Some Tweaks Expected in FCC's 37 GHz Order and FNPRM
Several changes are likely to be included in the 37 GHz order and Further NPRM set for a commission vote Monday, industry and FCC officials said. Limited changes are possible to the proposed robocall NPRM, which seeks to close a gap in the commission’s Stir/Shaken authentication rules. Both items are expected to be approved by a unanimous vote.
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Various groups and companies have met with the FCC about the 37 GHz item (see 2504220011). SpaceX has urged the agency to tweak the draft to make clear that the coordination mechanism proposed for sharing the spectrum is based on the Part 101 rules for the 70/80/90 GHz band. Public Knowledge and New America’s Open Technology Institute have raised questions about whether the coordination rules are too conservative. Starry, which uses the band for its service, suggested several technical changes, as did WISPA.
“There has been a push to move away from the requirement to do individual coordination and use something automated instead,” Public Knowledge Senior Vice President Harold Feld said in an email Friday. It’s “probably too late to change anything in the order, but hopefully the FNPRM will tee this up for consideration going forward,” he said: “Given that automated spectrum use coordination has become routine for [the citizens broadband radio service band], it seems odd not to take advantage of it here.”
An industry lawyer said aides to Chairman Brendan Carr seemed receptive to changes to the draft but offered nothing definitive.
The call authentication item saw less lobbying. A lawyer with wireline clients predicted few changes since there was little to base tweaks on in ex parte filings, unless one or more of the commissioners takes interest in a particular issue and presses to add questions.
An NPRM on changes to foreign ownership rules is also expected to get unanimous support from commissioners (see 2504250037).