CBRS

In a key next step for the shared 3.5 GHz citizens broadband radio service band, the FCC Monday got proposals for initial commercial deployment (ICDs) by conditionally approved spectrum access system (SAS) administrators. By early evening, proposals were starting to trickle in, with the first two filed by Ruckus Networks Finland’s Fairspectrum in docket 15-319. Other filings were expected, including by some of the main companies that have made clear they plan to serve as SASs, including Amdocs, CommScope, Federated Wireless, Google and Sony.

A long-awaited FCC order on changes to rules for the citizens broadband radio service band is unlikely for the Sept. 26 commissioners’ meeting, but should get a vote at the Oct. 23 meeting, said industry officials active in the 3.5 GHz proceeding. FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly said in early July he started to share his long-awaited proposal for the band with Chairman Ajit Pai (see Notebook section at end of 1807120033).

The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology approved tests of citizens broadband radio service technology by Mountain View, California. The tests are to wrap up Jan. 31 and use equipment supplied by Ruckus Wireless.

With the Connect America Fund Phase II reverse auction wrapped up (see 1808280035), the policy discussion needs to shift to spectrum policy, especially forthcoming citizens broadband radio service band decisions, the Wireless ISP Association said Tuesday. It said 15 members were among CAF II reverse auction winners. WISPA CEO Claude Aiken tweeted that the auction results are "one more step in closing the #DigitalDivide" and fixed wireless operators accounting for about half of the auction spending is a "Big moment for the industry."

The Citizens Broadband Radio Service Alliance met with FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly and staff from the Wireless Bureau and Office of Engineering and Technology, with a CBRS update. “We detailed the Alliance’s continued membership growth, the launch of our OnGo brand and certification program, the formation of our new Deployment & Operations Working Group, the growth in our Authorized Test Labs (ATLs), the number of [devices] that have been submitted for certification, and our upcoming Interoperability Event,” the alliance said Wednesday in docket 15-319. Nine ATLs have been approved and 12 devices submitted for OnGo certification, the alliance said.

The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology signed off on Altice USA plans for a variety of both indoor and outdoor wireless citizens broadband radio service product trials in the 3.5 GHz band in anticipation of a planned mobile service to rollout in 2019. In applications for special temporary authority, approved last month, last week and Tuesday (see here, here and here), Altice said it plans testing for six months in the 3650-3700 MHz band in two sections of Long Island, New York, and in the 3550-3700 MHz band in Arkansas. CEO Dexter Goei, in an earnings call with analysts this month, said the CBRS testing "may be a good complementary capacity" to its own WiFi network and MVNO partner Sprint's network, as Altice remains on track to launch a mobile service in 2019. The company didn't comment Tuesday.

The FCC shouldn’t offer census-tract-sized licenses as part of the licensed tier of the 3.5 GHz citizens broadband radio service band, CTIA said in a meeting with Erin McGrath, aide to Commissioner Mike O’Rielly. “The current licensing scheme for the CBRS, with 74,000 separate license areas based on census tracts and an average population of 4,400 per area, is significantly smaller than the license areas used for comparable spectrum in the rest of the world,” CTIA said in docket 17-258. “Census tract licensing would have significant drawbacks, including that it would create administrative complexity for the Commission, licensees, and Spectrum Access System Administrators; raise significant interference concerns; reduce the value of the spectrum; and raise the cost of designing and deploying networks, thereby harming rural investment.”

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The Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy cited potential harms from a USTelecom forbearance petition seeking FCC relief for ILECs from wholesale unbundling discount and resale duties. The office said many CLECs are "very concerned" the FCC may grant nationwide relief. "A blanket grant of forbearance in every market could have a devastating impact on small businesses that rely on unbundled network element (UNEs) to serve customers," said SBA advocates' filing on meeting aides to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, posted Thursday in docket 18-141. Many CLECs heavily invested in deploying fiber networks using revenue from UNE-based services, and then moved customers to their own facilities over time, creating competitive pressures and incentives for incumbents to do likewise, the advocates said. They "urged the FCC to study the impact forbearance would have on small businesses, competition and the deployment of next generation networks." SBA also addressed robocalling, infrastructure deployment streamlining and 3550-3700 GHz band issues. On the citizens broadband radio service, SBA sided with advocates of census tracts for the priority access licenses that will be part of the band. SBA has concerns that adopting larger geographic licenses could “foreclose competition and result in decreased service in rural areas.” Uniti Fiber said UNEs "enable the company to expand its service offerings and network to new customers," and it "relies especially heavily on dry copper loops" and "dark fiber interoffice transport," regarding meetings with Commissioners Mike O'Rielly and Brendan Carr, and an aide to Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel (here, here, here). It said "the loss (or increase in price) of these inputs will have a significant impact" on its ability to make new deployments and maintain existing services. Blackfoot Communications, an ILEC/CLEC leasing UNEs from CenturyLink, said eliminating its access to UNE loops or increasing their price "would have an immediate and direct adverse impact on businesses in Montana and Idaho," given lack of alternatives. UNEs support Blackfoot's fiber and fixed-wireless expansion, it told Wireline Bureau staffers. It urged the FCC to look at the UNE specifics of each regional Bell. CenturyLink, another ILEC/CLEC, "views purchasing UNEs as a short-term strategy which is part of a larger transitional process," said a filing on a meeting it and USTelecom had with bureau staffers.

The FCC adopted a one-touch, make-ready policy and other pole-attachment changes in a broadband infrastructure order and declaratory ruling approved 3-1 by commissioners at a Thursday meeting. The item also said the agency will pre-empt state and local legal barriers to deployment, including express and de facto moratoriums that prohibit entry or halt buildout. "No moratoriums. No moratoriums. Absolutely no moratoriums," said Commissioner Mike O'Rielly, who also noted some targeted edits to OTMR parts of a draft. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel agreed with OTMR in concept but partially dissented over "deficiencies in our analysis."