Groups Support T-Mobile/Grain Transaction
The Utility Broadband Alliance supported a transaction announced in March, in which Grain Management would buy all of T-Mobile's 800 MHz spectrum in exchange for cash and Grain's 600 MHz spectrum portfolio (see 2503210033). Comments were due Friday in docket 25-178.
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The alliance “supports efforts to improve the operations and security of our nation’s evolving electric grid through facilitating the deployment of private LTE and 5G networks enabled by broadband spectrum,” the filing said. It “accordingly supports the proposed transactions to the extent that they will, as Applicants state, provide utilities with access to much-needed licensed broadband spectrum to support their expanding communications needs.”
The Enterprise Wireless Alliance also endorsed the transaction, saying it supports “actions that have the potential to create spectrum options for enterprise entities seeking to deploy private networks, particularly those involving advanced technologies.” If the FCC approves the assignment, “Grain should be permitted to discontinue whatever operations T-Mobile had maintained while Grain attempts to market its 800 MHz spectrum to other entities.” Band transitions “typically involve the replacement of existing operations that cannot co-exist with facilities to be deployed by new entrants," the alliance said. "At some point, the old must give way to the new.”