War of Words Fly on Twitter, at FCC on Best Plan for C Band; CBA, CCA Off by 120 MHz
The American Cable Association challenged C-Band Alliance math in CBA's plan that as of last week includes launching eight more satellites (see 1812190048). And the association of small and mid-size carriers wants more spectrum cleared for broadband wireless use than the alliance plans. The alliance countered the criticism, and has said its sale could make 200 MHz available. The filings were posted Friday in docket 18-122.
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The Competitive Carriers Association wants the FCC to “aim to clear” at least 320 MHz for terrestrial wireless, including a 20 MHz guard band. “At this stage, there is no reason to take off the table the possibility of repurposing all 500 megahertz,” CCA said: Give "all interested parties a fair opportunity to acquire C-Band spectrum at reasonable prices. While recent Commission-led auctions have contained transparent and inclusive procedures, the record does not currently establish how a private sale mechanism would similarly ensure competitive access to spectrum.” CCA had meetings with aides to Chairman Ajit Pai and Commissioners Brendan Carr and Jessica Rosenworcel.
CBA's promised eight new "satellites seem insufficient to maintain total capacity and choice in order to make up for the large amounts of spectrum that CBA would like to divest -- up to 200 MHz of spectrum,” ACA said. “The loss of 200 MHz of C-band spectrum may require many more new satellites than CBA is proposing to build.” The CBA doesn’t provide information on its calculations that eight satellites is enough, ACA filed.
"Are you guys really that freaked out about the broadband competition from 5G?" Preston Padden, CBA head-advocacy and government relations, tweeted to ACA. "We won’t tell you how to build a cable system and you please don’t tell us how many satellites we need to continue our remarkable 99.999% reliable service." ACA Senior Vice President Ross Lieberman retorted: "Instead of wasting time on Twitter, please put data and info in the record at FCC that backs your claims that the CBA plan won’t cause harm. As my son’s math teacher says, 'show your work.' You have nothing to hide, right? Help me (and others) believe you."
The alliance, meanwhile, filed a letter it sent Dec. 6 to “a broad list of more than 300 contacts identified as being potential participants in the U.S. 5G ecosystem.” CBA said that consistent with "its commitment to ensure smaller regional and rural carriers have access to mid-band spectrum for 5G services, recipients included, among others, small, regional, and rural wireless carriers and local exchange carriers."
Padden slammed T-Mobile’s C-band plan (see 1812170038). “The ‘Un-Carrier’ has filed a ‘Non-Plan’ on C-band -- a voluntary auction where the sellers get ‘a minimum level set by the Commission to cover necessary costs.’” Padden tweeted. “No Sat will sign up. No spectrum. No auction.” T-Mobile didn’t comment.