Pai Meets C-Band Alliance; ACA Also Lobbies Eighth Floor
The C-Band Alliance (CBA), which is telling the FCC eighth floor some critics of its band-clearing plan are against competition (see 1901310050), made similar arguments with Chairman Ajit Pai, said a docket 18-122 posting Tuesday. It said it has sent…
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more than 400 certified letters to parties potentially interested in the spectrum and its plan has broad support from various parties in multiple industries. In the docket Wednesday, the American Cable Association recapped meetings with aides to Pai and to Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel and Mike O'Rielly, and with Wireless and International Bureau and Office of Engineering and Technology staff. ACA said the record lacks enough information and the satellite industry should submit information on its current and projected use of the C band, plus current and projected demand for services. It backs a reverse auction, with compensation to users and operators for their expenses and foregone investments, or alternately that if the CBA proposal is adopted that C-band users are part of the negotiations. The association said if CBA and those users can't come to agreement, baseball-style arbitration would come into play. NCTA last week said it had concerns about the CBA proposal and any C-band clearing approach it adopts should include agency oversight. S&P Global said Wednesday opening the 3.7-4.2 GHz band for 5G could mean a big enough windfall for Intelsat to allow it to significantly pay down debt from its current "unsustainable" level. It said SES, the other dominant satellite user of C band in the continental U.S., could also get a higher investment rating, depending on how it uses proceeds from any spectrum sale.