Major dispute erupts over narrow slice of wireless spectrum

A high-stakes policy fight is unfolding in Washington over a small segment of the 900 MHz wireless spectrum, with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) now reviewing a proposal from NextNav to repurpose part of the band for a 5G-based backup navigation network. The move has ignited fierce opposition from trucking, retail, aviation, and security industries, which rely on the same spectrum for critical operations including RFID tracking, tolling systems, and precision positioning applications.

NextNav’s petition seeks to reconfigure a portion of the lower 900 MHz band to enable a terrestrial 5G positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) network designed to complement GPS. The proposal advanced to interagency review in March 2026 and has since drawn intense scrutiny from lawmakers and federal agencies. The American Trucking Associations (ATA) has emerged as a leading opponent, arguing that the spectrum supports essential supply chain technologies such as asset tracking, cargo theft prevention, toll bypass systems, and weigh station monitoring. “All modes of freight transportation have made significant investments in RFID-based solutions,” said ATA President Chris Spear during testimony before the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Freight, Pipelines, and Safety on June 9. “The lower 900 MHz band is used in trackers for supply chain security to thwart cargo theft, track equipment and inventory, bypass tolls and bypass weigh stations.”

Opponents warn that NextNav’s plan could disrupt existing systems that depend on long-range radio-frequency identification (RFID) and other low-frequency wireless links. The Security Industry Association and GPS Innovation Alliance have also raised concerns, noting that precision GPS applications in agriculture and construction rely on terrestrial radio links transmitted in the lower 900 MHz band. Lisa Dyer, executive director of the GPS Innovation Alliance, cautioned that high-power 5G signals proposed by NextNav could overwhelm these radio links and jeopardize economically vital precision PNT applications.

NextNav and its supporters counter that the current GPS system is vulnerable to outages and disruptions, leaving critical infrastructure exposed. The company argues that its 5G-powered 3D PNT solution would provide a taxpayer-funded backup without requiring new spectrum allocations. “GPS underpins modern infrastructure, and relying on one system leaves America vulnerable,” said Renee Gregory, vice president of regulatory affairs at NextNav. “We’re on a mission to help close that gap with a ground-based 5G-powered 3D PNT solution that can complement and back up GPS.”

Lawmakers have intensified their oversight, with both the Senate Commerce Subcommittee and the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee holding hearings in June to examine PNT capabilities and interference risks. While there is broad agreement on the need for a backup navigation system, critics argue that NextNav’s specific proposal could cause more harm than good. Opponents also point to a dozen alternative proposals that do not require reallocating the lower 900 MHz band.

The Department of Transportation is separately testing other PNT options that avoid the 900 MHz band, further complicating the regulatory landscape. As the FCC continues its review, the debate highlights a fundamental tension between innovation in wireless technology and the protection of existing industrial and logistical systems that depend on stable spectrum allocations.