Spectrum

Why We Should Stop Worrying and Learn to Love Spectrum Windfalls

Many attempts to increase the flexibility of wireless spectrum rights meet objections that the method of reallocation will result in a windfall for corporate license holders. Far from being objectionable, however, allowing windfalls in spectrum reallocation creates virtuous incentives. Past restrictions on the supply of flexible-use rights to the spectrum have resulted in a rigid system, which is not in the public interest because the most productive uses of the spectrum change rapidly.

The collaboration that’s connecting the unconnected

When I launched Broadcom in the early 1990s with the goal of revolutionizing digital connectivity, it was necessary to work closely with governments around the world, starting with cable set-top boxes.

Nextlink teams up with Tarana to deploy CBRS spectrum in rural areas

Gigabit broadband service is coming to communities and rural areas in 11 states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wisconsin through a partnership by Nextlink and Tarana. They expect to expand service to hundreds of rural counties over the next several years, covering over a quarter million households. Part of this ties back to the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) licenses Nextlink picked up at auction in 2020.

Toward a National Spectrum Strategy

The report recognizes spectrum as a national, public asset. Planning for effective spectrum policy – the way we allocate and use the airwaves for wireless applications – is foundational to meeting our national goals of economic growth and leadership in the information economy, and a “Made in America” industrial agenda. The report from the Aspen Institute stakes out key principles to inform spectrum policies, sets forth broad recommendations for US spectrum policy for the years ahead, and details potential actions to implement those recommendations.

Remarks of FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel at the 2022 NTIA Spectrum Policy Symposium

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel spoke at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) 2022 Spectrum Policy Symposium on September 19. Rosenworcel made it a point to discuss how far the FCC has come in the last 5 years in its dealings with spectrum policy and auctions. Her speech focused on the future of the FCC's relationship with the spectrum and spectrum-related policies, initiatives, rule-making, and innovation.

Starlink and Wireless Internet Service Providers Battle for 12GHz Spectrum

A big piece of what the Federal Communications Commission does is to weigh competing claims to use spectrum. One of the latest fights, which is the continuation of a fight going on since 2018, is for the use of the 12 GHz spectrum. The big wrestling match is between Starlink’s desire to use the spectrum to communicate with its low-orbit satellites and cellular carriers and wireless internet service providers (WISPs) who want to use the spectrum for rural broadband. Starlink uses this spectrum to connect its ground-based terminals to satellites.

What A New Era of Spectrum Coordination Will Look Like

The recent update of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Federal Communications Commission and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) memorializes a shared commitment between the two agencies to renew a partnership critical to jointly managing the nation’s spectrum resources. Now the work begins to translate this agreement into consistent, meaningful practice.

WISPA says it’s not clear why broadband infrastructure funding rules deem fixed wireless unreliable

The Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA) has been wrestling with a ruling from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) which will effectively allow billions in federal funding to go toward wireline overbuilds of areas already covered by fixed wireless access (FWA) broadband. WISPA CEO David Zumwalt said it’s been unable to get a straight answer from the NTIA about why it decided FWA services based on unlicensed spectrum don’t count as reliable broadband. Zumwalt’s questions specifically relate to the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, an

Money Alone Can’t #ConnectTribes

While policymakers continue to make substantial investments toward universal broadband, these investments still leave gaps in Tribal connectivity. The three primary general-purpose broadband deployment grants accessible to Tribes include the Federal Communication Commission's High-Cost program, the Department of Agriculture’s (USDA's) Reconnect program, and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA's) Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program.

More WiFi Spectrum

There is more Wi-Fi spectrum on the way due to a US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia decision which rejected a legal challenge from the Intelligent Transportation Society of America and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. They asked the court to vacate the Federal Communications Commission's 2020 order to repurpose some of the spectrum that had been reserved for smart cars. The FCC had originally given the auto industry a year to vacate the lower 45 MHz of spectrum. This spectrum will be available for home Wi-Fi.

Five Principles for Spectrum Policy: A Primer for Policymakers

Spectrum policy takes engineering and technical realities as inputs to a decision-making process that is driven by normative principles. While many competing principles have had their heyday, these five are enduring guides to making spectrum work in the public interest:

FCC Announces Winning Bidders of 2.5 GHz Band Auction

The Federal Communications Commission announced winning bidders in the 2.5 GHz band auction (Auction 108). In total, 7,872 of the 8,017 offered county-based licenses, or 98 percent of the total inventory, have been sold. With most of the available spectrum in the 2.5 GHz band located in rural areas, this auction provides vital spectrum resources to support wireless services in rural communities.

Auction 108 of 2.5 GHz Spectrum Closes, Raising Less Than $428 Million

Auction 108 of spectrum in the 2.5 GHz band closed after raising less than $428 million, a considerably lower amount in comparison with what we have seen in other recent auctions. The spectrum is considered mid-band, which is widely seen as supporting the optimum mixture of speed and coverage for 5G.

Bringing mobile connectivity to nowhere

T-Mobile and Space X announced their “Coverage Above & Beyond” partnership to bring about the “end of mobile dead zones.” It is one of a growing number of announced partnerships, ventures and rumors of similar nature and purpose of expanding the frontier of connectivity where it hasn’t gone before. “Coverage Above & Beyond” promises to provide satellite-based cellular connectivity directly to T-Mobile’s current smartphones thereby providing coverage anywhere in the U.S., its territories, as well as the vast unregulated oceans. However, much of the technical burden seems to rest on t

Scuffle over 6 GHz band raises questions about Wi-Fi 6E

In April 2020, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to free up 1,200 megahertz of spectrum in the 6 GHz band for unlicensed use, earning cheers from Wi-Fi and fixed wireless groups. But more than two years on, scuffles between industry associations representing cable, broadcasting, utility and public safety interests have left the future of the 6 GHz band in limbo. The spectrum is extremely important to cable operators and operators in general because it enables cable companies to offer the fastest service not only to your home but within your home via Wi-Fi technology.

The 12 GHz Band Is the Easy Case for Spectrum Sharing. Let the FCC Do Its Job.

The “future of spectrum is sharing.” Basically, the airwaves are now so crowded that the old model of “clear and auction” federal spectrum is unsustainable for a society as connected as ours. With Wi-Fi 7 coming up, we will need channel sizes of 320 MHz of contiguous spectrum to get the benefits. Despite doomsday predictions from incumbents that any change in existing spectrum rules would cause massive destructive interference with valuable existing services, the Federal Communication Commission's engineers successfully evaluated the evidence and created rules that brought us new wireless s

Sponsor: 

National Telecommunications and Information Administration

Date: 
Mon, 09/19/2022 - 08:00 to 16:00

A symposium to focus on developing, implementing, and maintaining a sustainable national spectrum strategy along with a focus on evolving spectrum management techniques. These focal points will enable the United States to strengthen its global leadership role in the introduction of new wireless telecommunications technologies, services, and innovations, while also supporting the expansion of existing technologies and the nation’s homeland security and public safety, national defense, scientific and technological advancement, and other critical government missions.



Dish sets sights on high power Citizens Broadband Radio Service tests

Dish Wireless is asking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for permission to conduct field experiments to evaluate high power Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) operations and its impact on current operations in the band. The application is notable given that Dish was the second largest bidder in the CBRS auction in 2020 and has been lobbying for a higher power level for the band

FCC Wins Court Battle to Repurpose Auto Safety Spectrum for Wi-Fi

The Federal Communications Commission won an important battle in a fight to free up more unlicensed wireless spectrum for Wi-Fi devices. A federal appeals court on August 12 sided with the FCC in its decision to reallocate a big chunk of key spectrum for an expansion of unlicensed Wi-Fi use. The spectrum had previously been set aside for auto safety.

T-Mobile forks over $3.5 billion for more 600 MHz spectrum

T-Mobile informed the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that it is buying additional 600 MHz spectrum from Channel 51 License and LB License for a total cost of $3.5 billion. About $1.9 billion will be paid to 51 License, and about $1.6 billion will be paid to LB License. The licenses range from 10 MHz to 30 MHz per market and cover over 108 million points-of-presence, or about one-third of the US population. The licenses are already being used by T-Mobile through exclusive leasing arrangements with the sellers.

Dish vs DirecTV: The Latest Opponents to Issue Dueling Data on 12 GHz

Dish and DirecTV are the latest opponents to issue dueling data about the impact of a proposed rule change for the 12 GHz spectrum band. A proceeding at the Federal Communications Commission is studying opening up 12 GHz spectrum for two-way 5G use. Both companies currently use 12 GHz spectrum for direct broadcast satellite (DBS) video service, but Dish and others advocate a rule change for the band that would enable the band to also be used for mobile and potentially fixed wireless services.

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel Isn't Worried About Authority Sunset, 2.5 GHz Auction

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said on August 5 that she is not worried about the impact on the ongoing 2.5 GHz auction if Congress fails to extend the FCC's auction authority by the end of September 2022, when it expires. There is bipartisan support in Congress to extend that authority, but the bill has not made it out of Congress yet and legislators are on their August break, after which they will be primarily focused on getting themselves re-elected, though there is certainly time to extend the authority before the September 30 deadline.

The 6 GHz IMT Ecosystem

The fast-developing 6 GHz IMT ecosystem is poised to play an important role in supporting 5G rollouts worldwide, according to the GSMA 2022 6 GHz IMT Ecosystem report. The report discusses the development progress of 6 GHz IMT systems and the central role that 6 GHz will play in delivering successful 5G rollouts. It warns that allocating the full 6 GHz band to unlicensed use risks countries losing out on the full benefits of scarce spectrum resources and damaging their ability to maximize the societal impact of governments’ and operators’ investments in 5G networks.

Lawmakers Urge FCC To Advance Broadband And Spectrum Access For Native Communities

A bicameral group of lawmakers sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel urging the FCC to consider more ways to advance Native communities’ access to and ownership of spectrum over their lands. It was recently estimated that nearly a third of Tribal lands in the United States lacked internet access. Over 1.5 million people living on Tribal lands lack access to broadband services. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated this disparity, limiting access to telemedicine, virtual and remote learning, and public safety programs, among other services.