FCC WP Docket No. 07-100 | SBC Comments Filed January 2022
The 4.9 GHz band offers high bandwidth and low latency characteristics ideally suited for next-generation public safety applications—data, video, telemetry, and Smart Fire Fighting technologies that require robust wireless connectivity inside buildings.
The Opportunity
NIST’s Research Roadmap for Smart Fire Fighting envisions a transformation from tradition-based operations to data-driven, information-rich decision making. This requires high-speed wireless connectivity supporting voice, data, video, and telemetry. The 4.9 GHz band’s capabilities are especially well-suited for in-building use cases where first responders need reliable communications.
SBC’s Position
Protect & Preserve for Public Safety: The FCC must protect 4.9 GHz nationwide spectrum for public safety use while exploring ways to expand effective utilization.
Priority & Preemption: Align with the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network model—public safety gets priority, with secondary use fully pre-emptible.
Single Nationwide Licensee: Avoid a patchwork of incompatible state-level approaches. A nationwide license facilitates deployment, drives innovation, and reduces costs.
Prevent Harmful Interference: Secondary use must not cause interference. Expand registration requirements to include Class A Signal Boosters for better tracking and issue resolution.
Enable In-Building Coverage: A significant portion of public safety responses occur within buildings. The FCC must adopt rules supporting robust, resilient broadband wireless connectivity inside buildings.
Key Recommendations to the FCC
- Assign 4.9 GHz to a single nationwide licensee on behalf of public safety
- Require priority and preemption aligned with FirstNet model
- Prohibit secondary uses that cause interference to public safety
- Expand signal booster registration to enable interference tracking