NextNav’s CEO explains her 5G network buildout plan

NextNav, a developer of 3D geolocation technology, isn’t planning to build its own 5G network using its nationwide 900MHz spectrum holdings. Instead, the company is hoping to find a partner to do the heavy lifting, according to NextNav’s new CEO, Mariam Sorond.

“We’re not going to build the network. The partner would do that,” Sorond told Light Reading.

But she made it clear that NextNav isn’t planning to simply sell its 900MHz spectrum holdings to a network operator if it receives approval from the FCC to allow 5G into that spectrum.

“We’re not selling spectrum,” Sorond said. “There’s no asset to purchase. We’re not in the game of flipping spectrum.”

So, how will NextNav’s 900MHz be put into use?

“We haven’t figured that out yet,” Sorond said. She explained that NextNav is open to a variety of business models that would allow a mobile network operator or another customer to make use of NextNav’s spectrum in a 5G operation.

“It’s a solid plan,” Sorond said.

A new proposal

Last month NextNav asked the FCC to reconfigure spectrum between 902MHz and 928MHz – dubbed by NextNav as the “Lower 900 MHz Band” – to support positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services, as well as 5G.

“Under this proposal, network partners would integrate NextNav’s Lower 900 MHz Band spectrum into their 5G networks, and NextNav would implement, operate, and manage additional PNT-optimized infrastructure over the 5G network,” the company wrote.

The FCC is now evaluating that proposal. A likely next step would be for the agency to solicit commentary on the plan before making a decision. The process could take months or years.

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