What’s Occurring
Just lately, deceptive experiences have circulated concerning the Z-Wave Alliance’s participation in an FCC continuing on the 902–928 MHz band. We need to make clear what’s occurring, why we’re concerned, and how one can assist.
In 2024, NextNav, a U.S. telecom firm, petitioned the FCC to repurpose a part of the decrease 900 MHz band for a terrestrial 5G / PNT (Positioning, Navigation, and Timing) backup community.
That very same band powers billions of low-power gadgets, together with Z-Wave good dwelling, constructing, and safety merchandise.
NextNav needs to (1) allocate parts of that band (e.g., 902–907 MHz uplink, 918–928 MHz downlink) for higher-power operations; (2) saturate the decrease 900 MHz band with high-power site visitors, drowning out low-power alerts from billions of at present deployed gadgets which might be crucial for IoT, utilities, safety techniques, tolling, good meters, and many others.; (3) loosen up or get rid of a few of the present FCC guidelines and protections (e.g. pre-deployment subject testing, interference thresholds) that guarantee Half 15 gadgets are shielded from extreme interference.
As a result of this proposal may trigger dangerous interference, the Alliance joined a broad coalition of business teams urging the FCC to request extra testing and information earlier than any rule adjustments. In March 2025, the FCC agreed and opened a broader Discover of Inquiry to discover all GPS backup applied sciences, not simply NextNav’s.
On August 20, NextNav began a media and foyer blitz of the FCC offering technical experiences to (1) NextNav’s proposal and its impacts on unlicensed Half 15 gadgets working within the decrease 900 MHz band; and (2) coexistence with licensed tolling operations and financial impression. You’ll be able to learn the information and hyperlinks to the experiences they submitted to the FCC right here: https://nextnav.com/renee-gregory-nextnav-urges-prompt-fcc-action/
The “Pericle” (Pericle Communications) report was filed by the Safety Business Affiliation (SIA) with the FCC on September 12, 2025. The report was commissioned by the SIA (with help from the Alarm Business Communications Committee, The Monitoring Affiliation (TMA), and the Digital Safety Affiliation (ESA)). It analyzes a proposal by NextNav to restructure the 902–928 MHz (Decrease 900 MHz) for a nationwide license for a terrestrial 5G positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) community.
The Pericle report’s simulations and modeling present that this proposal would trigger dangerous interference to many at present deployed “Half 15” gadgets and techniques, together with:
- Panic buttons, movement sensors, smoke/CO detectors
- Private medical alert / emergency name gadgets
- Wi-fi microphones, headsets, license-free two-way radios
- Wi-fi safety cameras, doorbell cameras
- Out of doors safety / public security gadgets (site visitors sensors, gunshot detection, and many others.)
In line with the Pericle report, as a result of NextNav’s proposed system would function at a lot larger energy than the low-power gadgets within the band, interference would severely restrict the efficient vary and reliability of present techniques. The report argues that many gadgets crucial to life security, safety, and infrastructure would turn into inoperable or considerably degraded if the proposal had been authorized.
On Monday October 5, the Bull Moose Challenge launched an unsubstantiated report, falsely claiming that opposition to NextNav is pushed by “teams linked to Chinese language companies.” Inbound information requests began. Z-Wave offered a remark to the Washington Examiner explaining that its Chinese language members didn’t push to take a stance on the FCC terrestrial GPS proposal. Our full response said:
