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POLICY INITIATIVE: 4.9 GHz SPECTRUM FCC WP Docket No. 07-100 | SBC Comments Filed January 2022
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 |