CBRS

The Platforms for Advanced Wireless Research (PAWR) Project Office awarded $2.7 million to DOD for 5G research at a Salt Lake City testbed. The tests will demonstrate how two carriers can use spectrum in the same citizens broadband radio service channel “autonomously with the help of a decision engine designed to coordinate spectrum usage at a highly granular level,” PAWR said Wednesday.

Wireless and satellite interests cited concerns about the FCC C-band order, in docket 18-122 petitions for reconsideration posted Wednesday. Change the technical specifications of telemetry, tracking and command filters because they aren't feasible, or give Intelsat's two remote TT&C/gateway sites protected status to use the entire band, the company petitioned. It said out-of-band protection requirements won't adequately protect all earth stations from post-transition interference and need revision, or at least make clear that as long as Intelsat has done everything it can, it won't be held responsible for terrestrial operations' interference. It urged moving of the December 2021 TT&C/gateway site consolidation deadline to 2023 because an 18-month consolidation window is "simply is not achievable given the many time- and resource-intensive activities." Speaking with FCC staffers, Intelsat officials cited filter and TT&C site concerns and said reimbursements shouldn't be limited to satellites operating solely with a C-band payload, since its satellites are typically configured with multiple spectrum payloads and it was going to seek reimbursement for only the C-band payload costs. The company voiced concerns about cable operators being able to select the compression equipment to be installed at their earth stations, when it should be tied to the satellite transponder. Also posted was Intelsat's accelerated relocation election the company announced Tuesday (see 2005260037). The International Telecommunications Satellite Organization's recon petition cited aspects of the C-band order that could hurt international satellite services by limiting international gateway services in the lower portion of the band to four TT&C sites, and only on a secondary basis. It said design and placement of replacement Intelsat satellites could hurt international satellite services customers outside the U.S. C-band operator Eutelsat had petitioned for recon. Charter asked the FCC to tweak the order to require C band flexible use licensees to make TDD synchronization available to citizens broadband radio service (see 2005220042). “Without such synchronization, C-Band base stations will interfere with, and significantly impede, the ability of CBRS base stations to communicate with CBRS user equipment operating in both the Priority Access License and General Authorized Access spectrum blocks,” Charter said. Aviation interests asked to change the order to protect radio altimeters using 3700-3980 MHz (see 2002200030). "‘No action’ regarding the protection of radio altimeters and seemingly requiring the aviation community to ‘protect thyself’ from harmful interference was not supported by the evidence and sharply contrasts with other actions taken in this very proceeding,” the groups said. The Aerospace Industries Association, Airbus, Aviation Spectrum Resources, Aerospace Vehicle Systems Institute, Air Line Pilots Association and Garmin were among signers.

Charter Communications said a new technical analysis shows C-band operations are an interference threat to licensed and unlicensed use of the nearby citizens broadband radio service band. “The level of interference that will be experienced by CBRS could result in degradation and devaluation of this valuable mid-band spectrum, undermining the competition and innovation that will only continue to grow and flourish in this spectrum band,” Charter said in calls with FCC staff. But Charter said the FCC could solve problems by requiring C-band licensees to make time division duplexing (TDD) available to CBRS licensees and users upon request: “Mandating TDD synchronization is critical because there is no assurance that larger carriers will voluntarily work cooperatively with new entrants and smaller carriers to address this problem and resolve interference for all carriers.” Charter spoke with staff from the Wireless Bureau and Office of Engineering and Technology and aides to Commissioners Mike O’Rielly and Geoffrey Starks, said a filing posted Friday in docket 18-122.

With the FCC auction of priority access licenses (PAL) to start in July, and companies using the general authorized access (GAA) tier, speakers on a FierceWireless webinar Thursday saw growing interest in the citizens broadband radio service band. Speakers from three of the five FCC-authorized spectrum access system (SAS) administrators, CommScope, Federated Wireless and Google, said they are demonstrating CBRS will live up to the hype.

Ultra-high band spectrum remains a “wild, wonderful and challenging” world, said Ted Rappaport, director-NYU Wireless at New York University School of Engineering, during a National Science Foundation webinar Wednesday. The FCC tapped Rappaport to speak on the importance of spectrum above 95 GHz before a vote last year approving the spectrum horizons order (see 1903150054). Some are looking to spectrum as high as 700 GHz, he said. Commissioners will consider an NPRM on the 70, 80 and 90 GHz bands at their June 9 meeting (see 2005190058).

U.S. carriers have kept up with unprecedented demand under COVID-19, American Tower CEO Tom Bartlett told the Wireless Infrastructure Association’s ConnectX virtual conference Tuesday. The conference's goal is to help explain what’s happening “on the ground” during the pandemic, said WIA President Jonathan Adelstein. “Everybody recognizes how essential having reliable wireless service is.”

There's widespread interest in the citizens broadband radio service auction, but it’s not clear who will pursue licenses or how they will be used, Commissioner Mike O’Rielly said during a FierceWireless webinar Monday. The FCC faced pressure to delay the start of the auction July 23 because of credit market jitters tied to COVID-19 (see 2005140050). “The insatiable demand” for mid-band spectrum “is only going to increase over time,” he said.

With the FCC citizens broadband radio service auction set to start, the agency is under pressure to further delay the auction because of credit market issues. Markets remain jittery due to the pandemic, a problem for small players that may need to raise the money to bid. The FCC postponed the auction in March to July 23, from June 25, because of COVID-19 concerns (see 2003250052).

The FCC approved 5-0 allowing broadband in 900 MHz, reallocating a 6 MHz swath while keeping 4 MHz for narrowband. Commissioners voted electronically (see 2005130008) before Wednesday's abbreviated virtual meeting, as expected (see 2005070054). Anterix executives said the spectrum could help utilities across the U.S. update operations and move to a smart grid.

Uncertainty remains about what COVID-19 will mean for AT&T and the wireless industry, Chief Financial Officer John Stephens said at a MoffettNathanson conference Tuesday. Speakers on a small-cells webinar said COVID-19 is adding to data growth and to the demand on carriers to densify their networks.