The FCC needs "to make both mid- and high- band spectrum available to enable the full suite of 5G services," said T-Mobile, which said it would launch 5G in the 600 MHz band. In meetings with Commissioners Brendan Carr and Mike O'Rielly and aides, "We discussed actions and plans by countries around the world to provide mid-band spectrum, including in the 3.5-4.2 GHz range for 5G services and the need for the Commission to move rapidly to make spectrum in this range available in the U.S.," said a filing posted Friday in docket 17-258. "To preserve U.S. leadership in wireless technologies, we urged the Commission to complete the rulemaking proceeding intended to update the regulations governing 3550-3700 MHz band and to initiate steps to auction Priority Access Licenses in that band in 2018." T-Mobile sought an NPRM "covering, and [to] otherwise accelerate its consideration of, the use of the 3.7-4.2 GHz band for terrestrial mobile broadband networks," the company said. "We discussed the need to move quickly to auction the millimeter wave bands allocated for terrestrial mobile use in the Spectrum Frontiers proceeding. ... Auctioning all bands together will result in a more robust and competitive auction."
Wireless Spectrum Auctions
The FCC manages and licenses the electromagnetic spectrum used by wireless, broadcast, satellite and other telecommunications services for government and commercial users. This activity includes organizing specific telecommunications modes to only use specific frequencies and maintaining the licensing systems for each frequency such that communications services and devices using different bands receive as little interference as possible.
What are spectrum auctions?
The FCC will periodically hold auctions of unused or newly available spectrum frequencies, in which potential licensees can bid to acquire the rights to use a specific frequency for a specific purpose. As an example, over the last few years the U.S. government has conducted periodic auctions of different GHz bands to support the growth of 5G services.
LAS VEGAS -- Relations among FCC members remain the same as they were before the highly charged net neutrality debate resulting in last month’s vote overturning the 2015 net neutrality rules, Commissioner Mignon Clyburn told us at CES Tuesday. Clyburn joined Commissioners Mike O’Rielly and Brendan Carr on a CES panel Tuesday, amid tight security. Meanwhile, preoccupying CES Wednesday was a blackout that struck the Las Vegas Convention Center's Central Hall and kept that portion of the show in total darkness for several hours. Later in the day the blackout was blamed on the torrential rains that poured down on Las Vegas Tuesday.
LAS VEGAS -- The move to 5G is a top priority for NTIA, said Administrator David Redl in remarks Tuesday at CES, one of his first major policy addresses since he took the job late last year. “We must do everything we can this year and beyond to accelerate America’s 5G leadership,” Redl said. “CES is a great showcase of how high-speed connectivity has driven economic growth and innovation in this country and around the world.”
CTIA further backed FCC efforts to modernize wireless broadband deployment processes. CTIA representatives "encouraged the Commission to find ways to more effectively target the environmental and historic preservation review of infrastructure and to streamline and provide clarity regarding the historic preservation review process," said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 17-79 on a meeting with Commissioner Brendan Carr and an aide. T-Mobile supported the FCC's continuing efforts to make millimeter wave bands available for mobile wireless broadband services. "To ensure continued U.S. leadership in Fifth Generation ('5G') wireless networks, we urged the Commission to initiate the process of auctioning together in 2018 the spectrum that has already been made available for that purpose -- in particular, the 24 GHz, 28 GHz, 37 GHz, 39 GHz and 47 GHz bands," said a filing in docket 14-177 on a discussion with Wireless Bureau Chief Don Stockdale and aides. "[W]hile T-Mobile has petitioned for reconsideration of the Commission’s allocation decision governing the 37-37.6 GHz band and the issue of operability in the band remains open, neither matter need delay Commission efforts to conduct an auction for the remainder of the 37 GHz and 39 GHz bands (37.6-40 GHz)."
The FCC Incentive Auction Task Force and Wireless Bureau approved the long-form applications for 600 MHz licenses bought in the broadcast incentive auction, said a public notice Tuesday. Licensees of the 75 new licenses included Spectrum Financial Partners, with 23 licenses, and Tstar 600, with 12. The agency approved the first grants of licenses bought in the auction in June (see 1706140048).
Columbia Capital’s acquisition of 16 incentive auction licenses in 11 cities from AT&T wasn’t a surprise since AT&T likely got caught buying licenses it didn’t want or need, industry officials said Monday. AT&T already had low-band spectrum from the original 700 MHz auction, and picked up access to 20 MHz of 700 MHz spectrum nationwide through its FirstNet contract. The two companies didn’t comment Monday and haven't disclosed the purchase price. AT&T bid just $910 million for 23 licenses in the auction, which ended last year (see 1704130056). AT&T filed a document at the FCC indicating it would transfer its 600 MHz holdings to LB License Company, an affiliate of Columbia Capital, an Alexandria, Virginia-based investment firm, which specializes in wireless. Earlier, Facticia reported that LB was trying to raise $928 million for undisclosed expenses. Michael Calabrese, director of the Wireless Future Program at New America tweeted “@ATT now has access to public safety spectrum nationwide (700 MHz 'D Block').” He said “600MHz was insurance, but [AT&T] has plenty of pricey low-band spectrum for coverage; will put it's [sic] focus now on lower-cost, higher-bands for capacity.”
NAB raised concerns about interference if the FCC makes technical changes to rules for the 3.5 GHz citizens broadband radio service (CBRS) band. Other commenters said the FCC should minimize changes to the rules approved three years ago. The FCC approved the initial 3.5 GHz NPRM in 2012 (see 1212130044), setting up an experimental three-tiered access and sharing model made up of federal and nonfederal incumbents, priority access licenses (PALs) and general authorized access users. In October, commissioners agreed to seek comment on revising the rules (see 1710240050).
AT&T proposed a plan for a high-frequency spectrum auction to consolidate spectrum holdings, especially in the 39 GHz band, one of the first set for sale. A challenge to millimeter wave bidding is that incumbents have holdings “scattered throughout the band, typically in 50 MHz chunks,” blogged Hank Hultquist, vice president-federal regulatory. “Incumbents hold different types of geographic licenses that in many cases overlay each other. In order for the auction to be successful, the FCC must find a way to reorganize the band into block sizes that are more favorable for 5G, ideally 200 MHz blocks, and maximize the number of blocks.” AT&T proposed vouchers to incumbent licensees based on number of MHz/POPs they hold. Values would be set by bidding in the allocation phase. Hultquist said Tuesday the plan puts licensees on a level playing field. “It provides an elegant solution to the mish-mash of existing holdings in a way that maximizes the value and usability of the band,” he wrote. “By guaranteeing contiguity to successful bidders, the proposal allows winning bidders to maximize the bandwidth that will ultimately be available to consumers.” FCC officials say they can hold no major spectrum auctions until Congress approves legislative language that would let auction deposits be sent directly to the Treasury Department (see 1710240065). AT&T laid out the plan in a paper filed Tuesday in docket 14-177, by economists James Bono and Allan Ingraham of Economists Inc.
Telecom policy aides for the House and Senate Commerce committees signaled optimism Friday that lawmakers can act in 2018 on legislation to encourage broadband deployment and free additional spectrum. But continued rancor means even enactment of a still-elusive compromise net neutrality bill won’t bring to an end that long-standing debate, the staffers said during a Practising Law Institute conference. Senate aides touted the August passage of several long-stalled telecom bills, including the Mobile Now Act (S-19) spectrum bill, as their top achievement of 2017. Their House colleagues noted progress on FCC reauthorization and strong oversight of telecom-related agencies (see 1708030060, 1710110070 and 1710250050). PLI also heard Friday about media policy (see 1712080062).
The FCC Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee was a good idea, but its findings inevitably will reflect who's on the group, and state and local interests are underrepresented, NARUC General Counsel Brad Ramsay said Thursday at a Practising Law Institute conference. BDAC approved six sets of recommendations for speeding deployment of wireless and wireline infrastructure at its last meeting in November (see 1711090054). Other PLI news: 1712070063 and 1712070016.