The Security Industry Association (SIA) today sent a letter signed by 92 security businesses and organizations conveying a strong, industrywide message to Capitol Hill urging members of Congress to weigh in with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on a proposal that would restructure the Lower 900 MHz frequency.
As explained in a recent SIA post on the issue, the proposed licensing and rulemaking before Congress would affect alarm, electronic access and security camera technologies, among other security and life safety equipment essential for protecting homes, small businesses and critical infrastructure.
SIA has submitted comments and reply comments to the FCC opposing this petition and will continue to advocate on this issue, which is vitally important for our industry.
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Under current FCC rules, licensees that operate in the Lower 900 MHz frequency (from 902-928MHz) are required to demonstrate through field tests that their systems do not cause unacceptable levels of interference to Part 15 devices, which are not typically afforded interference protection.
Many of these Part 15 devices support critical consumer security functions, such as:
- Z-wave technologies that integrate smart home devices into security alarm systems;
- Cameras that provide real-time management or remote access across a larger range or one with significant facility interference; and
- Electronic access control devices relied upon for public and community safety and security in residential, institutional and commercial buildings.
Why SIA Opposes the Spectrum Proposal in Congress
The petition up for comment would restructure the 902-928 MHz spectrum, granting an exclusive nationwide license to NextNav to facilitate a terrestrial position, navigation, timing (TPNT) network meant to be a back-up to GPS systems.
This restructuring would grant 15 of 26 MHz on the band to NextNav, leaving only 11 MHz, or 41% of the band remaining for shared use.
NextNav also seeks to eliminate the regulation requiring their TPNT system to not cause harmful interference to Part 15 devices in the Spectrum, effectively pushing all remaining use into the smaller range, overcrowding the spectrum and potentially disrupting security devices.
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SIA submitted a comment to the FCC on Sept. 4 opposing the NextNav proposal. The letter concluded that among other significant disruptions, “interference to Part 15 devices could have an adverse impact on technologies that are critical to keeping our nation’s infrastructure protected and our public safe.”
Among other concerns raised, SIA argued that if these systems are prevented from alerting 911 of incidents, for example, this could effectively negate any value that the backup TPNT system would provide.
SIA also joined a large coalition of more than industries that would be affected, in a joint submission led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which can be viewed here, and supports the Alarm Industry Communications Committee comments, available here.
