PNT Resilience, Not Rhetoric: A National Security Vulnerability We Can Fix Together

The Federal Communications Commission recently took an important step toward strengthening our nation’s positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) capabilities. They did so by issuing a Notice of Inquiry that clearly outlines the need to protect against the current threats to and vulnerabilities of GPS. Under Chairman Brendan Carr’s leadership, the FCC is working to help solve this national security problem.

 As someone who has spent the majority of my career advancing complicated spectrum-related initiatives, I am encouraged by the FCC’s commitment to supporting a system-of-systems approach to resilient PNT. This is a challenging but solvable problem, and the FCC is positioned to enable practical technical solutions utilizing its authority to regulate spectrum. Late last month, we filed detailed comments responding to the FCC’s questions and sharing more about our approach.

We rely on GPS every day, often in ways we don’t even realize. GPS helps to power our public safety networks, secure our energy grid, synchronize financial transactions, and not to mention give us directions on our phones.  

Yet, at any moment, a range of natural or man-made events could disrupt the GPS satellite network. Intentional attacks on Global Navigation Satellite Systems have real impacts, as demonstrated in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. While we haven’t experienced such attacks in the United States, a single-point-of-failure PNT system is a tremendous risk to our country’s national and economic security.

At NextNav, we’re on a mission to enable a terrestrial PNT solution to help solve this problem.  

We’re proud of the approach we’ve proposed. Our next-generation, 5G-based solution will utilize Lower 900 MegaHertz (MHz) spectrum and existing 5G infrastructure to provide strong, secure, and reliable terrestrial PNT information, without requiring taxpayer dollars. This widescale solution would reach into places where GPS sometimes can’t, like indoors and in urban canyons, and provide a backup if GPS fails. It would also be accessible in devices that consumers use daily like their phones.

Despite the clear imperative for resilient PNT, some have opposed our proposal. They’ve offered criticisms that are not always fact-based, and it’s important to set the record straight.

Some have claimed NextNav’s proposal is a vulnerable and proprietary system rather than being part of a robust multilayer approach. That misrepresents both the architecture and the intent of our proposal. We’ve consistently advocated for a system of systems that incorporates multiple technologies, both space-based and ground-based. And we plan to partner with one or more mobile network operators to integrate our solution into existing 5G networks. 

We are one part of the solution, not the only solution. But our part in that system of system matters. At least one terrestrial solution should be future-proof and rely on market forces to deliver a widescale PNT solution that is broadly available to critical infrastructure, public safety, and consumers, and has a clear path to incorporation in consumer devices.

Some critics also don’t acknowledge that NextNav already holds extensive spectrum licenses in the Lower 900 MHz band, with longstanding FCC authorization to use that spectrum to provide location services. NextNav acquired these licenses through FCC auctions and the secondary market. However, outdated legacy rules governing these licenses limit the band’s potential. NextNav’s proposal would modernize those rules to enable 5G-based PNT.

The critics suggesting that our 5G-based solution would make the band unusable for unlicensed devices ignore the technical realities. Unlicensed devices are, by design, meant to share spectrum and adapt to crowded environments. They are already successfully doing this today, as they share the Lower 900 MHz band not only with NextNav, but also with railroad and tolling licensed operators and each other in what they characterize as a “heavily used” band. Our comprehensive technical study found that new 5G operations will not cause unacceptable levels of interference to unlicensed devices.

Finally, some interests have raised concerns about potential impacts on tolling operations or railroads, which both rely on licensed Lower 900 MHz band spectrum. They have a good point that their rights in this band are equal to NextNav’s, and that they should continue to operate in this band, which is why we’ve publicly committed on multiple occasions to work with them to develop coexistence solutions, including by providing financial and technical support for retuning or upgrading equipment that may be required to contribute to a smooth transition to a new band plan. We’re eager to look for win-win solutions in partnership with those licensees.

There’s a clear choice between choosing to be part of the problem, or part of the solution. From the outset, NextNav has been committed to being part of the solution. We hope others will follow our lead. We should all work together to solve this critical national security problem.

Renee Gregory is the vice president of regulatory affairs at NextNav. This Expert Opinion is exclusive to Broadband Breakfast.

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