Telecoms regulator says UAE's 5G does not disrupt air traffic

The UAE civil aviation regulator said 5G used in the Emirates does not impact air traffic.

The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) said the current issue affecting flights is exclusively related to US airports.

“New spectrum frequencies have been allocated to 5G [in the US] that differ from the frequencies designated for use in our region, and there is no disruption or interference in the UAE between 5G networks and air navigation systems,” the TDRA said in a statement.

It said 5G stations have been installed and operating in the UAE “for many years, and no negative impact on the safety of air navigation systems has occurred".

The regulator added that its 5G plans take into account the safety of frequencies and potential impact on other sectors, which are in line with procedures approved by the International Telecommunication Union.

On Tuesday, AT&T and Verizon said they would temporarily delay turning on some wireless towers near key US airport runways to avert a looming aviation crisis, after discussions with President Joe Biden's administration.

Airlines said thousands of flights could be grounded or delayed if the systems are introduced near major airports.

Emirates said it will resume flights to all nine destinations that were temporarily suspended this week.

The language of diplomacy in 1853

Treaty of Peace in Perpetuity Agreed Upon by the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast on Behalf of Themselves, Their Heirs and Successors Under the Mediation of the Resident of the Persian Gulf, 1853
(This treaty gave the region the name “Trucial States”.)

We, whose seals are hereunto affixed, Sheikh Sultan bin Suggar, Chief of Rassool-Kheimah, Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon, Chief of Aboo Dhebbee, Sheikh Saeed bin Buyte, Chief of Debay, Sheikh Hamid bin Rashed, Chief of Ejman, Sheikh Abdoola bin Rashed, Chief of Umm-ool-Keiweyn, having experienced for a series of years the benefits and advantages resulting from a maritime truce contracted amongst ourselves under the mediation of the Resident in the Persian Gulf and renewed from time to time up to the present period, and being fully impressed, therefore, with a sense of evil consequence formerly arising, from the prosecution of our feuds at sea, whereby our subjects and dependants were prevented from carrying on the pearl fishery in security, and were exposed to interruption and molestation when passing on their lawful occasions, accordingly, we, as aforesaid have determined, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, to conclude together a lasting and inviolable peace from this time forth in perpetuity.

Taken from Britain and Saudi Arabia, 1925-1939: the Imperial Oasis, by Clive Leatherdale