Spectrum

Can Unlicensed Wireless Solve the Rural Digital Divide?

There are a variety of landline or wireless technologies that can deliver broadband. In most instances, wireless solutions have an advantage with respect to mobility and transferability (the ability to move broadband investment from one subscriber location to another). However, this advantage often disappears (and sometimes flips) when considering the increased operational expenses of wireless and the ongoing capital investment required.

FCC Leadership Renews Call to Restore Spectrum Auction Authority

On April 18, 2023, Federal Communications Commission leadership wrote to Congressional leadership to restore the Commission's spectrum action authority. The FCC's auction authority expired for the first time in the program’s 30-year history on March 9, 2023.

Public Knowledge Files Comments Urging NTIA To Adopt a National Spectrum Strategy Based on Public Interest Values

Public Knowledge and New America’s Open Technology Institute, on behalf of the Public Interest Spectrum Coalition, filed comments with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in response to the agency’s Request for Comment on developing a national spectrum strategy. The filing urges the NTIA to adopt a national spectrum strategy that will not only secure our nation’s future as a wireless leader but also serve the public b

5G for 12 GHz Coalition Submits Comments on a National Spectrum Strategy

In comments submitted to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) concerning a National Spectrum Strategy (NSS)—an initiative that plans to unify federal spectrum strategy and provide a roadmap for future allocations—our coalition is urging the Administration to recognize the value of the 12 GHz band and to call upon other agencies, primarily the Federal Communications Commission, to maximize the 12 GHz band’s usage.

How Much Licensed Spectrum is Needed to Meet Future Demands for Network Capacity?

Mobile data demand is exploding, with aggregate data downloaded quadrupling in the last seven years. New and innovative uses enabled by 5G, as well as the prospect of 6G applications, point towards further increases in expected demand for mobile network capacity.

FCC Adopts White Spaces Order

As the Federal Communications Commission continues taking steps to sustain and spur growth within the white space ecosystem, we adopt three orders addressing pending issues associated with white space devices. These actions will provide additional certainty to white space device users and manufacturers to enable unlicensed white space devices to operate efficiently while protecting other spectrum users. In the Report and Order we adopt rules specifying the database re-check interval for the new categories of mobile and narrowband white space devices established in 2020.

Verizon ‘not just chasing POPs’ in 5G mid-band race

T-Mobile grabbed a big head start on mid-band 5G deployments with its 2.5 GHz winnings from the Sprint merger, covering 260 million people with Ultra Capacity 5G by the end of 2022. Verizon is farther behind. Executives have said they plan to cover 250 million people, or POPs, with Ultra Wideband, which includes its 3.7 GHz C-band spectrum, by the end of 2024. CEO Hans Vestberg said the company is well ahead of schedule to reach that target.

UK Releases Wireless Infrastructure Strategy

The United Kingdom announced its wireless infrastructure strategy on April 11, 2023. As part of this effort, the UK aims to deliver nationwide coverage of standalone 5G to all populated areas by 2030, ensuring that it can bring its full benefits to villages and rural communities well beyond cities and towns. The Prime Minister has set out 5 priorities for the UK government - to build a better, more secure, more prosperous future for the UK, including growing the economy, and creating better-paid jobs and opportunity right across the country, which this strategy is focused on delivering.

T-Mobile Urges Congress to Reinstate FCC's Auction Authority

T-Mobile has long been a participant in the Federal Communications Commission's spectrum auctions, which the Commission has used for 30 years to rapidly assign licenses. These auctions fuel the U.S. economy—they’ve returned $233 billion to taxpayers so far, and once armed with this spectrum, wireless companies have spent another $635 billion building out networks.

Wireless capital expenditures in North America poised to plunge 10-20 percent in 2023

Telecom carriers and analysts have been talking about lower capital expenditures (capex) for 2023, so it’s no surprise that Dell'Oro Group released a report citing a decline in worldwide telecom spending in 2023. Dell'Oro states that the decline is going to continue for a while.

T-Mobile’s fixed wireless access retains air of mystery

Some questions about T-Mobile’s Home Internet service remain unanswered, including the cause of a deceleration of subscribers from the third quarter to the fourth quarter of 2022. However, the analysts at MoffettNathanson took a stab at examining that and other issues related to fixed wireless access (FWA) in a new report. The report is an update of one from a year ago in which MoffetNathanson worked with Opensignal, formerly Comlinkdata, to analyze where FWA subscribers are coming from. Not a lot has changed from a year ago; Opensignal’s estimates of T-Mobile’s FWA subscriber mix show sign

AT&T, T-Mobile, UScellular and Verizon reach agreement for full-power C-band deployments

AT&T, T-Mobile, UScellular and Verizon sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission saying that they agreed to voluntary commitments related to air traffic safety and the deployment of C-band spectrum. “These voluntary commitments will support full-power deployments across C-band, and are crafted to minimize the operational impact on our C-band operations,” the letter stated.

EnerTribe and Tarana Partner to Quickly Expand High-Speed Internet Access

EnerTribe, a Native American and woman-owned consulting firm specializing in telecommunications and infrastructure projects, and Tarana, manufacturer of the Gigabit 1 (G1) broadband platform, the first of its kind in next-generation fixed wireless access (ngFWA), announced their partnership to enable the rapid deployment of reliable, high-speed internet in tribal communities across the US. EnerTribe serves as a resource for operators, value-added resellers, and other organizations that provide essential services to tribal residents, governments, and enterprises.

April 2023 Open Meeting Agenda

Here is the agenda for the Federal Communications Commission's April open meeting:

Transcelestial creates laser wireless with 25 Gbps speeds

Singapore-based startup Transcelestial invented a laser communications technology that uses infrared spectrum to connect under-served people around the world to the internet. “The cost to connect the world is not commercially viable if upgrades depend on the rollout of new fiber cables,” said Mohammad Danesh, co-founder and CTO of Transcelestial. The company’s Centauri 25G product delivers 25 Gbps internet connectivity via laser beam, eliminating the need for underground cables or radio frequency-based devices.

T-Mobile asks for temporary authority to use its new 2.5 GHz spectrum

Although T-Mobile paid $304 million for 7,156 licenses of 2.5 GHz spectrum in 2022's summer auction, it now finds itself in the awkward position of not being able to deploy this spectrum. The reason is that Congress recently allowed the Federal Communications Commission's auction authority to lapse.

ABI: 5G fixed wireless access set to rival wired broadband

ABI Research’s latest report on the state of the fixed wireless access (FWA) market forecasts that 5G FWA subscriptions will reach 72 million by 2027, representing 35% of the total FWA market five years from now. LTE FWA services are already widely deployed worldwide, but they often can’t provide the speeds required to compete with wired broadband connections.

Mid-Band Spectrum Update

This white paper provides an overview of current and potential new mid-band and extended mid-band spectrum availability in the United States over the next several years, including technical characteristics and challenges, as well as policy and regulatory landscape. The realization of new bands in these spectrum ranges depends on several developments, including studies and solutions for coexistence with incumbent services. There are currently no bands in the spectrum pipeline in the US.

SpaceX accuses Dish, RS Access of pivot in 12 GHz tussle

A SpaceX filing with the Federal Communications Commission prompted the 5G for 12 GHz Coalition to say “hold on a minute” and reiterate its mission to make spectrum in the lower 12 GHz available for terrestrial 5G services. Citing reports by New Street Research, SpaceX said in a March 21 filing that Dish and RS Access, the latter of which it described as “Michael Dell’s Personal Family Trust,” have “abandoned their quest to have the [FCC] hand them new rights for high-powered terrestrial mobile services in the 12.2-12.7 GHz (12 GHz) band.” Bu

Congressman Guthrie Reintroduces SMART Spectrum Act

Congressman Brett Guthrie (R-KY) reintroduced the Simplifying Management, Access, Reallocation, and Transfer of Spectrum Act, or SMART Spectrum Act with Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) to establish a tool to improve the coordination of shared spectrum and mitigate harmful interference for commercial and federal users. Spectrum is a fixed, finite resource used for telecommunication and managed by the federal government. The federal government sets aside spectrum for public services and then auctions other spectrum frequencies to commercial users.

How AT&T Spent More than $140B From 2018 to 2022

AT&T says that it spent more than $140 billion between 2018 and 2022, mostly on its domestic wired and wireless network. Much of the spending was in capital investments—including the FirstNet first responder network – and wireless spectrum acquisition. The carrier provided the figure in a wide-ranging update of its following operations:

Sponsor: 

National Telecommunications and Information Administration

Department of Commerce

Date: 
Thu, 03/30/2023 - 13:00 to 16:00
Tue, 04/11/2023 - 13:00 to 15:30

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is seeking input from the public as it develops a National Spectrum Strategy that identifies the actions needed to maximize the potential of our nation’s spectrum resources. Access to spectrum contributes to technological innovation and economic growth and is critical to national security, public safety, and other national priorities. The agendas and other information regarding the events will be posted at https://ntia.gov 

The listening sessions will be held on:



FCC Grants Two Broadband Segment Applications

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (Bureau) announces the grant of two 900 MHz broadband segment license applications. No petitions to deny these applications were filed, and the applications sufficiently demonstrate conformance with the eligibility conditions (Eligibility Certification) and requirements for transitioning the 900 MHz band in the particular county requested (Transition Plan).

FCC Proposes Framework to Facilitate Supplemental Coverage From Space

The Federal Communications Commission proposed a new regulatory framework to facilitate innovative collaborations between satellite operators and wireless companies. These partnerships leverage the growth in space-based services to connect smartphone users in remote, unserved, and underserved areas. Numerous such collaborations have been launched recently, and the FCC seeks to establish clear and transparent processes to support supplemental coverage from space.