Study Confirms Win-Win for 5G Operations and Unlicensed Technologies in Lower 900 MHz Band

A recent study conducted by NextNav (Nasdaq: NN) has confirmed that 5G operations can successfully coexist with unlicensed devices in the Lower 900 MHz band. The study, submitted to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), provides a real-world deployment comparison and in-depth technical assessments that find coexistence is feasible and replacement of legacy operations in the band with 5G would not cause unacceptable interference to Part 15 devices.

Key findings from the study include:

1. 5G Does Not Materially Change the Emissions Landscape in the 902-928 MHz Band: The study confirms that unlicensed devices, which already coexist with other unlicensed operations along with licensed services in the Lower 900 MHz band, can continue to do so under the FCC’s adoption of NextNav’s 5G PNT proposal. No unacceptable interference with unlicensed devices was found, as 5G would produce lower emissions than NextNav’s already authorized legacy M-LMS location service. The Lower 900 MHz band is dominated by intra- and inter-Part 15 contention, and 5G’s contribution is negligible in comparison.
2. Indoor Signal Strength Confirms Minimal Impact from 5G Deployment: Analysis shows that unlicensed signals indoors are significantly stronger than 5G operations in nearly all locations. The incremental effect of 5G indoor operations will be well within the capacity of unlicensed devices to manage.



The study analyzed five key unlicensed technologies: LoRaWAN, RAIN RFID, Wi-Fi HaLow, Wi-SUN, and Z-Wave. Designed to operate in a complex shared spectrum environment, these Part 15 devices are built with resilience and adaptability at their core, enabling coexistence with NextNav’s proposal for terrestrial PNT powered by 5G.

“The Lower 900 MHz band is a spectrum band that was designed to be shared,” said Renee Gregory, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at NextNav. “NextNav’s proposed technical rules support coexistence with a variety of users while enabling terrestrial PNT as part of a system-of-systems approach to complement and back up GPS.”

Additionally, NextNav announced that it has retained a testing firm to conduct joint testing with Lower 900 MHz railroad licensees. The company is also in discussions with toll operators to evaluate coexistence scenarios through joint testing. Finally, NextNav retained independent firms to conduct engineering studies to ensure that all primary Federal systems in the band remain protected from harmful interference. These announcements reinforce NextNav’s commitment to protecting co-primary licensed tolling, rail operations, as well as Federal systems in the band.



In conclusion, the study conducted by NextNav confirms that 5G operations can successfully coexist with unlicensed devices in the Lower 900 MHz band. This coexistence does not negatively impact the overall spectrum utilization and efficiency, and it opens up new opportunities for the deployment and adoption of 5G networks, particularly in urban areas. By enabling efficient spectrum utilization, reducing deployment costs, enhancing network capacity, accelerating 5G adoption, and supporting GPS resiliency, this coexistence can help drive the widespread adoption of 5G and bring its benefits to users and businesses in urban environments.