FCC Stirs up C-V2X, NG 911, SCS

The Federal Communications Commission's Chairman Jessica Rosenworcel is carving a path toward enhanced safety in the automotive industry with rulings, two of which arrived at the end of this week. One move this week, impacting C-V2X inter-vehicle and vehicle to infrastructure technology, calls for a vote on the final parameters for implementing the agency's C-V2X spectrum allocation. The other announcement - which arrived Thursday - is intended to prod 911 implementers to replace legacy 911 technology with Internet protocol (IP) based infrastructure supporting video, text, and data transmissions.

As far as C-V2X technology is concerned, the FCC says the report and order circulated by Rosenworcel will, if adopted, enable auto makers and suppliers of intelligent connected infrastructure to use three 10-megahertz channels separately, in combination as a 20-megahertz channel, or as a single 30-megahertz channel. The rules would also establish prioritization of safety-of-life communications. The rules won’t require licensees already operating under C-V2X waivers to make changes to their currently deployed systems and will provide a two-year timeline for sunsetting the use of existing DSRC-based technology.

Car makers and ITS suppliers have been operating and continue to operate under experimental licenses and waivers. Car makers have been waiting for a final rule making so they may proceed with their deployment plans in confidence.

As for the Next Generation 911 push by the FCC, the agency's nudge is significantly lacking in oomph. A report published by the Congressional Research Service in April noted:

"State and local governments exercise authority over 911 system funding and operations, leading to varying levels of progress across the United States toward NG911 upgrades. Some states have fully transitioned 911 networks to IP-based systems, others are in the midst of doing so, and a few have not yet begun the transition. Although most of the funding for upgrades comes from state and local sources (i.e., surcharge fees and general funds), the federal government has occasionally provided grant funding to support local 911 upgrades.

"In 2004, the Ensuring Needed Help Arrives Near Callers Employing 911 Act of 2004 (ENHANCE 911 Act; P.L. 108-494) provided $43.5M to states to improve 911 services. In 2012, in the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (P.L. 112-96, Title VI), Congress authorized the use of $115M in future spectrum auctions for a grant program to improve 911 services. It is uncertain how much a full, nationwide transition from legacy 911 infrastructure to NG911 will ultimately cost.

"A 2018 report to Congress by two federal agencies estimated costs of between $9.5B and $12.7B over 10 years to expand NG911 capabilities to all 911 call centers in the United States, which is currently estimated to be $12.8B to $16.9B when adjusted for inflation. A full nationwide transition may require financial resources beyond amounts collected by states through surcharge fees and general funds."

In other words, while a "request" from the FCC for a nationwide shift toward IP-based infrastructure for 911 services is "nice," it is virtually meaningless without a funding strategy. By now it should be pretty clear that surcharge fees are not going to get the job done - which means the U.S. will continue to lag the E.U. which has set firm deadlines for implementing IP-based eCall services - along with minimum levels of performance required across the 27-country bloc and its thousands of public service access points.

A similar funding gap stands between the life-saving possibilities of C-V2X technology and its broad deployment in roadside infrastructure nationwide. Approximately $60M has been awarded for deployments in Utah, Wyoming, and Maricopa County in Arizona - a $20M increase from the original $40M allocated. Needless to say, a nationwide deployment of C-V2X infrastructure will require billions of dollars.

So, it appears that in spite of its best intentions, the FCC remains a dollar short and a day late in the execution of its spectrum-centric plans to save lives and reduce highway fatalities. Talk is cheap and 100 Americans are dying every day on our nation's highways.

Another technology coming down the pike - supplemental coverage from space (SCS) - got its own boost earlier this year from the FCC - but, again, no funding. The FCC adopted "final rules to establish a new regulatory framework to revolutionize connectivity."

In essence, the FCC tried to jump in from of the non-terrestrial network parade emanating from the evolution of 5G protocols within the 3GPP and GSMA. The Commission's Report and Order calls for satellite operators collaborating with terrestrial service providers to seek FCC authorization to operate space stations on certain licensed, flexible-use spectrum provided they satisfy certain licensing prerequisites - including having a spectrum lease from a terrestrial licensee within a specified geographic area.

"Once authorized, a satellite operator can then serve a wireless provider's customers should they need connectivity outside of coverage areas," wrote the FCC. "The rules also establish, on an interim basis, a requirement that terrestrial providers must route all SCS 911 calls to a Public Safety Answering Point using either location-based routing or an emergency call center."

The commission is seeking comments. The best thing that can be said for the SCS announcement is that it prioritizes emergency 911 calls. This is notable given that emergencies whether impacting hikers, pedestrians, cyclists, or motorists frequently occur outside cellular coverage.

While the announcements, decisions, suggestions from the FCC sound somewhat hollow, they nevertheless reflect a consistent focus on safety and emergency response. The automotive industry, in particular, has fallen silent in recent years on the question of emergency response surrendering all thought leadership and innovation to third parties while thousands continue to be killed and maimed by motor vehicles. The FCC's heart is in the right place. Maybe the automotive industry will take a hint.