WASHINGTON, D.C., (June 4, 2024) – The Coalition for Emergency Response and Critical Infrastructure (CERCI), along with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the 4.9 GHz Coalition, have submitted a joint ex parte letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reiterating a shared commitment to local control of the 4.9 GHz spectrum band and opposition to commercialization of the band.

The filing underscores the united stance of public safety, transportation, and critical infrastructure entities against the FCC’s potential licensing or leasing of the 4.9 GHz band to the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) and its commercial partner, AT&T. The letter highlights the detrimental impact such a decision would have on public safety operations and the broader communications landscape.

CERCI, AASHTO, and the 4.9 GHz Coalition strongly oppose the wholesale licensing or leasing of the 4.9 GHz band to FirstNet and AT&T. They assert that integrating this band into AT&T’s commercial network would undermine the FCC’s commitment to locally controlled public safety primacy. Together, they also warned that such an arrangement could lead to legal challenges, further delaying the effective use of the 4.9 GHz spectrum for public safety purposes. As the filing states, “The highly dubious legality of such an arrangement could result in litigation that would leave this band in its current frozen state for the foreseeable future.”

The joint coalition filing is a response to the FCC’s prolonged freeze on new licenses in the 4.9 GHz band, which has hindered the deployment of advanced public safety and critical infrastructure communications. The coalition of coalitions urges the FCC to promptly designate a national Band Manager and adopt rules that align with the principles of local control and public safety-centric use.

To learn more about CERCI and read the full filing, please visit responsecoalition.com.

CONTACT: Jo Maney (jmaney@bgrpr.com)

ABOUT THE COALITION FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE

The Coalition for Emergency Response and Critical Infrastructure (CERCI) is committed to maintaining local control of vital 4.9 GHz public-safety spectrum and working with the FCC to promote innovative usage of the band including non-interfering critical infrastructure uses. The founding members of the CERCI are Competitive Carriers Association, Edison Electric Institute (EEI), Major Cities Chiefs Association, National Sheriffs Association, T-Mobile, Verizon, and UScellular. Additional members include the California State Sheriffs’ Association, the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, and the Industry Council for Emergency Response Technologies.