Representatives of Samsung Electronics America spoke with FCC staff about the company’s request for a 5G base station radio that works across citizens broadband radio service and C-band spectrum (see 2303100019). The Samsung representatives met with Wireless Bureau and Office of Engineering and Technology staff. “Samsung discussed how the waiver will enable Samsung to market the multiband device by permitting the device to exceed the Section 96.41(e)(2) emission limits within 3720-4000 MHz (to -25 dBm/MHz) when the device is being tested in CBRS-only mode for FCC certification purposes (a mode that will not be in commercially deployed radios),” said a filing posted Monday in docket 23-93: “Samsung noted that this CBRS-only mode will comply with the Commission’s emissions limits in the CBRS band. In commercially deployed radios using standalone 3.7 GHz or composite 3.7 GHz/CBRS operations, Samsung reiterated that the radio will comply with the emissions permitted by the composite device rule.” Comments in March supported grant of the waiver (see 2303280054).
CBRS
The Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) is designated unlicensed spectrum in the 3.5 GHz band created by the FCC as part of an effort to allow for shared federal and non-federal use of the band.
The NFL asked the FCC for a two-year waiver extension of rules for the citizens broadband radio service allowing the league to continue operating a coach-to-coach communications system in the event of a localized internet outage in stadiums during games (see 2207120055). The NFL sought a three-year extension in 2022 and got one year (see 2209070040). “The NFL submits this limited waiver request because the previous reasons underlying the need for a waiver still apply; the narrowness of the waiver request remains; despite diligent efforts by the NFL, reliable marketplace solutions are not available; and the request meets the Commission’s waiver standard,” said a filing posted Thursday in docket 21-111.
CTIA questioned the conclusions in a May NTIA report arguing that dynamic sharing and the citizens broadband radio service should be a model for future spectrum use (see 2305010063). Filings were due Wednesday but hadn't been posted by the NTIA. The Wireless ISP Association supported the findings in the report (see 2305310062).
The Wireless ISP Association told the NTIA its conclusions were on target in a May report that said dynamic sharing and the citizens broadband radio service are a model for the future of spectrum use (see 2305010063). Comments on the report were due Wednesday. WISPA’s members “have been at the forefront” of deployments and “are using CBRS to create and expand networks into rural areas and increase throughput as well as offering competition in the fixed broadband marketplace,” WISPA said. “The vast majority” of registered CBRS devices “are being used for fixed wireless access in rural areas,” the group said. WISPA members also said the CBRS equipment they use enabled fixed broadband speeds of 400/100 Mbps. WISPA fired back at CTIA and major wireless carriers, who have criticized CBRS as not living up to the hype (see 2211140062). Carriers allege “real-world studies show low utilization, low market demand, and a dearth of innovative use cases,” WISPA said: “Decoded, such criticisms really mean that the CBRS band was not handed over to the mobile wireless industry, and instead has been useful for a wide-variety of other use cases, including extensive fixed wireless broadband access in rural areas.”
Las Vegas has been able to deploy a private network in just three years, initially as a way to control costs, but it continues to find new ways to use the network, said Michael Sherwood, the city’s chief innovation and technology officer, at the Private Networks Global Forum Tuesday. Other speakers said momentum is starting to build for private networks.
The FCC Wireless Bureau and Office of Engineering and Technology approved Federated Wireless’s application to be an environmental sensing capability provider for the citizens broadband radio service band in two dynamic protection areas in Alaska. The FCC said Wednesday approval follows consultation with NTIA and DOD.
Competitive Carriers Association CEO Tim Donovan on Wednesday urged Congress to fully fund the FCC's Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program (see 2304210069). Carriers, consumers “and the millions of Americans that roam on these networks must not be negatively impacted by insufficient funding,” Donovan said at the start of the group’s spring show in Pittsburgh.
Recon Analytics’ Roger Entner, the author of an industry report last year questioning the citizens broadband radio services model for sharing (see 2211140062), said Tuesday the numbers in a new NTIA report (see 2305010063) don’t impress him. “The absolute numbers of devices are still small,” Entner emailed: “In 21 months they have added 150,000 devices. [Wireless carriers] added in just a quarter more than 10 times that.” The 121% increase in CBRS devices during that period reflects the overall small numbers involved, he said.
Dynamic sharing and the citizens broadband radio service are a model for the future, NTIA said Monday in a blog post and new report by the agency’s Colorado lab, the Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS). The support for CBRS comes as the administration moves forward on a national spectrum strategy. Last year, CTIA, which favors exclusive-use licenses where possible, questioned how well CBRS is working and the extent of deployment (see 2211140062). CTIA isn't backing down.
As NTIA tries to craft a national spectrum strategy, advocates are far apart on whether exclusive licenses for spectrum or reuse and sharing should be the primary focus, per comments submitted this week (docket 2023-0003). It continued to get pushes for repurposing bands including 3.1-3.45 GHz (see 2304170009).