FCC Forms Committee to Find a Manager for Public-Safety Radio
Published Date: 10/21/2026
Notice
Summary
The FCC is setting up a new advisory committee to pick the best manager for the 4.9 GHz band, which helps public safety communications run smoothly. This group will review applications and recommend who should coordinate this important radio space, making sure it stays up-to-date and useful. The committee will work for up to one year, helping keep our communities safer with better tech.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
New 4.9 GHz Selection Committee
The FCC is creating a 4.9 GHz Band Manager Selection Committee to review proposals and recommend who should coordinate operations in the 4.9 GHz band (4940–4990 MHz). The committee will advise the Commission on choosing a Band Manager to optimize public safety use and help integrate the latest commercially available technologies, and it will operate for no more than one year from establishment.
Committee Duties Affecting Licensees
The committee will work on frequency coordination and interference protection for incumbent public safety operations, help incumbent licensees optimize their spectrum use, develop a spectrum plan that may incentivize use of technologies including 5G, mediate disputes between licensees or with FirstNet, and recommend plans to maintain a Band Manager's financial viability.
Opportunity to Apply as Band Manager
People or organizations can submit proposals to serve as the 4.9 GHz Band Manager and to hold the Band Manager overlay license. The committee will receive and review those proposals and recommend a manager who would then be eligible to apply for a nationwide overlay license and to enter into a sharing agreement with the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet).
Estimated $406,822.44 Annual Cost
The FCC estimates the committee's annual operating cost at $406,822.44, which includes $350,709 for two full-time-equivalent federal staff and $56,113.44 in other federal internal costs. The notice also states members will not be compensated, the proposed minimum number of members is seven, and reimbursable costs are $0.
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Key Dates
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