CTIA Clarifies Stance on CBRS as Inferior to Exclusive-Use Licensing

CTIA clarified its stance on the citizens broadband radio service band, in a letter Monday to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson, noting the group supports CBRS in general, though it’s “premature to expand the experimental CBRS sharing mechanism.” A CTIA study last month argued the CBRS model isn’t a substitute for exclusive-use licensing (see 2211140062). “Some parties have called on the Administration and the FCC to focus future spectrum access on the experimental CBRS sharing framework used in the 3.5 GHz band,” the letter said: “To be clear, the wireless industry is not, as some CBRS proponents claim, arguing that all spectrum must be exclusive-use licensed spectrum. We support innovative uses of spectrum where it is appropriate and makes sense given technical and operational constraints.” CTIA said it “filled a void to act as the certifying body for CBRS devices to help with initial commercialization, and was prepared to act as a sharing database administrator because of an initial lack of interest and options,” the group said. “At the same time, we believe future spectrum policy in the United States should not default to complex spectrum sharing regimes, and the weight of the evidence continues to show that smart domestic spectrum policy should be built upon robust access to exclusive-use, licensed spectrum particularly given the significant deficit today.”