Despite these considerations, there is significant opposition from various public safety coalitions and telecom competitors such as T-Mobile and Verizon. These groups support the stance of the Border Sheriffs, advocating for the FCC to enable locally controlled public-safety systems that address specific local needs rather than mandating reliance on a national network like FirstNet.
As the debate intensifies, the FCC’s decisions in the coming months will be crucial in determining whether local control over the 4.9 GHz band will be preserved or if it will transition to a centrally managed model under FirstNet’s oversight.
