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.
T-Mobile said the FCC shouldn't forget about mid-band spectrum and its importance to 5G. In a Friday blog post, T-Mobile Chief Technology Officer Neville Ray made clear the carrier’s interest in the 3.5 GHz shared band, though the changes it sought in the rules for the band were controversial with some Wi-Fi advocates (see 1706200081). T-Mobile seeks changes that go further than Verizon. Former FCC officials said the focus remains on Commissioner Mike O’Rielly, who's working on proposed changes to the 3.5 GHz rules (see 1704190056) approved during the Obama administration.
Charter got a temporary license from the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology to run tests in the 3650-3700 MHz band. Tests are to start July 1 and run through the start of 2018, said a report posted by the FCC. The application's purpose is to test “a variety of experimental equipment,” the document said: “The testing will evaluate coverage, capacity, and propagation characteristics in the 3650-3700 MHz band. The proposed operations will advance Charter’s understanding of technology and network potential in the band and will advance deployment of fixed and mobile services.” Tests also will look at coexistence of devices in that band and in the FCC’s adjacent Citizens Broadband Radio Service band, said a filing by the cable ISP. It said it's working with Federated Wireless, one of coordinators in the CBRS band. The tests will take place in the Tampa, Florida area.
The fight over the future of the 3.5 GHz band is heating up, with T-Mobile breaking with other carriers to propose its own version of rule changes. CTIA recently also proposed revised rules (see 1706190067). A coalition of companies and groups concerned about protecting unlicensed use of the band asked the FCC to not make major changes to the rules, which took years to develop. The filings come as Commissioner Mike O’Rielly takes the lead on changing the rules to better assure the band will be a success (see 1704190056).
Seventeen companies and associations urged the FCC to act to open the 3.5 GHz band and said it would slow deployment if it made major rule changes. Commissioner Mike O’Rielly is working on revisions (see 1704190056). The Thursday letter says small changes aren't a problem.