MEMA Statement Responding to FCC Chairman Pai Proposal to Split the 5.9 GHz Spectrum

MEMA is disappointed in the proposal from Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai to split the 5.9 GHz band, giving the lower 45 MHz to unlicensed uses like WiFi and transitioning the upper 30 MHz away from Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC) service over to Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X).

This proposal negatively impacts public safety and the U.S. deployment of critical motor vehicle safety technologies. Splitting the 5.9 GHz band with unlicensed use will:

• Arrest the Development of Life-Saving Applications and Integration with Other Vehicle Safety Systems
• Increase Significant Risk of Interference and Decrease Efficacy of Existing Vehicle Safety Applications
• Choose One Technology Over Another, Thus Picking A “Winner” Without Any Validation
• Make International Harmonization Unworkable by Creating Disparities with Other Countries that Are Increasing, Not Decreasing, Spectrum Allocations

MEMA will continue to urge the Commission to reject this proposal and to retain the full 75 MHz of spectrum in the 5.9 GHz band that is allocated to vehicle safety without favoring one technology over another.