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.
The FCC granted waiver requests by Comcast and Midcontinent Communications (see 2004280039), which Comcast partially owns, allowing both to bid in the citizens broadband radio service auction. “In light of Comcast’s limited role in the management and decisions of Midco under a long-standing agreement unrelated to the auction and the internal controls implemented by the parties, we find that application of the prohibition against commonly controlled applicants would not serve its intended purpose in these specific circumstances and that waiver serves the public interest,” the Wireless Bureau and Office of Economics and Analytics said in an order in Wednesday’s Daily Digest.
Broadcasters, public safety groups and wireless mic makers raised concerns about proposals to allow TV white spaces (TVWS) devices to operate with higher power in less-congested areas, in comments on an FCC NPRM. Commissioners approved the notice 5-0 in February (see 2002280055). CTA, public interest groups and Microsoft urged the FCC to approve the proposal. Initial comments were due Monday in docket 20-36.
The FCC Office of Economics and Analytics and the Wireless Bureau sought comment by May 4 on a waiver request by Comcast and Midcontinent Communications, which Comcast partially owns, allowing both to bid in the citizens broadband radio service auction. FCC rules “prohibit an entity from having a controlling interest in more than one short-form auction application,” said a notice in Tuesday’s Daily Digest on docket 19-244. “Absent the requested relief, Midco and Comcast would not be permitted to participate in the auction as two separate applicants.”