NextNav’s request to reallocate portions of the lower 900 MHz Band poses a significant threat to all Part 15 devices and the integrity of our entire industry. The interference this would create could disrupt critical signals, rendering the networks, products, and services we depend on unreliable and inconsistent.
Industry expert Morgan Hertel, VP of Technology & Innovation at Rapid Response warned, “It’ll be a two-way street. If this proposal is approved, every existing product and future installation operating within the band would produce interference on the NextNav spectrum.”
The impact would be widespread affecting any product or service utilizing the 900 MHz band, including CO detectors, smoke alarms, security cameras, intrusion detectors, and automation devices, and countless other devices using the unlicensed portion of the band.
“The added interference would necessitate costly new products or technology to solve,” predicts Hertel. Unfortunately, that leaves alarm customers and Dealers to pick up the extra costs to ensure these vital life-safety devices can continue to transmit signals.
Leaders at the Security Industry Association (SIA), The Monitoring Association, and the Wi-Fi Alliance are leading a crucial charge to combat NextNav’s proposal. There’s still time to act. You can help protect the lower 900 MHz Band by engaging with your state and federal representatives. We need them to understand the severity of this issue and the widespread impact on the security industry.