The 4.9 GHz band is a band of spectrum licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to state and local government entities and nongovernmental organizations that support communications essential to protecting the safety of life, health, and property. The 4.9 GHz band is used by multiple public-safety entities across the country, in a wide range of communities, including major metropolitan areas and more rural locations. In New York, there are a total of 221 active licenses in the band, including 6 statewide area licenses, 43 countywide area licenses, and 174 other licenses. Uses include:

Metropolitan Transportation Authority: MTA is North America’s largest transportation network, serving a population of 15.3 million people across a 5,000-square-mile travel area surrounding New York City, Long Island, southeastern New York State, and Connecticut. MTA has used the 4.9 GHz band throughout the NYCT subway system to deploy an emergency call box system allowing passengers to call for assistance in an emergency and has utilized the 4.9 GHz band above ground on camera-equipped NYCT buses.

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey: The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey manages and maintains air, land, rail, and sea transportation around the New York City and New Jersey area. Importantly, the Port Authority uses the 4.9 GHz band for video transport both within and in the vicinity of the three major airports that serve the New York Metropolitan Area. (2018 NYC comments, p. 2).

New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services: DHSES uses the 4.9 GHz band for voice and data backhaul. DHSES also uses the 4.9 GHz band for deployable links “to support public safety activities at events including the New York State Fair and the Baseball Hall of Fame Induction at Cooperstown.” (2020 comments, pp. 1-2).

New York City Police Department: NYPD uses 4.9 GHz to support street camera video backhaul, including specialized video link applications supporting bomb squad robots and counterterrorism applications. (2018 NYC comments, p. 2).

New York City Fire Department: FDNY uses the 4.9 GHz band to support wireless video and data communications at the scene of major fires. This includes “wireless Command Boards which track all resources, both human and material, at the scene of an incident enabling Incident Commanders to more readily and efficiently conduct fire operations.” (2018 NYC comments, p. 2).

New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner: OCME uses 4.9 GHz to support itinerant operations at the scene of major casualty incidents.

New York City Department of Information, Technology and Telecommunications: DOITT uses 4.9 GHz fixed point-to-point links to connect radio sites throughout the New York City.

A January 2023 Federal Communications Commission (FCC) order ensured that state and local public-safety agencies remain the primary license holders of the 4.9 band. However, a group known as the Public Safety Spectrum Alliance (PSSA) is asking the FCC to migrate the 4.9 band to FirstNet, which is operated by a single network provider, AT&T. Moving the 4.9 band to FirstNet as the PSSA suggests would effectively end local control of the band and undermine local uses like those in New York. MTA has emphasized to the FCC the importance of maintaining local control of the band. In recent filings, MTA stated that “[i]ncorporation of the 4.9 GHz band into the [nationwide public safety broadband network] would not accommodate the operation of truly localized operations intended to promote public safety…” (2023 reply comments, p. 7).

The New York public-safety entities’ uses of the 4.9 GHz band to enhance public-safety services are prime examples of why local agencies should retain primary use of the spectrum and are best positioned to determine what works for their community’s public-safety communications needs.