FCC Looking at Final Rule Tweaks for 3.5 GHz Shared Spectrum Band
A second report and order on recon circulated to the FCC Friday addresses the few remaining issues on the 3.5 GHz shared spectrum band, an FCC official said Friday. The item is likely a final step toward opening the band,…
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the official said. The recon order largely leaves in place the framework adopted by the agency last April (see 1504170055), the official said. In its one tweak, the order increases the power level for nonrural Category B citizen broadband radio service devices, the official said. The report addresses how the FCC will define use for the priority access licenses (PALs) that will be auctioned by the FCC under the rules, the official said. The PAL spectrum is available for general use when not in use under a “use it or share it” regime. The order also addresses the issue of secondary markets for the PAL licenses and addresses fixed satellite service (FSS) protection, the official said. The order would use an engineering metric to provide geographic protection for in-band FSS sites, the official said. The order provides similar protections for a small number of FSS sites located out of band, at 3.7 GHz and above, used for tracking and control, the official said. The Wireless Bureau and Office of Engineering and Technology circulated the item. The FCC approved the initial NPRM on the band in 2012 (see 1212130044). The order would establish a three-tiered access and sharing model made up of federal and nonfederal incumbents, PALs and general authorized access users.