With a commissioner vote next week on revised rules for the 3.5 GHz citizens broadband radio service band, CBRS advocates said Monday the band is poised to be a big deal regardless of the outcome (see 1810110068). The FCC fight has been over the priority access licenses to be sold in each market, but 80 MHz remains for general access, unlicensed use, a Monday webinar heard.
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.
Executives from Midcontinent Communications gave FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr a tour Thursday of the company’s facilities in North Dakota and spoke with him about the citizens broadband radio service band and other issues. “Midco shared its views on the 2.5 GHz and 3.5 GHz bands, next generation or 5G fixed wireless technology, and Midco’s preference for county-sized spectrum licenses,” said a filing Sunday in docket 18-120. “Midco also discussed its desire for the rural bidding credits for the priority access license auction in the 3.5 GHz band.” Midco said in written testimony at a Senate hearing last week (see 1810120051) it's testing residential fixed wireless speeds of 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload using 3.65 GHz and CBRS spectrum.
No one should feel entitled to citizens broadband radio service licenses, FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly told a Schools, Health & Libraries Association conference Thursday. O’Rielly told us he sees little room for additional compromise on the order headed into the Oct. 23 commissioners' meeting, though he is open to new ideas. “I’ve been working on this for a year, I’ve talked to all the parties multiple, multiple times,” O’Rielly said in an interview: “We’ve found" a place "I’m very comfortable with.” If anyone has new ideas, O’Rielly said, he will take a look.
The Rural Wireless Association supports the FCC draft order on the 3.5 GHz citizens broadband radio service band "that would employ county-based license sizes for PALs in the 3.5 GHz CBRS auction, and believes that the use of county-based license sizes will allow rural providers to participate in the 3.5 GHz auction for Priority Access Licenses,” RWA said Tuesday in docket 17-258. “The choice of counties plus the inclusion of a 15 percent rural service provider bidding credit acknowledges the needs and realities of wireless broadband customers in rural America and will ensure that PALs remain affordable and accessible to the small, rural providers.”
FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel has big concerns about the 3.5 GHz order set for a vote by commissioners Oct. 23, aide Umair Javed said at an FCBA event Wednesday. Erin McGrath, aide to Mike O’Rielly, defended the order's approach.
Public interest groups, wireless ISPs and some industrial players are expected to make a push at the FCC over the next two weeks for changes to the revised geographic sizes for priority access licenses in the 3.5 GHz citizens broadband radio service band. Chairman Ajit Pai last week circulated revised rules, as crafted by Commissioner Mike O’Rielly (see 1810020050). The draft would auction PALs on a countywide basis rather than by census-tracts, the approach of Obama-era rules.
ORLANDO -- Smaller providers at the Competitive Carriers Association are likely to pursue priority access licenses in the 3.5 GHz citizens broadband radio service band when they become available, as early as next year, based on interviews at CCA’s meeting. They are more dubious on the outlook for high-band spectrum in their mostly rural markets. Attendees expect a PALs auction as early as the last quarter of 2019, though maybe not until early 2020.
ORLANDO -- Competitive Carrier Association executives expressed some concerns about T-Mobile’s proposed buy of Sprint, on a Wednesday panel at the group's annual convention. Members remain very focused on spectrum, including high band and the 3.5 GHz band, said CCA President Steve Berry, speaking to members. Spectrum remains a big issue, the executives agreed.
ORLANDO -- FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr has made no decision on whether to propose another wireless infrastructure order, he said after a speech at a Competitive Carriers Association conference Tuesday. NTIA Administrator David Redl said at CCA that the band most exciting to people is the 3.5 GHz citizens broadband radio service band, subject of an order teed up for the October commissioners’ meeting (see 1810010027). Both said Friday’s 5G meeting at the White House (see 1809280054) was productive.
Spectrum sharing and the gravity of the spectrum crunch generated disagreement Tuesday at the annual Americas Spectrum Management Conference. Federal officials touted spectrum sharing as “the new normal” while T-Mobile Senior Director-Technology Policy John Hunter called sharing policies “draconian.” “It's incredibly difficult to measure scarcity,” said FCC Wireless Bureau Assistant Chief Matthew Pearl.