NextNav Lays Out New Vision for Complement and Backup to GPS with Additional Spectrum for Broadband Services

NextNav Files FCC Petition for Rulemaking, Following Court’s Approval of Previously Announced Acquisition of Spectrum Licenses

Innovative Spectrum Solution Supports NextGen PNT Technology with 5G Broadband

MCLEAN, Va., April 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NextNav (Nasdaq: NN) (“NextNav” or the “Company”) a leader in next generation positioning, navigation, timing (“PNT”) and 3D geolocation, today filed a rulemaking petition asking the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) to deliver an innovative spectrum solution in the Lower 900 MHz band (902-928 MHz band). The petition proposes rearranging the band to facilitate a terrestrial PNT network and broadband.

Filed today, the petition specifically asks the FCC to reconfigure the band plan and adopt new rules to:

• Enable a high-quality terrestrial complement and backup to the Global Positioning System (“GPS”) on which the nation relies for essential PNT services.
• Provide 15 megahertz of low-band spectrum for use by mobile broadband networks.

“We have the chance to do something exciting with our airwaves. This new vision for the Lower 900 MHz band unleashes spectrum for essential PNT solutions as well as broadband - all while protecting licensed incumbent operations,” stated NextNav CEO Mariam Sorond. “In a time when spectrum is scarce, we have a solution to prioritize national security and public safety and free up spectrum for 5G. It’s a win for Americans and the US economy.”

NextNav recently announced that it had signed an agreement to acquire spectrum licenses covering an additional 4 MHz in the lower 900 MHz band from Telesaurus Holdings GB LLC and Skybridge Spectrum Foundation. On March 28, 2024, the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Alameda issued an Order approving the Receiver’s request to sell all of its Lower 900 MHz spectrum holdings to NextNav, allowing the parties to move forward with obtaining FCC approval.

NextNav is already the main geographic licensee in the Lower 900 MHz Band and has used its existing licenses to develop industry leading PNT expertise and products. However, much of this band is underutilized due to a legacy band plan and rules that limit use of the spectrum for 5G.

As a part of this proposed new band plan, NextNav would enable a terrestrial PNT service to serve as a much-needed backup and complement to GPS. Today in the U.S. GPS is vulnerable to attack through jamming, spoofing, and other targeting events. By reconfiguring this band, the FCC can pave the way for NextNav’s NextGen technology to provide terrestrial PNT services as a complement or backup to GPS - without additional legislation or taxpayer dollars.