ROC on FAA list of low buffer zones amid 5G rollout

ROCHESTER, NY. (WHEC) — As 5G cell service goes live on Wednesday, airlines are urgently asking for 5G ground stations to turn it off within two miles of major airports.

There is cause for concern that the 5G stations could cause a "catastrophic disruption". This is because they could disrupt a plane’s radio altimeter, which provides the precise altitude readings when pilots land in poor visibility.

On Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) prohibited pilots from landing in low visibility conditions at certain airports, including the Frederick Douglass-Greater Rochester International Airport.

5G technology promises faster data speeds for cellphones, but the FAA says the radio frequencies 5G uses can be close to those used by radar altimeters, which are used to measure a plane’s altitude when landing.