CenturyLink Seeks Mostly Small Licenses in CBRS Band
CenturyLink was “regrettably” unable to sign the proposed framework for the citizens broadband radio service band submitted to the FCC last week by the CBRS Coalition, said a filing posted Thursday in docket 17-258. CenturyLink said the coalition proposal, which…
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called for five county-based priority access licenses (PALs) and two census tract-based PALs (see 1805100062) in every market, didn’t provide enough small licenses. “A minimum of 40 MHz of licensed spectrum is essential to enable effective deployment of a fixed wireless high-speed broadband service in rural areas, especially one that would meet Connect America Fund Phase II broadband service requirements,” the telco said. It assured the commission it's serious about using the 3.5 GHz band. “This spectrum provides a rare opportunity to help meet the nation’s critical need for broadband network investment in difficult-to-serve rural areas that will otherwise remain left behind,” the company said. “The Commission can understand the reason that CenturyLink sees the coalition’s proposal as insufficient[.] CenturyLink is actively testing fixed wireless broadband service in the 3.5-3.7 GHz band and is evaluating the delivery of wireless broadband speeds of 10 Mbps downstream and 1 Mbps upstream.” NTIA, meanwhile, filed a letter at the FCC on technical aspects of the protection zones for DOD radar that are part of the rules for the band. NTIA also notified the FCC of a new exclusion zone for Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.