FCC Approves 24 GHz Changes Without Higher Emissions Limits
The FCC unanimously approved an order aligning rules for the 24 GHz band with decisions made at the World Radiocommunication Conference held five years ago (WRC-19). Released Monday, the order aligns part 30 of the commission’s rules for mobile operations in the band with Resolution 750 limits adopted at WRC-19 to protect the passive 23.6-24 GHz band from unwanted emissions on time frames adopted at the conference.
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But the FCC did not adopt stricter limits for unwanted out-of-band emissions (OOBE) than were approved at the WRC. That was a sticking point for Republican Commissioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington.
An NPRM proposing changes to the rules had long been stalled at the commission, with only Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioner Geoffrey Starks voting to approve (see 2212290030), prior to the arrival of Commissioner Anna Gomez, a third Democrat. Carr and Simington dissented on the NPRM, approved late last year (see 2312260043).
The proposed changes “are asks that were either rejected or never even studied at WRC-19,” Carr said at the time. “Thus, WRC-19 provides no basis or justification for turning heel.” Simington raised similar objections. The FCC sold licenses in the 24 GHz band in an auction that closed in 2019. AT&T spent $982 million in that auction, Verizon $506 million.
The order notes that NTIA, NOAA and NASA agreed to the adoption of the Resolution 750 limits. “While NOAA maintains that stricter limits would better protect Earth Exploration-Satellite Service passive sensors … it nevertheless acknowledges that the WRC-19 limits are a compromise and are what most countries are considering,” the order said. “While much of the weather and scientific communities would prefer to adopt more stringent unwanted OOBE limits, they too support the adoption of the Resolution 750 limits, at least as a preliminary step.”
The FCC also found that stricter emissions limits would be harmful to wireless carriers that bought licenses in the auction. “We find that adopting stricter emissions limits could significantly limit the ability to use the band for next generation wireless services and other advanced mobile services,” the order said. Because millimeter-wave spectrum “has limited propagation, licensees must deploy higher power to ensure sufficient network coverage.”
The order continued, “We find that the Resolution 750 OOBE limits will appropriately protect sensitive passive sensing operations in the 23.6-24.0 GHz band, while at the same time allowing next generation wireless service to continue to develop” in the U.S.
Adopting limits promotes “international harmonization” and “result in certain public interest benefits associated with such harmonization, including facilitating the provision of advanced wireless services in the U.S., providing regulatory certainty to all interested stakeholders, and promoting spectrum use by both wireless providers and the weather and satellite communities,” the order said.