FCC Will Examine 6 GHz Changes and LOC Rules at Dec. 11 Meeting
In what could be its last full meeting under Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, the FCC on Dec. 11 will consider rules that would expand parts of the 6 GHz band where new very-low-power (VLP) devices can operate without coordination, beyond the initial 850 MHz commissioners approved last year (see 2310190054). Commissioners at the open meeting will also consider changing rules that govern letters of credit for USF programs and an item updating several broadcast radio and TV rules. Also on the agenda are various enforcement items, which will be released after the commission's approval.
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Republican lawmakers have asked Rosenworcel to avoid considering controversial items during the remainder of the Biden administration (see 2411080048 and 2411070046).
The FCC maintained a busy schedule four years ago at the end of the first Trump administration, with five items on the December 2020 meeting agenda. Among them was an NPRM on revised equipment authorization rules (see 2012100069) and an order on ATSC 3.0 datacasting (see 2012100071).
Rosenworcel circulated an order in October addressing the 6 GHz changes. Since the order circulated, NAB asked the FCC to set aside 55 MHz as a “safe haven” for electronic news-gathering operations (see 2410290052) and SiriusXM Radio has raised interference concerns (see 2411060002). But the order may not be controversial from the commission's perspective.
When commissioners approved a VLP order and Further NPRM in 2023, Commissioner Brendan Carr said he would have taken other steps then, including allowing VLP in the U-NII-6 and U-NII-8 portions of the band (see 2310190054).
“Permitting this added flexibility in the 6 GHz band will bolster a growing eco-system of cutting-edge applications like wearable technologies and augmented and virtual reality, which will enhance learning opportunities, improve healthcare outcomes, and bring new entertainment experiences,” Rosenworcel said in a "Notes from the FCC" posting Tuesday.
Commissioners will consider "three targeted changes" to the agency's rules on letters of credit (LOC) for its high-cost USF programs. "These changes would increase the number of banks qualified" to issue LOCs and reduce LOC values to "[free] up capital for deployment," Rosenworcel said. The FCC received comments in August from telecom and banking groups backing proposed modifications to the current rules (see 2408060042).
The FCC will also vote on updating "several broadcast radio and TV rules to better reflect current application processing requirements, clarify ambiguity, and remove references to outdated procedures and legacy filing systems," the post said. It wasn't clear Tuesday what proceeding the media item stems from, and the FCC didn't respond to a request for clarification.
"These changes would help ensure that the Commission’s rules are accurate, reducing potential confusion among the public, applicants, licensees, and practitioners, and alleviating unnecessary burdens," Rosenworcel said.