Establishment of the 4.9 GHz Band Manager Selection Federal Advisory Committee

Issuing agencies

Abstract

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) is publishing this notice to announce the intent to establish of 4.9 GHz Band Manager Selection Federal Advisory Committee (FAC). The Commission has determined that establishing the Committee is necessary and in the public interest.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 202 (Wednesday, October 21, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 202 (Wednesday, October 21, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66558-66559]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-21484]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[DA 26-1041; FR ID 373285]


Establishment of the 4.9 GHz Band Manager Selection Federal 
Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice of intent to establish a Federal Advisory Committee.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) is 
publishing this notice to announce the intent to establish of 4.9 GHz 
Band Manager Selection Federal Advisory Committee (FAC). The Commission 
has determined that establishing the Committee is necessary and in the 
public interest.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian Marenco, Designated Federal 
Officer, Federal Communications Commission, Public Safety and Homeland 
Security Bureau, (202) 418-0838, or email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c082b2a9a1aeee8da1b2a5aea3af80a6a3a3eea7afb6"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="10526279717e3e5d7162757e737f507673733e777f66">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>; or 
Logan Bennett, Deputy Designated Federal Officer, Federal 
Communications Commission, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, 
(202) 418-7790 or email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d69ab9b1b7b8f894b3b8b8b3a2a296b0b5b5f8b1b9a0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a4e8cbc3c5ca8ae6c1cacac1d0d0e4c2c7c78ac3cbd2">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with section 9(a)(2) of the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C. 1008, and 41 CFR 102-
3.60(a), 102-3.65, and 102-3.35, the Commission is announcing the 
intent to establish the 4.9 GHz Band Manager Selection Committee (4.9 
GHz Committee) and providing herein the Commission-approved public 
interest determination. The 4.9 GHz Committee's objectives and scope of 
activities are to provide the Commission with advice and 
recommendations on the selection of a 4.9 GHz Band Manager to 
coordinate operations in the 4.9 GHz band (4940-4990 MHz) through 
optimizing public safety use, facilitating the integration of the 
latest commercially available technologies and benefitting public 
safety users. The 4.9 GHz Committee will receive and review proposals 
from persons or entities seeking to serve as Band Manager and to hold 
the Band Manager overlay license. The 4.9 GHz Committee will operate 
for no more than one year from the date of establishment unless the 
Commission directs that it terminate on an earlier date. A copy of the 
charter will be posted on the Agency's website at <a href="http://www.fcc.gov">www.fcc.gov</a>.

Public Interest Determination

    Pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.60(a), to establish, renew, reestablish, 
or merge a discretionary (agency discretion) advisory committee, an 
agency must first consult with the General Services Administration's 
Committee Management Secretariat (the Secretariat) and, as part of the 
consultation, provide a written public interest determination approved 
by the head of the agency to the Secretariat with a copy to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB). In addition, pursuant to 41 CFR 102-
3.35, an agency shall follow the same consultation process and document 
in writing the same determination of need before creating a 
subcommittee under a discretionary committee that is not made up 
entirely of members of a parent advisory committee. The Commission 
provides the following information to demonstrate that establishing the 
4.9 GHz Committee is in the public interest:
    1. Annual budget: The estimated annual operating cost for 
supporting the 4.9 GHz Band Manager Selection Committee is $406,822.44.
    a. Federal personnel on a full-time equivalent (FTE) basis: 
$350,709 (annual salary of two full-time employees).
    b. Other Federal internal costs: Additional 16% ($56,113.44).
    c. Proposed payments to members: Members will not be compensated.
    d. Proposed number of members: A minimum of seven members.
    e. Reimbursable costs: $0.
    2. If applicable, the total dollar value of grants expected to be 
recommended during the fiscal year: N/A.
    3. Criteria for selecting members to ensure the 4.9 GHz Committee 
has the necessary expertise and fairly balanced membership: The FCC 
envisioned in the Seventh R&O in WP Docket No. 07-100 (38 FCC Rcd at 
712, para. 21) that the Band Manager would be recommended by a 
selection committee ``that represents and ensures the involvement of 
the relevant stakeholders, in particular the public safety community.'' 
The Commission in the Eighth R&O in WP Docket No. 07-100 (39 FCC Rcd at 
12066, para. 52) also delegated ``broad authority'' to the Public 
Safety and Homeland Security and Wireless Telecommunications Bureaus 
``to establish the procedures by which a selection committee will be 
chosen, identify representatives to sit on the selection committee, 
determine the requisite number of selection committee members, identify 
the applicable selection criteria, and establish the appropriate 
procedures and appropriate oversight for the selection process as part 
of choosing the Band Manager.''
    4. List of all other Federal advisory committees of the Agency:
    In addition to the proposed 4.9 GHz Band Manager Selection 
Committee, the FCC has four FACA Committees:

a. Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council
b. Consumer Protection and Accessibility Advisory Committee
c. Technological Advisory Council
d. World Radiocommunication Conference Advisory Committee

    5. Justification that the information or advice provided by the 
committee or subcommittee is not available from another Federal 
advisory committee, another Federal Government source, or any other 
more cost-effective and less burdensome source: The FCC regulates 
interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, 
satellite, and cable in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and 
U.S. territories. The Commission is a U.S. government agency overseen 
by Congress and is the federal agency responsible for implementing and 
enforcing America's communications law and regulations. Specifically, 
in its

[[Page 66559]]

work facing economic opportunities and challenges associated with 
rapidly evolving advances in global communications, the agency 
capitalizes on its competencies in: promoting competition, innovation 
and investment in broadband services and facilities, supporting the 
nation's economy by ensuring an appropriate competitive framework for 
the unfolding of the communications revolution, encouraging the highest 
and best use of spectrum domestically and internationally, revising 
media regulations so that new technologies flourish alongside diversity 
and localism, and providing leadership in strengthening the defense of 
the nation's communications infrastructure. The Band Manager selection 
requires a committee whose sole focus is for carrying out the selection 
process. The 4.9 GHz Committee will receive and review proposals, 
select proposals, and make recommendations in line with particular 
functions appropriate for a Band Manager. The 4.9 GHz Committee is the 
most cost-effective way to complete this task, particularly since the 
Commission does not compensate members and does not provide for 
members' travel expenses and accommodation for meetings. Additionally, 
the FAC will use minimal employees and only account for a small portion 
of those employees' overall responsibilities.
    6. If this is a renewal or reestablishment, summarize the 
committee's previous accomplishments and the reasons it needs to 
continue: N/A. This is to establish a new FAC.
    7. Explanation of why the committee/subcommittee is essential to 
the conduct of Agency business: The 4.9 GHz Committee shall support the 
mission of the Commission to make available for all people of the U.S. 
a rapid, efficient, nationwide, and worldwide wire and radio 
communication service at reasonable charges through the advisement on 
the selection of a Band Manager for the 4.9 GHz band by ensuring the 
person[s] or entity it believes is best suited to perform the Band 
Manager role is recommended to the Commission through particular 
criteria and oversight. The 4.9 GHz Committee's responsibility to 
receive and review proposals for persons or entities to serve as the 
Band Manager is essential since, once selected, the Band Manger will be 
eligible to apply for a nationwide overlay license and authorized to 
enter into a sharing agreement with the First Responder Network 
Authority (FirstNet). This 4.9 GHz Committee will focus on the 
following functions: facilitating frequency coordination and 
interference protection for 4.9 GHz band incumbent public safety 
operations, including working with incumbent licensees to optimize 
their spectrum use; developing a spectrum plan for, among other things, 
incentivizing the use of the latest commercially available 
technologies, including 5G; entering into and managing a sharing 
agreement with FirstNet, or similar network, pursuant to Sec. Sec.  
90.1207(h) and 2.103(b) of the Commission's rules; mediating disputes 
between 4.9 GHz licensees or between licensees and FirstNet, developing 
and maintaining a plan to maintain the financial viability of the Band 
Manager; and filing an annual report with the Commission.
    In conclusion, this public interest determination documents that 
establishing the 4.9 GHz Committee is in the public interest, essential 
to the conduct of FCC business, and that the information to be obtained 
is not already available through another advisory committee or source 
within the Federal Government.

Federal Communications Commission.
David Furth,
Deputy Bureau Chief, Policy Division, Public Safety and Homeland 
Security Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2026-21484 Filed 10-20-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P


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