If your company installs or manufacturers wireless, security systems or uses Z-Wave…

We have important information for you.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is reviewing a proposal submitted by NextNav, a developer of next-generation positioning, navigation and timing (PNT), that could significantly disrupt the alarm industry by permitting high-power 5G operations in the Lower 900 MHz band, directly threatening the low-power spectrum currently used by alarm, life-safety, and Z-Wave devices.

This band supports tens of millions of critical systems in homes and businesses: burglary and fire alarm sensors, cameras, wireless keypads, smoke and CO detectors, panic buttons, electronic access control (EAC) devices, PERS units, and Z-Wave peripherals. These devices depend on interference-free communication to operate safely. If protections are removed, high-power 5G traffic could overwhelm them, leading to failures and risking the safety of millions of systems.

This isn’t a crisis today, but it could become one quickly if we don’t act now.

Industry analysis, including a detailed engineering study commissioned by the Security Industry Association (SIA), shows the risks clearly:

  • Alarm, life-safety, and Z-Wave devices may no longer operate properly under the proposed rules.
  • 900 MHz operations could be shut down if accused of interfering with 5G.
  • Replacing potentially hundreds of millions of devices could cost billions, overwhelm technicians, and disrupt supply chains.

Your Support Can Stop a Nationwide Alarm Crisis

Call-to-Action: How You Can Help

  1. Donate: Your contribution funds legal counsel, technical analysis, filings, and lobbying to challenge the FCC proposal. Every dollar makes a direct impact in the fight to protect alarm, life-safety, and Z-Wave systems.
  2. Submit Comments to the FCC: Tell them how this proposal affects your operations and customers.
  3. Mobilize: Amplify our collective voice by sharing this alert with colleagues, partners, and industry associations.
DONATE

Your donations will directly support our advocacy efforts to raise government and public awareness of the threat to the alarm industry such as ongoing costs associated with legal and lobbyist representation, technical analysis, and more!

Please contribute whatever you can to our efforts.

2026 Fundraising Goal and Progress

A fundraising goal of $150,000 has been set for 2026 advocacy expenses, which is allocated for:

EXPENSE BUDGET
2026 Coalition* Membership $50,000
Legal Fees $50,000
Lobbyist Fees $25,000
PR Campaign $25,000
TOTAL $150,000

As of December 5, 2025, $50,000, or 37% of our 2026 goal has been achieved.

*AICC is participating in the Connected Devices for America Coalition, which is a collection of representatives from several affected industries, urging the FCC, Congress, and the Administration to avoid disrupting the lower900 MHz spectrum band that is used by not only the alarm industry but also public safety, airports, toll systems, and a host of other vital parts of the US economy.

2026 Campaign Fundraising Goal - $150,000
Member & Industry Donations ($50,000)

In Gratitude to Our Donors

We extend our sincere appreciation to the TMA and Alarm Industry Communications Committee (AICC) member companies listed below whose generous contributions have strengthened our efforts to safeguard our members and our industry from the potentially harmful NextNav proposal that threatens both individual businesses and the sector as a whole.

Their support has enabled us to advance critical advocacy initiatives—funding legal and lobbyist representation, technical analysis, public- and government-awareness campaigns, and other essential work. Because of their commitment, we are better equipped to protect our industry’s future and speak with a unified, influential voice. Thank you for standing with us.

  • ADT
  • Alarm.com
  • Alarm Detection Systems, Inc.
  • Bay Alarm
  • Emergency24, Inc.
  • Johnson Controls Security
  • NAPCO Security Systems, Inc.
  • NRG Energy, Inc.
  • Security Central
  • Vector Security, Inc.

Our fight is not over. Please join these companies in supporting our critical advocacy efforts.

DONATE

Additional Information of Interest

The table below contains summaries and links to a sampling of relevant comments filed by AICC; by the Connected Devices for America Coalition (of which AICC is a member) and its predecessor U.S. Chamber of Commerce coalition; SIA; and others pointing out the flaws and potential harmful consequences if the NextNav proposal were to be approved by the FCC.

Additionally, linked below is a research report, filed by SIA with the FCC, that details the risks associated with the the NextNav proposal for your reference and review.

  1. AICC September 5, 2024 Comments on NextNav petition in WT Dkt. 24-240 : AICC NextNav Petition Comments 9-5-24 FINAL.pdf
  2. Z-Wave Alliance September 5, 2024 Comments on NextNav petition in WT Dkt. 24-240 : Z-Wave Alliance Comments on NextNav Petition (9.5.24).pdf
  3. S. Chamber of Commerce coalition September 20, 2024 reply comments in WT Dkt. 24-240: 200924_NextNavPetition_FCC_ReplyComments.pdf
  4. S. Chamber of Commerce coalition October 18, 2024 ex parte letter in WT Dkt. 24-240: 241018_Coalition Comment_NextNav Petition Ex Parte_FCC.pdf
  5. S. Chamber of Commerce coalition October 30, 2024 ex parte letter in WT Dkt. 24-240: 241030_ExParte_NextNavCarrRosenworcel_FCC.pdf
  6. S. Chamber of Commerce coalition March 10, 2025 ex parte letter re NextNav’s Brattle Report: 250310_USCC Coalition Letter_NextNav Brattle Report_FCC.pdf
  7. AICC April 28, 2025 Comments on FCC’s PNT Inquiry in WT Dkt. 25-110: AICC Comments on PNT NOI – April 28 FINAL.pdf
  8. Coalition May 13, 2025 Reply Comments on FCC’s PNT Inquiry in WT Dkt. 25-110: CDAC – GPS Complements NOI – Reply Comments v05.13.25 – 4917-3281-4147.2.pdf
  9. SIA September 12, 2025 ex parte comment and Pericle technical study showing potential for interference from NextNav proposal (both dockets): Ex Parte – OET WTB.pdf
  10. SIA October 30, 2025 ex parte comment on NextNav Red Scare allegations: SIA Ex Parte – 10.30.25.pdf
  11. November 18, 2025 ex parte comment of APCO, IAFC, IAPC and NSA about impact of NextNav proposal on public safety operations (both dockets): Consolidated Public Safety Opposition to NextNav Petition 111325.pdf
  12. November 20, 2025 ex parte comment of Inovonics on impact of NextNav proposal on 900 MHz devices protecting Congress, state lawmakers, TSA agents, US embassies and schools (both dockets): Inovonics Ex Parte Letter to FCC 11-20-25.pdf
  1. Resilient Navigation and Timing Foundation study refutes “assertions by NextNav that its system is the only T-PNT ‘solution’ capable of providing comprehensive GPS backup”, and “[d]emonstrates that the national interest is best served by implementing T-PNT systems without modifying spectrum allocations.” WT Docket No. 24-240 NextNav RNT Foundation Submission 3 Sep 2024.pdf
  2. The Z-Wave Alliance submitted its April 9, 2025 analysis of the NextNav technical study, Z-Wave_NextNav Study Rebuttal_V1.1.pdf, and found several flaws and issues:
    1. If 5G utilization density meets or exceeds NextNav’s optimistic estimate, key portions of the 900 MHz band will become unusable for Z-Wave LR communications.
    2. NextNav’s technical study omits details regarding the proposed system’s spectral masks and out-of-band (OOB) emission levels, hindering accurate interference analysis.
    3. Retransmission of Z-Wave signals due to 5G interference would drastically reduce the battery lifespan of currently installed devices.
  • The RAIN Alliance submitted an April 18, 2025 analysis of the NextNav technical report, finding it “fundamentally flawed” because it addresses only two of eight potential interference scenarios; because inappropriate assumptions and choices are made for study parameters; and because it makes incorrect assumptions about RAIN RFID technology. NextNav_Technical_Study 2025027_RAIN_Alliance_comments_20250418.pdf
  • Zebra Technologies filed a March 21, 2025 analysis of NextNav’s technical report.  Zebra advised that it has conducted initial testing and found interference to RAIN-based advanced location technology is likely. Zebra Ex Parte March 21 2025.pdf
  • The LoRa Alliance filed a March 26, 2025 analysis pointing out several flawed assumptions in the NextNav technical analysis that will likely result in a severe underestimation of interference to 900 MHz incumbent operations. The Alliance notes that the study does not use the max power that would be allowed by NextNav’s proposed rule changes, and thus “the real-world impact could be over 10 dB higher than the study’s estimates.” 2025-03-26 – LoRa Alliance – Comments on the Nextnav Technical Analysis (final).pdf
  • The WiSun Alliance also filed an April 28, 2025 technical analysis, concluding that the NextNav study is flawed, and that many Part 15 devices will likely suffer interference (as well as battery depletion, a concern brought up at the last AICC meeting). Wi-SUN_Alliance_Response_to_NextNav_Coexistence_Study-April-2025.pdf
  • The WiFi Alliance submitted an April 28, 2025 technical analysis, which provides very specific info as to why 5G operations in the Lower 900 MHz Band will effectively block the functionality of Wi-Fi HaLow devices across large areas; and “since 5G base stations often transmit at high duty cycles—sometimes approaching 100%—they can effectively block Wi-Fi HaLow devices from accessing the channel for prolonged periods, rendering them inoperable.” Wi-Fi Alliance — Comments on PNT NOI.pdf
  • Signify provided an April 28, 2025 technical challenge to the NextNav proposal, noting that “Part 15 devices have various mechanisms to cope with interference, for example the use of Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum, MAC level retries, Clear Channel Assessments etc. However, crowding all Part 15 devices into the remaining 42% of [900 MHz] spectrum will significantly increase mutual interference, degrading performance possibly to the point of causing existing infrastructure deployments such as outdoor street lighting systems not to operate correctly.” Navigation _and_Time_final.pdf
  • The Plum Report assesssing NextNav’s technical study was jointly submitted on April 28, 2025 by the RAIN Alliance, LoRa Alliance, Z-Wave Alliance, WiFi Alliance and WiSun Alliance. Plum Report Ex Parte (combined).pdf The Report identifies a number of issues relating to the NextNav technical analysis
    1. The assumed geographic density of 5G base stations which appears significantly too low.
    2. The loading factor of 5G base stations is assumed to be 20%, but the relevant ITU-R Recommendation gives a 50% value.
    3. 5G uplink activity calculations fail to account for signalling overheads.
    4. The impact on outdoor Part 15 devices is likely to be severe, but this scenario is not considered independently (only a 70%/30% indoor/outdoor split is simulated).
    5. The assumptions regarding building entry loss are simplistic in comparison to the current ITU-R model and will underestimate the degree of interference to indoor Part 15 devices.
    6. The impact of adjacent channel interference from 5G transmitters is not considered but is may be significant across the entire band.
    7. It is assumed that 5G interference can be modelled as additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN), but laboratory testing should be carried out to confirm this.
    8. The failure to consider interference from ubiquitous Part 15 devices into 5G receivers means that only one half of the coexistence environment has been studied.

A research report, filed by the Security Industry Association (SIA) with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), details the risks of associated with the NextNav proposal. These include:

  • Harmful interference and channel crowding
  • Alarm devices may be forced off of the spectrum
  • Replacement of hundreds of millions of alarm devices embedded in protected premises

The research conducted by engineering consulting firm Pericle Communications Company, commissioned by SIA and with additional support from the Alarm Industry Communications Committee, the Electronic Security Association (ESA) and The Monitoring Association (TMA), shows that the proposal would severely limit the range and compromise the effectiveness of devices operating in this spectrum, including:

  • Panic buttons, motion sensors, carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms
  • Personal medical alert devices and emergency call buttons
  • Wireless microphones, headsets and license-free two-way radios
  • Wireless security cameras and doorbell cameras
  • Outdoor public safety and security devices, including traffic control and tolling devices, vehicle status and alerting devices and gunshot detection devices

Lower 900 MHz band is heavily used by “Part 15” security and life safety systems, smart home technology, consumer and business electronics and more devices that would face harmful interference from NextNav’s high-power usage in the band.

In addition to these public safety and security uses, other critical systems that could be disrupted include equipment that first responders use during emergencies, municipal infrastructure, railroad operations and safety, highway infrastructure, retail and supply chain operations and agriculture solutions.

As other concerned parties have noted, there are a variety of GPS alternatives that do not require severely disrupting existing spectrum users. While a backup GPS system is needed, these other solutions would cause much less disruption, and implementing NextNav’s proposal would present tradeoffs that are not worth the harmful impact on our nation’s safety and security and major inconveniences the proposal would cause.

The full research report can be found here. More information and resources related to the Lower 900 MHz band can be found here.

For More Information

Please contact TMA Director of Marketing and Communications Leigh A. McGuire with any questions that you may have at communications@tma.us.