The FCC granted waiver requests by Comcast and Midcontinent Communications (see 2004280039), which Comcast partially owns, allowing both to bid in the citizens broadband radio service auction. “In light of Comcast’s limited role in the management and decisions of Midco under a long-standing agreement unrelated to the auction and the internal controls implemented by the parties, we find that application of the prohibition against commonly controlled applicants would not serve its intended purpose in these specific circumstances and that waiver serves the public interest,” the Wireless Bureau and Office of Economics and Analytics said in an order in Wednesday’s Daily Digest.
CBRS
The Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) is designated unlicensed spectrum in the 3.5 GHz band created by the FCC as part of an effort to allow for shared federal and non-federal use of the band.
The FCC Office of Economics and Analytics and the Wireless Bureau sought comment by May 4 on a waiver request by Comcast and Midcontinent Communications, which Comcast partially owns, allowing both to bid in the citizens broadband radio service auction. FCC rules “prohibit an entity from having a controlling interest in more than one short-form auction application,” said a notice in Tuesday’s Daily Digest on docket 19-244. “Absent the requested relief, Midco and Comcast would not be permitted to participate in the auction as two separate applicants.”
CBRS Alliance President David Wright and telecom lawyers said Thursday they are hopeful the COVID-19 pandemic won't further affect the citizens broadband radio service auction. The FCC last month delayed it to July 23 (see 2003250052). Commissioners Mike O’Rielly and Jessica Rosenworcel had noted concerns about further pandemic-related effects on the CBRS sale and other spectrum auctions (see 2003310049).
The FCC is to publish its procedures public notice for the citizens broadband radio service auction in Thursday's Federal Register. The auction of priority access licenses starts July 23; applications are due May 7.
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.
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 likely won’t have to delay the citizens broadband radio service auction past a July 23 starting date and the C-band auction should start in December (see 2003250052), Commissioner Mike O’Rielly told reporters Tuesday. He conceded COVID-19 and a jittery market could raise additional questions. “There may be some difficulty,” he said. “Cash is not going to be as cheap as it once was. … The purpose is not to raise money. The purpose is to efficiently allocate the licenses. I will certainly keep an open mind if companies are having difficulty accessing capital markets and we’ll have to see if that’s a case.” A spokesperson said Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel is also concerned about auctions in light of the virus.
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.