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Recent FCC Public Notices on the 5.9 GHz Safety Band

New! June 2022—This month, FCC issued Public Notices (PN) and docket filings about use of the 5.9 GHz Safety Band that may be of interest to transportation stakeholders:

(1) Request for Comments and Reply Comments. FCC and Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB) issued a Public Notice seeking comment on a joint filing by certain automakers, state departments of transportation, and equipment manufacturers requesting a waiver of the Commission's rules governing intelligent transportation system (ITS) operations to permit them to deploy Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) technology immediately in the upper 30 megahertz (5.895-5.925 GHz) portion of the 5.850-5.925 GHz Band (5.9 GHz Band). Comments are due July 28, 2022. Reply Comments are due August 29, 2022. https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2022-13793/request-for-comments-nationwide-waiver-of-intelligent-transportation-system-rules-to-use-c-v2x 

(2) Transitioning from the lower 45 MHz: FCC published a reminder about transitioning by July 5, 2022. The PN provides guidance on how intelligent transportation systems (ITS) licensees will notify the Bureau by July 20, 2022, about the ceasing of their operations in the lower 45 MHz and moving Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC) operations into the upper 30 MHz or ceasing operations. The PN also includes information on how to contact the FCC with questions. ITS licensees may also want to check to ensure that their current licenses for using channels in the lower 45 MHz are transitioned—by the FCC—to the upper 30 MHz. The link to the FCC PN on transitioning is here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-22-612A1.pdf 

(3) Long-Term Evolution (LTE) Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) Waiver Requests: The FCC has posted three LTE-C-V2X waiver requests and has asked the public for comments within 30 days of each waiver being published in the Federal Register. (The U.S. Department of Transportation will update the 5.9 GHz Safety Band site with Federal Register publication.) With each PN, the Bureau seeks comments on each request, including supplemental materials and notes provided by each filer, including specific technical information on each State's proposed C-V2X installations and operations. The waivers are from:

  • The Departments of Transportation (DOTs) of the State of Florida and State of  Georgia, and State of Maryland State Highway Administration, each requesting a waiver of the Commission’s rules to operate roadside units (RSUs) with cellular vehicle to everything (C-V2X)-based technology in the upper 30 MHz (5.895-5.925 GHz) portion of the 5.850-5.925 GHz (5.9 GHz) band under its Part 90 intelligent transportation system (ITS) license. https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-22-617A1.pdf
  • A set of automakers, State DOTs, and equipment manufacturers (collectively, the C-V2X Joint Waiver Parties) including Audi of America, Inc., Ford Motor Company, Jaguar Land Rover, the Utah Department of Transportation, the Virginia Department of Transportation, AAEON Technology Inc., Advantech Co., Ltd., Applied Information, Inc., Cohda Wireless Pty Ltd., Commsignia, Inc., Danlaw Inc., HARMAN International Industries, Inc., Kapsch TrafficCom USA Inc., and Panasonic Corporation of North America. https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-22-611A1.pdf 

LTE C-V2X Waiver Requests Recently Posted on the FCC docket 

  • On July 1, 2022, the FCC posted a filing from New York City DOT, Request for Waiver of 5.9 GHz Band Rules to ET Docket No. 19-138 Permit Deployments of Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything Technology (call sign WQBH353). NYC DOT specifically seeks a waiver of 47 C.F.R. § 2.106, NG160 to allow use of the upper 30 megahertz (5895-5925 MHz) band for C-V2X safety systems operating in the Intelligent Transportation System radio service and  requests this waiver as it is prepared to deploy C-V2X roadside units to replace the existing but now dormant DSRC based units licensed under the call sign WQBH353 throughout its jurisdiction to improve roadway safety for its constituents and visitors, but cannot do so in the absent of a waiver that permits such deployment. The Applicant seeks authority to operate C-V2X safety equipment at power and emission levels consistent with or below those in effect for DSRC. For more information on this filing, click on the link.
  • Drive Ohio has requested similar consideration.  https://files.fcc.gov/ecfs/download/80f3ffd6-467f-480b-93f9-2b750dfa7303?orig=true&pk=cb77b2ec-1a58-dbc6-139b-ad192cfd5d9b   

Information on providing comments to the FCC docket is included in each PN.  As a reminder, the FCC’s docket with current/historical postings is located at https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/search-filings/results?q=(%22Use%20of%20the%205.850-5.925%20GHz%20Band%22 ).  

To stay current on U.S. DOT C-V2X news, please visit The Safety Band site. Technical questions on V2X communications can be forwarded to 5.9GHzSpectrum@dot.gov.