The U.S. federal communications commission (FCC) and other national agencies have begun auctioning 23.8 GHz and adjacent frequency bands to future 5G network providers, Taiwan media said, highlighting the urgency of the problem. In addition, the U.S. government is auctioning the 36 to 37 GHz band for studying rainfall and snowfall, the 50 GHz band for measuring temperature, and the 86 to 92 GHz band for analyzing clouds and ice.
The national oceanic and atmospheric administration (NOAA) and the national aeronautics and space administration (NASA) have held discussions with the FCC about protecting weather satellites, but the FCC will continue to auction the spectrum to future 5G network providers.
As 5G networks use frequencies close to those used for meteorological observation, 5G could threaten human safety by interfering with weather satellites and affecting the ability to predict storms, meteorologists have warned.
Meteorologists worry that the frequency band used in 5G networks could undermine important satellite observations. Satellite equipment can be used to observe the atmosphere and research variables such as water vapor, rain, snow, clouds and ice content, all of which are key factors affecting the weather.
