Reshared from Location Business News
By: Kevin Dennehy
NextNav on Monday conducted a demonstration showing that its proposed 5G-powered positioning, navigation and timing network can coexist with RFID systems in the lower 900 MHz band without causing operational disruption.
Engineers tested a live 5G base station operating under typical low-band technical parameters on the roof of a building in San Jose, Calif. Using a standard RFID reader and multiple RFID tags placed in close proximity and direct line of sight, the team subjected the RFID system to high 5G signal levels far exceeding normal operating conditions. The RFID system continued to function normally throughout the test, the company said.
NextNav engineers tested a live 5G base station operating under typical low-band technical parameters (NextNav).
The demonstration was designed to address ongoing industry concerns that NextNav’s proposal to reorganize the 902-928 MHz band for terrestrial 3D PNT would interfere with RFID operations and impose significant costs, the company said.
NextNav has previously submitted detailed engineering studies to the FCC showing RFID technologies are resilient by design. The company also filed comments in the FCC’s proceeding in support of President Donald Trump’s national strategy of American drone dominance.
NextNav emphasized that its proposal would allow existing unlicensed Part 15 devices, including RFID, to continue operating across the entire band. The company argues that optimizing the lower 900 MHz spectrum would enable a terrestrial complement and backup to GPS while preserving current uses.