The Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee’s Spectrum Strategy Governance Subcommittee plans to release this summer a report on potential major changes to federal oversight of spectrum (see 2001270046), members said Wednesday. One focus remains combining the FCC and NTIA. The meeting was delayed 30-plus minutes as members struggled to get online during the group’s first meeting in the COVID-19 era.
The FCC Wireless Bureau and Office of Engineering and Technology certified Amdocs as an administrator for the citizens broadband radio service band spectrum access system. This covers the contiguous U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Guam. A second Tuesday public notice greenlit Federated Wireless, already an accepted SAS in those areas, for American Samoa.
T-Mobile signed a three-year agreement to lease 600 MHz spectrum from entities controlled by Columbia Capital, and a similar deal is likely to follow with Dish Network, LightShed’s Walter Piecyk wrote investors Friday. Leasing is preferable because of T-Mobile’s “current leverage” ahead of the citizens broadband radio service and C-band auctions, the analyst said. Leasing spectrum means it can be “deployed in a matter of days,” he said. T-Mobile didn't comment Monday.
Carriers will lead the bidding in the July citizens broadband radio service band auction, but questions remain about the COVID-19 pandemic's effect on credit markets, said Joe Madden, chief analyst at Mobile Experts. The FCC delayed the auction for a month to July 23 (see 2003250052). Speakers Tuesday said another delay isn’t likely.
The FCC Wednesday postponed the first mid-band auction of citizens broadband radio service licenses for about a month because of COVID-19. The FCC postponed indefinitely an auction of FM construction permits. Analysts disagreed Wednesday whether the C-band auction could get pushed to next year.
Replies show little emerging consensus on an NPRM commissioners approved 5-0 at their December meeting (see 1912120063) proposing to remove existing nonfederal secondary and amateur allocations in the 3.3-3.55 GHz band and to relocate incumbent nonfederal operations. Amateur radio operators raised concerns right after the rulemaking was approved (see 2002180056). Replies were posted through Tuesday in docket 19-348.
Making more licensed mid-band spectrum available for 5G, beyond the citizens broadband radio service and C band, must remain an “urgent goal” for the U.S., said an Analysys Mason report released by CTIA Monday. An average of 382 MHz of licensed mid-band spectrum will be available in 13 other countries by the end of the year, compared to 70 MHz in the U.S., the report said.
In a key early test of the FCC’s ability to wrap up big items in a coronavirus world, commissioners are expected to vote in April to allow Wi-Fi to share the 6 GHz band (see 2003050058). The Office of Engineering and Technology hadn’t completed work on the order before FCC staff was ordered to telework last week, but most industry and FCC officials said they still expect the order to be ready for a vote at the April 23 meeting, though questions remain difficult.
Federated Wireless extended its spectrum controller platform for use in the 6 GHz band, which the FCC is expected to open for sharing with unlicensed users (see 2003050058). Federated provides similar service for the citizens broadband radio service band. The platform is “in trials … and is expected to be available for commercial use by the end of 2020,” the company said Wednesday.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai could propose an order on the 6 GHz band for the April 23 meeting, industry and FCC officials said. That would move one of his biggest pieces of unfinished business, providing spectrum for unlicensed use comparable to the mid-band allocated for licensed use in the C band. Pai was expected to propose an item in March. Staff needed more time, we were told Thursday.