Navy Concerns Seen Possibly Slowing Launch of Sharing in CBRS Band
The launch of long-anticipated sharing in the 3.5 GHz citizens broadband radio service band could be slowed by interagency conflicts, industry and government officials told us. Use of the band depends in particular on Navy cooperation, but questions were said to have been raised within the powerful Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee. IRAC looks after the interests of government spectrum managers. NTIA and DOD didn’t comment Monday.
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The Public Interest Spectrum Coalition flagged potential problems in recent FCC comments on the Spectrum Pipeline Act (see 1809120043). “Inexplicably, progress at the Commission, at NTIA, and particularly with the U.S. Navy has slowed, creating delays that threaten to undermine the enormous public interest benefits of CBRS,” the coalition said in docket 17-258. “By all accounts the U.S. Navy, at least at the staff level, has over the past year moved decidedly away from the stated policy of the Department of Defense to cooperate with the FCC and industry on sharing unused capacity in federal bands.” The coalition said the environmental sensing capability shut-down levels being demanded by the Navy “are reportedly so low that the anticipated viability of [CBRS devices] along at least portions of the U.S. coastlines -- where a majority of the population lives -- is, for the first time, in doubt.”
“My understanding is that the Navy is still supportive and wants to move forward but that for reasons that I do not know, the process is taking longer than anyone really wants,” said an advocate of dynamic spectrum sharing. Other industry officials said some of the concerns could stem from a lack of understanding of the protections the Navy needs for its radars in the band.
If interagency red tape slows deployment, “that would be unfortunate for WISPA’s members and the rural Americans that will wait longer for broadband service,” said Claude Aiken, president of the Wireless ISP Association. “With commercial deployment around the corner, we urge the governmental agencies to proactively resolve their issues as soon as possible.”
“When it comes to these complex sharing regimes, the devil is always in the details,” said Doug Brake, director-spectrum policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. “If the Navy were to set the environmental sensing levels too low, that could significantly disrupt the usability of this band on the coasts. Over 35 countries have identified spectrum spanning this band to be allocated for 5G services. It is important agencies have the spectrum and flexibility to achieve their mission, but being too conservative with the sensing requirements has real trade-offs.” Government is focusing on policies to advance 5G and “the 3.5 GHz band shouldn’t be overlooked,” Brand said.
The FCC is expected to finalize new rules for the band at the Oct. 23 commissioners’ meeting, changing the rules approved during the Obama administration (see 1808310026). The FCC and O'Rielly didn't comment.