Following up on our regulatory comments to the FCC last year, today the Consumer Choice Center submitted additional comments on the need to protect the lower band of 900 MHz in order to spur innovation and allow hobbyists and amateur radio operators to continue to build projects that provide value to millions of consumers and American citizens.
Granting exclusivity on this particular spectrum band would threaten active projects such as amateur radio communications, Meshtastic and other LoRa projects, smart grids, IOT networks, and much more.
The full text of the comments if found below:
As a consumer advocacy group that champions smart policies that are fit for growth, promotes lifestyle choice, and embraces tech innovation, the Consumer Choice Center files additional comments today in opposition to the proposed rulemaking to reorganize and reconfigure the 902-928 MHz band in order to assign licensing conditions to NextNav for exclusive use.
While we do believe that our national spectrum policies should promote innovation, as well as deliver fair rules and licensing for entrepreneurs to offer great services to consumers, we take issue with the exclusive capacity this rulemaking would create that would hinder active participants and citizens who currently use this band, disrupting our open access to technology we enjoy.
The existing open spectrum on 900 MHz has thus far enabled hobbyists and amateur radio operators such as myself, as well as decentralized LoRa (Long Range) technology devices used in off-grid communication, and other commercial users, to experiment with open-source technologies and applications.
The band as it exists today has also enabled the growth of IOT broadcast signals, garage openers, security monitoring, drone flight paths, as well as experimental commercial applications as much as LoRa devices or amateur radio broadcasts.
A growing community of hobbyists and enthusiasts have benefited from an open band of spectrum in order to communicate with each other, test various devices, and ensure a free and open “net” for our own amateur radio communications.
As such, we would ask the FCC to reconsider its rulemaking to create a more balanced approach that would not discriminate against open-source projects, nor endanger the vital emergency services offered by amateur radio operators. Granting exclusive use would cause severe interference and create an inequitable spectrum policy that would advantage one particular company over potentially thousands of amateur users, as well as up-and-coming startups and companies.
Sincerely yours,
Yaël Ossowski (KM4DDV)
Deputy Director,
Consumer Choice Center
