Over the past year, the electronic security and life safety industry has been closely monitoring a petition filed with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) by NextNav. NextNav is seeking access to portions of the lower 900 MHz spectrum to support a proposed 5G-based terrestrial Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) system. While the request is framed as a technological advancement, it has raised significant concerns for industries—including ours—that rely on unlicensed, low-power wireless devices operating in this same frequency range.
For life safety and property protection professionals, the 900 MHz band is not theoretical—it is where many critical devices operate every day. Wireless motion detectors, door and window contacts, panic and duress buttons, smoke detectors, and carbon monoxide detectors commonly depend on these frequencies to transmit signals reliably from the device to the control panel and ultimately to the monitoring center. Any disruption to this communication path directly affects system performance and, in some cases, life safety.ed
National and state industry organizations—including the Electronic Security Association, Security Industry Association, The Monitoring Association, the Alarm Industry Communications Committee, and the California Alarm Association—have formally expressed concerns to the FCC. Their filings consistently warn that allowing high-power, licensed operations in or adjacent to the unlicensed 900 MHz band could prevent alarm devices from transmitting signals effectively.
NextNav maintains that its technology will not cause harmful interference. However, the company has also stated that if interference does occur, unlicensed devices—not NextNav’s system—would be expected to mitigate or cease operation. This position creates significant uncertainty for alarm providers, monitoring centers, and end users who rely on existing, compliant equipment that has been safely deployed for decades.
NextNav has been granted an Experimental Radio Station Construction Permit and License (WP2XYS), valid through December 1, 2027, allowing it to conduct testing in and around downtown San Jose, California. Fixed transmitters will operate in the 918–928 MHz band, with additional mobile testing planned in the 902–907 MHz range. At this time, the industry has not been informed of specific testing dates, and NextNav has indicated it is not required to provide advance notice.
If interference occurs, it is expected to appear as trouble signals or communication failures from monitored systems—exactly the type of issue that life safety professionals work tirelessly to prevent.
Although current testing is limited to California, the outcome of this proceeding could set a national precedent. If the FCC ultimately grants NextNav broader access to the lower 900 MHz band, similar deployments could follow in other regions—including Louisiana. That makes early awareness, documentation, and industry coordination essential.
The Louisiana Life Safety & Security Association (LLSSA) supports the industry’s position that existing life safety and security systems must be protected from harmful interference. The reliability of alarm communications is foundational to public safety, emergency response, and consumer trust. Any regulatory change that risks degrading that reliability must be carefully evaluated, tested transparently, and proven safe before expansion.
At this stage, no immediate action is required from Louisiana licensees. However, LLSSA strongly encourages members to:
Stay informed as this issue progresses at the federal level
Understand which systems in their portfolios rely on the 900 MHz band
Monitor industry updates from LLSSA and national trade associations
LLSSA will continue to track developments, coordinate with national partners, and advocate for regulatory outcomes that protect life safety, property protection, and the integrity of professionally installed alarm systems.
This is not just a spectrum issue—it is a reliability, safety, and consumer-protection issue.