The citizens broadband radio service hit $486.5 million after five rounds Monday. Bids were at $357 million at the end of the first day Thursday (see [2007230074). New Street’s Blair Levin cautioned against judging based on how much money it brings in, the usual auction measure. “The CBRS auction is not about how much the spectrum is worth,” Levin told investors: “The importance here will be determined by other, more subtle metrics. Such metrics would include the extent to which incumbents can use shared spectrum to reduce their cost structure, cable can use CBRS to provide their own wireless services, and new providers who control specific areas, such as universities and office park owners, can use the spectrum to offer niche services.”
MEI Telecom and Avangrid Networks payments to participate in the auction of priority access licenses in the citizens broadband radio service, late, respectively, by one business day and two business days, won't be treated as on time, the FCC Office of Economics and Analytics said. The orders (see here and here) in Friday's Daily Digest denied the companies' requests for waiver of the upfront payment deadline. Waving the deadline for MEI raises fairness questions for others that met the deadline, staff said. Timely submission of an upfront payment helps establish that an applicant is financially qualified to take part in an auction, said the Avangrid order.
Bids stood at $357 million after the first, six-hour round of the citizens broadband radio service priority access license auction Thursday. The FCC has two bidding rounds scheduled for Friday. Industry officials are watching the auction closely as an expression of interest in the 3.5 GHz shared band.
Senate Communications Subcommittee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., and other lawmakers expressed interest Thursday in pursuing legislation and other solutions to address what they see as a dysfunctional relationship between the FCC and other federal agencies on spectrum management. Thune later told us Capitol Hill is unlikely to address the issue this Congress given the dwindling legislative calendar. FCC approval of Ligado’s L-band plan wasn’t directly mentioned despite earlier expectations (see 2007220066).
Speakers offered a very different view of the citizens broadband radio service during a Connected Real Estate virtual conference Wednesday. With the CBRS auction to start Thursday (see 2007200049), there was both optimism and continuing skepticism (see 2007210052) about how much interest the band will get.
Private LTE and the citizens broadband radio service won’t be a major factor for in-building connectivity for years to come, speakers warned during the third installment Tuesday of Connect (X), the Wireless Infrastructure Association’s virtual trade show. The FCC is to start an auction Thursday of priority access licenses (see 2007200049).
The FCC will start the priority access license (PAL) auction Thursday. Among the 271 qualified bidders are AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile; and the biggest MVPDs including Comcast, Charter and Cox, Dish Network. Also qualified are electric utilities, wireless ISPs and enterprise customers including various universities and John Deere.
Chairman Ajit Pai said Wednesday the FCC will stick with Dec. 8 for starting the auction of C-band spectrum for 5G, circulating draft final auction procedures (see 2007150047). Commissioners approved the auction 3-2 in February, including a procedures NPRM (see 2002280044). The FCC will also consider inmate calling services rates and media modernization among other items at the Aug. 6 commissioners’ meeting.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai told the American Council of Technology-Industry Advisory Council he has hopes for the citizens broadband radio service auction. In two weeks, “the Commission will begin the auction of 3.5 GHz Priority Access Licenses, making available 70 megahertz of valuable mid-band spectrum for 5G,” said the text of Pai speech in Friday's Daily Digest: “Over 270 applicants have qualified to bid.”
Reallocate at least 45 MHz of the 5.9 GHz band for unlicensed use and consider moving auto safety to the lightly used 4.9 GHz band, New America said in a paper Thursday. Action on 5.9 GHz “is particularly critical for consumers and the economy to the extent that it creates the first unencumbered 160 megahertz channel to support the next generation of Wi-Fi technology that will help Americans everywhere to access gigabit-fast and affordable 5G-capable applications and services,” the group said: Reserving 30 MHz for vehicle-to-everything technology “strikes an appropriate balance.” The FCC is expected to reallocate the band this summer (see 2004300032). Moving V2X to 4.9 GHz or another band would “better harmonize V2X services with 5G networks” and a potential “roadblock” to Wi-Fi in 5.9 GHz, the group said. Auto industry groups didn’t comment. The FCC is also expected to take another look at the 4.9 GHz band (see 2005040061). Fixed wireless networks depend on spectrum and Wireless ISP Association members need more quickly, especially 5.9 GHz, said Louis Peraertz, vice president-policy, during a WifiForward webinar Thursday. WISPs faced sharp increases in demand as a result of the pandemic, up 36% on average based on a member survey, he said. The band used by WISPs under special temporary authority from the FCC has been critical and members hope the STAs will be extended “because losing this spectrum will be too disruptive to their consumers,” he said. TCC Networks relies on unlicensed spectrum in the 5, 24 and 60 GHz bands, said CEO Donald Dawson. The Massachusetts WISP is looking at the citizens broadband radio service band, “but the concern about the level of difficulty there is scaring us a bit,” he said: “What we are in great need for is additional unlicensed spectrum.” Use of 5.9 GHz spectrum allowed TCC to keep up with COVID-19 demands and add bandwidth for all users, Dawson said.