Airlines will be able to provide the latest technology in 5G networks on their planes, according to a latest update carried out by the European Commission on on-board communications, that advances the designation of certain 5G frequencies for user communications.
Currently, all airlines urge passengers to activate the ‘airplane mode’ during the takeoff and landing of the plane, by means of a light signal that indicates when they must do so.
This is a security measure that companies implement to avoid interference with any other electrical or telecommunications system on the plane, which, if it exists, could cause a plane crash.
For the rest of the flight, it is possible to use a WiFi network upon payment on some airlines (including Iberia or Air Europa) when the plane has already passed a certain height and it is outside both the takeoff and landing runways.
As the Commission has pointed out, since 2008 it has reserved certain frequencies for mobile communications on aircraft, a decision on in-flight communications that has recently been updated with the widespread deployment of 5G services.
Now the European Union has announced that all passengers on board flights in the European Union will be able to both keep their electronic devices on and mobile data activated, in order to use 5G networks in them.
In this way, passengers will be able to access connectivity “to the maximum of its capacity and characteristics, as with a 5G mobile network on land”, as it has advanced through its website.
According to Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton, 5G “will enable innovative services for people and growth opportunities for European companies.” “The sky is no longer the limit when it comes to the possibilities offered by super-fast, high-capacity connectivity,” he added.
In order to offer connectivity support, airlines must install a network station in their fleet, which It will allow you to perform tasks such as sending calls, messages or data traffic via a satellite network to a land mobile network.
It should be noted that the European Commission has also introduced new features for road transport, where WiFi can be run with 5 GHz frequency bands in cars, buses and other means of transport. This will be effective next June 30, 2023 “at the latest”, depending on the institution.
