Airplanes Need Altimeter Upgrades So Wireless Networks Can Get More Spectrum
Published Date: 10/19/2026
Notice
Summary
The FCC wants your thoughts on how to give rebates to airplane owners who need to upgrade their radio altimeters. This upgrade is required by the FAA to make room for new wireless services in the Upper C-band. Comments are open until October 26, 2026, and this rebate plan will help cover retrofit costs for affected aircraft owners.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 2 costs, 1 mixed.
New 3.7 GHz Licensees Must Fund Retrofits
New 3.7 GHz Service licensees will be required, as a condition of their licenses, to fund rebates to defined classes of eligible aircraft owners and operators to help them comply with FAA radio altimeter retrofit requirements to support the Upper C‑band transition.
Rebates Will Be Fixed Amounts, Not Full Cost
The Commission declined to reimburse actual retrofit costs and instead adopted a rebate structure with set dollar amounts by aircraft category based on number of radio altimeters, relative retrofit effort, and timing (including separate considerations for FAA retrofit deadlines in late 2030 and in 2034).
Eligibility Limited; Foreign-Registered Aircraft Excluded
Only defined classes of eligible aircraft owners and operators that are subject to the FAA retrofit deadlines and operate in the airspace of the contiguous United States qualify for rebates; foreign‑registered aircraft owners and operators, other entities, and other radio altimeter equipment are not eligible for rebates.
Claims Will Require Documentation to Obtain Rebates
The Bureau and Upper C‑band Clearinghouse will require documentation to support rebate claims; examples the Commission seeks comment on include maintenance logs, number of radio altimeters per aircraft, type of retrofit (upgrade versus new installation), date of retrofit completion, FAA registration or technical approvals, or owner/operator certifications.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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