The Association of American Railroads expressed concern about how railroads will be treated in a proposal to reconfigure the 900 MHz band, but the NPRM also got support. Commissioners approved the NPRM in March, before the FCC meeting (see 1903130062). It proposes reconfiguring the 900 MHz band, creating a paired 3/3 MHz broadband segment, and reserving two segments for continued narrowband operations. Comments were filed this week in docket 17-200. AAR said the NPRM mentions railroads in a sentence and footnote. “Based on its reference to site-based operations, the NPRM does not appear to consider relocating AAR’s nationwide 900 MHz band operations into the proposed narrowband segment as a single license,” AAR said. “Since AAR’s member railroads operate approximately 9,500 wayside stations nationwide, the NPRM therefore appears to suggest that AAR’s current nationwide ribbon license could be broken up into possibly thousands of individual site-based licenses.” The Critical Infrastructure Coalition “previously raised serious concerns in response to the Notice of Inquiry … regarding the negative impact a 900 MHz realignment to facilitate the deployment of a new ‘broadband’ system would have on existing CIC operations.” The concerns “not only remain but are heightened by the proposals set forth in the NPRM that suggest that the mandatory relocation of incumbents may be required,” CIC said now. The Enterprise Wireless Alliance, which proposed the revised rules with pdvWireless (see 1708160059), encouraged the FCC to move forward. The changes “will allow its members and other Business/Industrial/Land Transportation entities to drive productive use of the 900 MHz Band to a significantly higher level through a combination of broadband and narrowband systems as determined by the particular requirements of individual licensees,” EWA said. The Utilities Technology Council supports the proposal generally, seeking “rules that would protect against interference to narrowband systems within the 900 MHz band and in the adjacent Narrowband PCS band.”

Parts of the FCC spectrum horizons order, allocating the first bands above 95 GHz for Wi-Fi and other unlicensed use, take effect July 5, said Tuesday's Federal Register. Commissioners approved the order 5-0 March 15 (see 1903150054).

FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly told the Wi-Fi Alliance annual meeting Tuesday the 5.9 and 6 GHz bands offer the best hope for more spectrum for Wi-Fi. The 6 GHz band will offer the wide channel sizes important to the new standard, Wi-Fi 6, O’Rielly said. “Where 5.9 GHz would provide a nice new slice for unlicensed use, 6 GHz provides a whopping 1.2 gigahertz of spectrum.” Making the 6 GHz band available for Wi-Fi won't be easy, he said: “The FCC fully recognizes that incumbents must be protected. At the same time, any such protections must be reasonable. We no longer have the luxury of over-protecting incumbents via technical rules, enormous guard bands, or super-sized protection zones. Every megahertz must be used as efficiently as possible.” O’Rielly’s speech follows comments Monday at New America (see 1906030069 or 1906040021).

Citigroup saw surprising some results of the 24 and 28 GHz auctions, released Monday (see 1906030063). “Verizon extended its leading position in the 28 GHz band while T-Mobile and AT&T bought nationwide footprints at 24 GHz,” Citi's Michael Rollins told investors. “US Cellular was a surprisingly sizable bidder in both auctions, largely within its existing footprint. Starry was also a meaningful winner.” Rollins said that “broad-based participation by three of the four national carriers, US Cellular, and Starry reinforce prospects for positive business cases for millimeter wave spectrum.” T-Mobile won nationwide spectrum at 24 GHz “despite public comments about the usability of mmWave spectrum outside of dense urban areas," the analyst said. New Street’s Jonathan Chaplin said wireless players can now freely negotiate deals, at least until the next auction starts Dec. 10. “Results seem to support the view that mmWave has very limited utility,” Chaplin wrote: “There were dozens of sophisticated participants and dozens more that didn’t show up; we would assume they are all similarly well placed to assess the utility of mmWave as Verizon and AT&T.”

The Wireless ISP Association said it’s filing FCC comments backing modernization of rules for over-the-air reception devices (OTARDs), in response to an NPRM approved by commissioners 5-0 in April (see 1904150035). The rules are almost 20 years old and need an update, WISPA said in a news release. “Updating OTARD rules to allow small broadband hubs -- technology the size of a pizza box -- to be placed on private property will have a supersized effect on rural broadband deployment,” said WISPA President Claude Aiken. “It lowers barriers to siting fixed wireless facilities, enabling use of existing infrastructure free from onerous, local permitting requirements.”

Nutrien will pay $24,000 for taking control sans FCC OK of 210 wireless radio licenses. Nutrien was created in 2017 “for the purpose of acquiring the outstanding stock of two companies, Agrium and Potash,” said Friday's consent decree, including wireless licenses. Nutrien applied after the transaction was complete for a waiver and license transfer, the Enforcement Bureau said. “Nutrien admits that it failed to obtain the necessary Commission approval prior to transferring the wireless licenses,” EB said: “Nutrien also agrees to implement a compliance plan.” The company didn't comment.

FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks wants funding to support smaller carriers as they find Huawei equipment in their networks and replace it with other providers' gear. “A lot of these small, rural telecommunications carriers are, in fact, operating on a very thin budget,” Starks said Thursday on NPR. It's "important" to "find a way to ultimately be able to help folks make sure that we take care of this security threat.”

Verizon said any bidirectional sharing of spectrum with federal agencies should be based on “negotiated secondary-market arrangements in which commercial or other nonfederal licensees voluntarily offer federal entities access to nonfederal spectrum on a shared basis.” The FCC sought comment on bidirectional sharing, as required by the Ray Baum's Act (see 1905010205). Comments were due Friday in docket 19-128. Don’t mandate sharing, Verizon said: “Policymakers should avoid prescriptive mandates or conditions that would undermine the exclusive-use commercial license framework.” The carrier said the process the FCC approved in April for sharing in the upper 37 GHz band demonstrates why mandates won’t work. The rules allow DOD to seek protection for additional sites following an auction of the band (see 1904120058). That decision is “a cautionary note,” Verizon said. “The FCC has added an element of uncertainty that may de-value the spectrum, negatively affect the auction of the Upper 37 GHz band, and limit its utility to support 5G investment. A better alternative would have been to permit DoD to enter into secondary market transactions with commercial licensees.”

The FCC is scheduled to publish in the Federal Register Friday updated reconfiguration procedures for the 39 GHz band. “In this document, the Wireless … Bureau, in cooperation with the Office of Economics and Analytics, adopts procedures to reconfigure and modify existing 39 GHz licenses in preparation for Auction 103, an incentive auction that will offer licenses the Upper 37 GHz, 39 GHz, and 47 GHz bands,” the notice says: The procedures “are a critical step toward offering new licenses in this incentive auction, and will enhance opportunities for both incumbents and new entrants to provide valuable 5G wireless, Internet of Things, and other advanced services.” The auction is to start Dec. 10.

The FCC Wireless Bureau sought comment on a request by Dynetics asking for modification of the agency’s freeze on applications in the 3100-3550 MHz frequency band. Dynetics sought the waiver “to reverse the severe unintended impact of the Freeze with respect to the ongoing deployment of technologically-superior Part 90 Radiolocation Service solutions in the lower 3 GHz band.” Dynetics seeks “a limited and very narrowly-tailored waiver” for operators of facilities “within the 16 critical infrastructure sectors defined by the United States Department of Homeland Security National Infrastructure Protection Plan.” Comments are due June 12, replies June 24 in docket 19-39.