Despite Amateur Concerns, Wireless Industry Considers 3.1-3.55 GHz Important for 5G
The Dynamic Spectrum Alliance (DSA) told the FCC the sharing regime in the adjacent citizens broadband radio service band could be a model across the entire 3.1-3.55 GHz range. Other commenters said amateur radio operations should remain in the spectrum. Commissioners approved an NPRM 5-0 at their December meeting (see 1912120063) proposing to remove existing nonfederal secondary and amateur allocations in the 3.1-3.55 GHz band and to relocate incumbent nonfederal operations. Comments posted through Monday in docket 19-348.
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Amateurs have raised concerns since approval of the rulemaking (see 2002180056). “There is no way to conclude definitively what the optimal sharing framework will be,” but DSA “believes that the Commission should consider this proceeding an opportunity to explore extending the successful CBRS framework into the band,” the group said: “To the extent feasible, extending an existing, successful CBRS framework into the adjacent band below 3550 MHz can jump start private investment.”
ARRL, the amateur radio group, said for decades amateurs have successfully coexisted in the 3.3-3.5 GHz band. “There is no reason suggested by the Commission, or known to us, why the secondary status for Amateur Radio operations should not be continued,” ARRL said: “Secondary commercial users are less flexible than Radio Amateur users and may desire to relocate to protect continued provision of services and service quality.”
Wireless commenters emphasized industry needs mid-band spectrum. Amateur radio won't be evicted, CTIA said: “While Amateur licensees have expressed a need to maintain their access to the spectrum band, any Amateur radio operations in the band are allocated on a secondary basis and should not foreclose the potential use of this spectrum for 5G.”
In January, NTIA urged further study (see 2001270049), saying federal agencies may be able to share the 3450-3550 MHz band, 5G Americas noted. “NTIA’s narrow focus on just the 100 MHz at the top of the band is disappointing, and appears at odds with other government analysis underway,” the group said. “It behooves NTIA to expeditiously study the lower ranges."
“We share the Commission’s view that the 3.1-3.55 GHz band is an important source of potential mid-band spectrum for the ongoing efforts in the push to 5G,” the Competitive Carriers Association said. The FCC's “proposals for the 3.3-3.55 GHz band are just the first step in making the Lower 3 GHz Band available for commercial mobile use,” T-Mobile said: “T-Mobile urges the Commission and NTIA to work together to do even more by identifying as much of the band as possible for exclusive, commercial mobile use.”
Mid-band is critical, but much work remains, AT&T said. “Early engagement with the Department of Defense is essential to begin developing proposals,” the carrier said: “Cost of relocating incumbents will be significant and will require further examination, and the NPRM briefly acknowledges these issues.”