The Wireless ISP Association plans to fight to protect its interests in the shared 3.5 GHz band, President Chuck Hogg said in a State of WISPA address Tuesday, streamed from Las Vegas. The mobile wireless industry is “working hard to undo the years of work” WISPs dedicated to opening the Citizens Broadband Radio Service band, Hogg said. Some characterize the fight as a “David vs. Goliath” battle, he said. “I don’t have to tell you that we’re not Goliath,” he said. “We’re active, engaged and definitely punching above our weight. Everyone in this room can play a part.” The FCC is to consider an NPRM on revised rules for the 3.5 GHz band at commissioners' Oct. 24 meeting (see 1710030059). Hogg said the WISPA board agreed to hire an executive search firm to search for a paid president. The job has been filled by a volunteer. T-Mobile, meanwhile, said the FCC should ask questions about its requests for two additional changes to the rules for priority access licenses (PALs) in the band. T-Mobile executives met with Erin McGrath, an aide to Commissioner Mike O’Rielly, who was tasked by Chairman Ajit Pai with proposing changes to the rules. The FCC also should seek comment on the potential use of PALs throughout the 150 MHz band and on changing the effective isotropic radiated power limits for 3.5 GHz devices, T-Mobile said. “Adopting an Order rejecting the two recommendations rather than seeking comment on them is unnecessary and contrary to Commission precedent, and would prevent development of a complete record on the issues raised,” said a filing by the carrier in docket 17-258. “While the Commission may not yet be prepared to propose the rule changes proposed by T-Mobile, adopting an Order dismissing them -- without further opportunity for public comment -- is the wrong approach.”
The FCC proposed changing rules for the 3.5 GHz shared band, providing larger licenses for the priority access licenses (PALs) that will be offered at auction to carriers and others. The change was largely expected based on earlier comments by Commissioner Mike O’Rielly (see 1708010058), who oversaw development of revised rules. The change was opposed by New America, General Electric and others hoping census tract-sized licenses would attract investment from owners of industrial facilities, plus schools, hospitals and others.
Industry officials said it appears likely commissioners will consider a long-awaited NPRM on the shared 3.5 GHz band at their Oct. 24 meeting. That’s not a certainty since FCC Chairman Ajit Pai won’t circulate items until Tuesday. The FCC earlier moved up the date of the meeting by two days. Big-ticket items like net neutrality aren't expected at the October meeting, the officials said Monday. There's uncertainty about whether media ownership will get a vote.
Verizon, Ericsson, Qualcomm Technologies and Federated Wireless said they were the first to demonstrate the successful use of LTE with carrier aggregation in the 3.5 GHz shared band. The demonstration was in an Ericsson lab in Plano, Texas, and offered “end-to-end” Citizens Broadband Radio Service communications “using 2x20 MHz LTE carriers on the CBRS band 48,” said a joint news release. "The use of CBRS spectrum greatly advances our work in emerging spectrum bands,” said Nicola Palmer, Verizon wireless chief network officer.
The Dynamic Spectrum Alliance (DSA) told the FCC that by its tabulation “the vast majority” of comments oppose proposed changes by CTIA and T-Mobile for the 3.5 GHz shared band. Some 84 percent of comments in the initial comment round were against CTIA and 89 percent against T-Mobile, DSA said. T-Mobile and CTIA defended their proposals. One suggestion for priority access licenses (PALs) in the 3.5 GHz shared band that could have legs is NCTA's and Charter Communications’ push for a middle-ground on license sizes, industry officials said. Replies were posted Wednesday in docket 12-354. Termed by the FCC Citizens Broadband Radio Service, CBRS operations are expected to start even amid the controversy (see 1708080019).
The opening of the 3.5 GHz shared band isn't expected to be delayed due to problems industry had getting waveforms from the Navy, Lee Pucker, CEO of the Wireless Innovation Forum (WInnForum), told us Tuesday. Other complications are possible, other industry officials said. But Pucker, who heads the group the FCC tasked with overseeing the technical work on the band, said things are moving ahead. The Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) is expected to offer licensed spectrum and unlicensed for Wi-Fi and use by wireless ISPs.
FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly, tasked by Chairman Ajit with overseeing an overhaul of rules for the 3.5 GHz shared band, emphasized in a Tuesday speech to the Citizens Broadband Radio Service Alliance he wants to leave the structure for the band in place, while making the licensed part more attractive. O’Rielly’s remarks, posted by the FCC, build on comments last week (see 1707250049). O’Rielly spoke to the group at Qualcomm’s headquarters in San Diego.
PCTel joined the CBRS Alliance, a group promoting use of the shared 3.5 GHz Citizens Broadband Radio Service band. “PCTEL and the CBRS Alliance believe that efficient use of this underutilized 3.5 GHz spectrum will expand coverage and capacity to meet growing wireless data demands,” the company said in a Thursday news release. “PCTEL scanning receivers currently support LTE network testing on the 3.5 GHz CBRS band.”
Google opposes proposed changes CTIA and T-Mobile sought to rules for the 3.5 GHz shared band, saying the FCC needs to keep its eye on stability. Verizon supported the CTIA petition over that of T-Mobile, consistent with its earlier stance (see 1706200081). Comments were due on the petitions Monday, and dozens filed in docket 12-354, as the FCC considers changes to rules for the Citizens Broadband Radio Service. Commissioner Mike O'Rielly discussed the rules Tuesday (see 1707250049).
The FCC is under pressure not to make major changes to rules for the 3.5 GHz shared band and complicate launch of services. Commenters filed in docket 12-354 on T-Mobile and CTIA petitions seeking changes to rules (see 1706200081). Sony said rules for spectrum access system administrators and others already are settled and changes would mean delays in launch of the much-anticipated band. “The Commission should not undertake rule changes that would result in new or different certification obligations for SAS administrators,” Sony said Friday. “Such changes would waste already invested resources, unnecessarily raise costs, and inevitably delay the SAS certification process.” Broadband Corp., a wireless ISP in Minnesota, said it invested $1 million in the Citizens Broadband Radio Service spectrum, but stopped investing in light of recent uncertainty. “That one of the petitioners is a major mobile carrier, and the other is an association of mobile carriers I find concerning, these are the same large companies who have collectively increased the costs of spectrum to the point that only large mobile carriers can afford it, pricing spectrum out of range for companies like ours,” wrote Vice President Anthony Will. Tampa-based WISP Rapid Systems said it also made big investments and needs the band to open. “The ability to access up to 100 megahertz of mid-band spectrum is desperately needed to enable higher service tiers for our rural customers,” the company said. The WISP Association called the CTIA and T-Mobile petitions “ill-conceived and destructive” and said the FCC should reject them. The proposals would transform 3.5 GHz into a “5G-only” band and “decelerate the provision of fixed broadband service to those that lack access and choice, foreclose innovative uses, stifle investment, and damage the ability of existing broadband customers to continue receiving service,” WISPA said.