Chicago, D.C. Line Up as Possible Candidates to Be Model Spectrum Cities

In July, NTIA and the FCC asked for comment on a public-private partnership to create a spectrum test city (CD July 14 p15), a recommendation of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology’s July 2012 spectrum sharing report. Twelve parties filed comments in the proceeding, docket 14-99 by our deadline. AT&T was the only carrier to file, though CTIA commented.

Chicago highlighted its status as home to the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Wireless Network and Communications Research Center and the UI Labs, as well as several technology incubators. As the third most-populous U.S. city, Chicago contains “unique assets that make it an ideal location for a Wireless Model City,” it said (http://bit.ly/1rL53VP). “FCC and NTIA should consider factors including infrastructure, public assets, track record of collaboration, and supportive policies and processes when developing criteria for selecting Model Cities."

State and municipal governments, especially in urban markets, “have much to gain by serving as a host city for the Model City program and testing the spectrum sharing concept,” Washington said (http://bit.ly/1Cn9FUo). “A successful deployment of spectrum sharing technologies would help address the growing demand for wireless coverage prompted by the ever increasing use of tablets, smartphones, and other wireless devices.” Washington recommended that a model city should have: access to city-owned and managed towers, rooftops and street lights; the ability to waive or streamline right-of-way rules; and a broadband network “that can provide network access, network capacity, expected or required data speed, and a platform for testing electromagnetic interference."

The model city program should look at “a wide range of spectrum bands, use cases, and sharing types” and consider new and emerging approaches to spectrum sharing, AT&T said (http://bit.ly/1lwXrmU). There’s no substitute for providing carriers with more access to exclusive-use licensed spectrum, but “by testing a variety of sharing mechanisms between diverse incumbent users, additional spectrum can be cleared for commercial mobile broadband use,” AT&T argued. The program could be useful in examining transition sharing as bands are cleared for commercial use, the carrier said. It offered a list of attributes for a model city, including the breadth of testing possible there and the city’s ability to offer access to rights of way and facilities as promptly as possible. “If necessary, multiple ‘Model Cities’ should be designated,” said the carrier. “Diverse test results would prove extremely useful even if gathered from multiple locations.”

CTIA said the model city program “has the potential to provide useful data regarding numerous spectrum bands and sharing arrangements,” and the wireless industry is interested (http://bit.ly/1rg56GF). “The Model City should be used to test long term spectrum sharing, such as that envisioned by the Commission in its 3.5 GHz proceeding,” the group said. “The Model City process also can be used to evaluate more temporary shared access to spectrum.” CTIA cited the AWS-3 band, which is to be auctioned in November, but subject to sharing as incumbents transition to other spectrum.

CTIA also questioned whether FCC experimental licensing rules will meet the program’s needs unless they're further modified. “The Commission should consider how it can adapt its experimental licensing framework to meet the needs of a true ’sharing, environment, which is what the Model City hopes to achieve,” CTIA said.