FCC Puts Final Rules in Place for New Citizens Broadband Radio Service

The Federal Communications Commission reaffirmed its decision to create the innovative Citizens Broadband Radio Service in the 3550-3700 MHz (3.5 GHz) band, and took additional steps to finalize the rules. The Commission established the 3.5 GHz band as an innovation band, where it is breaking down age-old regulatory barriers to create a space for a wide variety of users to coexist by sharing spectrum. The item adopted today generally reaffirms the flexible and innovative regulatory framework the Commission adopted in the band in April 2015. Finalizing the rules sets the stage for the next steps, including certifying Spectrum Access System Administrators and Environmental Sensing Capability operators and holding a future auction, to making providing service in this band a reality.

As a result of technological innovations and a focus on spectrum sharing, the Commission was able to open up 100 megahertz of spectrum previously unavailable for commercial uses, which it added to existing commercial spectrum to make a 150 megahertz contiguous band. The rules finalize the framework for the Citizens Broadband Radio Service, providing an opportunity to leverage these new innovations in spectrum licensing and access schemes to meet the needs of a variety of users, simultaneously.