CBRS

The FCC granted 125 priority access licenses won in the citizens broadband radio service auction and approved 13 long-form applications. Among the licenses approved Friday were those won by AtLink Services, Cherokee Telephone, Nemont Communications and SkyPacket Networks. The auction ended in August.

FreedomFi and IoT network Helium announced an agreement Tuesday to use citizens broadband radio service spectrum. With Helium, users mount a radio device on their roof, connect it to the network using an app and help create a wireless network. Under the agreement, Helium will use FreedomFi gateways, which "augment the existing capacity of macro-cell tower operators,” said CEO Boris Renski: “We’re able to use CBRS small cells in urban areas to rapidly add density to the network at no expense to the operators.”

Competitive Carriers Association representatives urged the FCC to create a new category of citizens broadband radio service devices allowed to operate at higher power levels than under current rules. “CCA’s initial analysis indicates that higher-power operations would increase the utility of the band … without increasing the risk of interference to other services,” said a filing posted Monday in docket 19-348: Higher power levels would “increase the array of use cases supported by CBRS spectrum, provide more technical and operational flexibility for users of the band, and improve wireless coverage in rural America.” CCA proposed allowing devices to operate at a maximum equivalent, isotropically radiated power of 62 dBm/10 MHz and allow user equipment to operate at 26 dBm. CCA spoke with aides to the four commissioners.

Dish Network slammed T-Mobile Thursday, telling the FCC the carrier’s opposition to higher power levels in the citizens broadband radio service band shows that after buying Sprint, the “Un-Carrier” became anti-consumer. “It is ironic that T-Mobile, with the largest spectrum trove in the United States, is against increasing the utility of CBRS licenses held by other competitors,” Dish said in docket 19-348. “No doubt they would take a different approach if they had real ownership of CBRS spectrum.” Dish slammed T-Mobile for its plans to shutter its legacy CDMA network from Sprint at year-end. “Unfortunately, a majority of our 9 million Boost subscribers (many of whom face economic challenges) have devices that rely on Sprint’s CDMA network and will be harmed if T-Mobile prematurely shuts down that network,” Dish said. T-Mobile didn’t comment.

The upcoming 3.45 GHz auction and yet-to-be-scheduled 2.5 GHz sale are likely to get broad interest from smaller carriers, industry officials said during a Competitive Carriers Association virtual conference Wednesday. They warned that holding three midband auctions in a short time poses financial issues.

Comments are due April 8, replies April 15 on the NFL’s request for waiver of citizens broadband radio service rules to use its “coach-to-coach communications systems” during an internet outage, said a public notice in Tuesday's Daily Digest on docket 21-111. The organization needs the waiver for situations when internet service goes down just before a scheduled game but after a spectrum access system administrator has granted authority to operate the NFL’s CBRS system for that game, the PN said.

Commissioners approved 4-0 an item that moves the agency closer to a 3.45-3.55 GHz 5G auction starting in early October. A notice proposes a standard FCC auction, similar to the C-band auction, rather than one based on sharing and rules similar to those in the citizens broadband radio service band. The draft public notice got several tweaks, as expected, including offering 10 MHz rather than 20 MHz blocks, but keeps larger partial economic area-sized licenses (see 2103150052). Commissioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington concurred on parts of the order because of lingering concerns.

Aides to the other three commissioners have been working with the office of acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel Monday on possible changes to a public notice proposing rules for an October auction in the 3.45 GHz band, said FCC and industry officials. The order is expected to be approved 4-0. It could get a few tweaks from the draft, officials said. They expected discussions to continue Tuesday.

The FCC OK'd priority access licenses for 222 of the 255 bidders in the citizens broadband radio service auction. The approved long-form applications cover 17,450 licenses, the FCC said Friday. The auction ended in August with total bids of $4.59 billion (see 2008260055). Verizon and major cable operators dominated, and Dish Network came in big (see 2009020057). Long-form applications were due Sept. 17. “Five years ago, this agency recognized that our traditional spectrum auctions needed an update -- and that the 3.5 GHz band was the perfect place to start,” said acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel: “We continue to make progress in implementing the 3.5 GHz band concept and further demonstrate US leadership in spectrum innovation.”

With FCC commissioners set to vote Wednesday on a proposing rules for the 3.45 GHz auction, analysts said the spectrum sale won't likely drive numbers anywhere near the $81.2 billion, plus roughly $13 billion in accelerated clearing payments, seen in the C-band auction. Verizon and AT&T are stretched thin after that auction. And 3.45 GHz is expected to offer carriers at most 40 MHz each, based on aggregation rules limiting bidding. The auction must raise at least $14.8 billion to pay for clearance of the band, which isn't expected to be a problem.