CBRS

The Office of Management and Budget OK'd revised information collection requirements in FCC rules for the 3.5 GHz shared spectrum band, which the commission sees as being used for a forthcoming Citizens Broadband Radio Service (see 1504210061). OMB's Nov. 9 approval means the changes are effective Dec. 16, the commission said in Wednesday's Federal Register.

CTIA and the Satellite Industry Association clashed on protections for satellite operators in the 3.5 GHz band as the band is converted to a shared use regime. The commission approved an order creating the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) in the 3550-3700 MHz band at its April meeting, but parts are still being debated (see 1504170055). In the latest development, various commenters offered their take on petitions for reconsideration challenging aspects of the agency’s rules. Comments were posted Friday in docket 12-354.

Wireless industry and tech companies rallied behind CTIA’s push for revised FCC rules for the 3.5 GHz shared spectrum band. The Satellite Industry Association opposed many of the changes sought by CTIA and others, saying they pose an interference risk to fixed satellite service earth station use of the spectrum (see 1510200061). Wireless industry commenters said the changes are necessary to make use of the band viable.

Relaxed legal out-of-band emissions (OOBE) rules, higher power levels and unlimited antenna heights open the door to more fixed satellite service (FSS) earth station interference and should be rejected, the Satellite Industry Association said in filing posted Tuesday in opposition to a CTIA petition for reconsideration of FCC rules on the 3.5 GHz shared spectrum band. Instead, stricter citizens broadband radio service (CBRS) limits are needed to avoid "a significant increase" of more than 11 km in the protection distance needed between CBRS devices and FSS earth stations, SIA said in a filing in docket 12-354. While both CTIA and Nokia have pushed for greater emissions limits, "neither provides an adequate rationale," with CTIA itself arguing for more stringent OOBE limits "when its own members' operations could be the victims of unwanted emissions," SIA said. The satellite group also rejected the idea of changing the metric for OOBE limit compliance from average power measurements to a peak detector, because that would "undermine the prophylactic objectives of the OOBE limits." Similarly, a higher maximum effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) and an eliminating of the antenna height limit for nonrural Category B citizens broadband radio service devices (CBSDs) will also "substantially increase the separation distances" needed to protect FSS from interference. Petitioners pushing for such higher EIRPs "fail to even acknowledge these trade offs," SIA said. But SIA said some areas of the FCC order should be reconsidered, such as the 60-second delay allowed for a CBSD to end transmission, lower its power or relocate to another channel, since even 60 seconds "could have significant adverse effects on FSS operations, including the potential to undermine safe satellite operations," SIA said. The FCC also should put in place a geolocation requirement to give reliable CBSD location information and "abandon the idea of relying on 'professional' installers to ensure the accuracy," the group said.

House Communications Subcommittee lawmakers pressed FCC officials on details of the broadcast TV incentive auction, focusing on whether stations will participate and whether the commission’s funding for the efforts will be enough. The officials said the agency is ready to tackle the issues with the resources at hand.

The satellite industry faces tough fights ahead to protect the C band from reallocation for mobile services uses, industry executives said Thursday during a Washington Space Business Roundtable event. The FCC is looking at a portion of the C band -- 3550 MHz-3650 MHz -- for spectrum sharing purposes and is considering possible revisions to the rules for its proposed Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) that would govern sharing between incumbent satellite and federal users of the spectrum and new entrants to the band. Delegates to the ITU-run World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC), set for Nov. 2-27 in Geneva, will consider a proposal from the international wireless industry seeking an even larger reallocation of the C band for mobile services, which the satellite industry opposes (see 1411130041).

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler still appears to have final rules for the 3.5 GHz shared spectrum band on the fast track for approval this year, agency officials said. But industry and agency officials questioned whether the commission will be able to address complaints of carriers and others in such a short time frame. The FCC has said the band could be used for what it calls a citizens broadband radio service (CBRS).

Most major wireless parties continued to urge the FCC to revise the rules it proposed for a new Citizens Broadband Radio Service on the 3.5 GHz band. Replies said the major faults of the rulemaking continue to be the proposed exclusion zones and the three-tiered spectrum access system (SAS) licensing framework. The comments, posted Friday and Monday in docket 12-354, repeated concerns that parties raised in July (CD July 16 p4). Commissioners Mike O'Rielly and Ajit Pai had also raised concerns about the size of the proposed exclusion zones, in which spectrum use would be restricted to protect government incumbents, when the commission approved the FNPRM in April (CD April 24 p4).