to Accommodate Air Traffic Safety Concerns

    Verizon, AT&T Limiting 5G to Accommodate Air Traffic Safety Concerns

    Verizon and AT&T have volunteered to limit their 5G networks in an effort to address concerns over air traffic safety.

    Verizon and AT&T spent a small fortune — to the tune of nearly $69 billion — to purchase C-Band spectrum for their 5G networks. C-Band, falling in the mid-range of available spectrum, is considered the sweet spot for 5G, offering a solid blend of speed, range and penetration.

    Unfortunately, the spectrum Verizon and AT&T purchased is in the 3.7 to 3.98 GHz range, relatively close to the 4.2-4.4 GHz range that airline altimeters run on. As a result, there have been concerns that Verizon and AT&T’s 5G could negatively impact airline safety, leading both companies to delay their C-Band rollout.

    Verizon and AT&T are now voluntarily offering to limit their rollout of the C-Band 5G spectrum in an effort to mitigate potential issues.

    “We have voluntarily agreed to certain precautionary protection measures for 5G networks in the C-band while additional evidence from radio altimeter manufacturers is evaluated,” AT&T said in a statement, according to The Hill. “Though there is no credible evidence that a legitimate interference problem exists, we agreed to take these additional steps to alleviate any safety concerns from the FAA.”

    Despite their willingness to cripple their 5G, as Telecoms.com points out, it’s obvious by the wording of their statement that Verizon and AT&T are not happy with the current state of affairs. Their statement is a not-so-subtle way of pointing out that, after spending tens of billions, they shouldn’t have to take the steps they’re taking.

    “Wireless carriers, including AT&T and Verizon, paid over $80 billion for C-band spectrum—and have committed to pay another $15 billion to satellite users for early access to those licenses—and made those investments in reliance on a set of technical ground rules that were expressly found by the FCC to protect other spectrum users.”

    Verizon and AT&T’s issues are yet another win for T-Mobile, which has already established itself as the 5G leader in the US market. T-Mobile’s mid-band spectrum falls in the 2.5 GHz range, which is still in the sweet spot for 5G but far enough away from the spectrum airline altimeters use to not be a concern. As a result, T-Mobile has been unaffected by the issues Verizon and AT&T are facing.

  • UScellular Taps Nokia For Its 5G Standalone Core

    UScellular Taps Nokia For Its 5G Standalone Core

    UScellular has extended a contract with Nokia for the Finnish company to provide its 5G standalone core.

    UScellular is a regional carrier in the US, and currently the fourth-largest in the country, behind Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T. Like most carriers, the company is rolling out its 5G network and has tapped Nokia for its rollout. Nokia will provide its AirScale radios, which will provide both high-speed mmWave and widespread low-band 5G.

    “As we continue to expand and enhance our 5G network, we value the innovation and support that Nokia provides to help us deliver a superior wireless experience to our residential and business customers,” said Mike Irizarry, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, UScellular. “As we deploy 5G SA core, Nokia brings expertise, technology excellence and the right mix of hardware, software and services to meet our requirements for high performance and low latency.”

    “We are thrilled to be selected by UScellular to deliver a full 5G experience to its customers,” said Ed Cholerton, President of Nokia North America. “Our 5G SA core and 5G radios provide not only new capabilities, scale, operational efficiencies, and revenue opportunities, but drive a far better user experience that customers expect. Working with UScellular to provide the core network function software and cloud infrastructure continues our momentum in the North American standalone 5G core market.” 

    The contract is a big win for Nokia as the company continues to fight for its share of the 5G market.