November 22, 2019

Chair DeFazio Rails Against FCC Plans to Sell Off Spectrum to Commercial Interests at Expense of Transportation Safety

Washington, D.C. — Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) sent a letter to the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Ajit Pai to express serious concern over the FCC’s plans to sell off part of the 3.7-4.2 GHZ spectrum band and open the 5.9 GHz spectrum band to commercial and private interests. These decisions were made despite the objections of the aviation community, safety advocates, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and state transportation agencies in all 50 states.

This week, Chairman Pai announced plans for a public auction of a portion of the 3.7-4.2 GHz spectrum band for 5G, jeopardizing critical aviation safety equipment on board U.S. aircraft; and an FCC vote to be held next month to open more than half of the reserved 5.9 GHz band available to unlicensed WiFi, putting corporate broadband interests ahead of future opportunities for vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication.

“Spectrum reallocations must not risk the lives of traveling Americans and decades of investment in aviation equipment and vehicle safety technology,” Chairman DeFazio wrote in his letter to Chairman Pai.

To read the full letter, click here.

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