The House and Senate Commerce committees are likely to make the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act reauthorization debate and further work on spectrum and broadband-centric legislation some of their top 2019 priorities, said telecom aides during a Thursday Practising Law Institute event. Aides also cited interest in continuing to talk about net neutrality policy next Congress. Lawmakers and communications lobbyists we recently interviewed were skeptical of progress on a net neutrality compromise given the upcoming shift to split partisan control of Congress (see 1811290042). FCC Commissioners Mike O'Rielly and Jessica Rosenworcel meanwhile told PLI the commission shouldn't be cautious in pursuing policies to keep the U.S. competitive (see 1812060056).
Two groups asked the FCC to waive requirements that 3650-3700 MHz licensees complete the transition to Part 96 citizens broadband radio service rules by April 17, 2020. "In light of the delays in opening the 3550-3700 MHz band for commercial service under the CBRS rules and the uncertainty created by the subsequent and ongoing rulemaking proceeding, Licensees will require more time," petitioned the Wireless ISP Association and the Utilities Technology Council, posted Monday in docket 18-353. They requested extension through Jan. 8, 2023, when "the last 3650-3700 MHz license expires."
Though it's unclear what will come out of the comprehensive national spectrum strategy ordered by President Donald Trump last week (see 1810250018), industry officials said government is right to do everything it can, given the escalating demands for spectrum amid coming 5G. Some are skeptical.
The Wireless ISP Association is “disappointed” with the FCC’s 3.5 GHz citizens broadband radio service rules (see 1810230037), said a Wednesday news release. “We commend the FCC for rejecting the idea of auctioning CBRS licenses at the very large Partial Economic Area (PEA) level,” said WISPA President Claude Aiken. “However, the new combination of county-sized licenses, package bidding, long license terms, and renewal expectancy will shut out a significant portion of our members from using licensed CBRS spectrum to bring affordable, reliable broadband services to under-served rural areas.”
The FCC approved revised rules for the 3.5 GHz citizens broadband radio service band, as expected (see 1810160068), over a dissent by Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. Commissioner Mike O’Rielly, who crafted the revised rules, said changes were necessary to spark interest in the priority access licenses that will be sold as one tier of the band.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and an aide to Commissioner Brendan Carr met aviation, satellite communications and weather data groups with concerns about Ligado's proposed broadband terrestrial low-power service, said a docket 12-340 posting Friday. The groups said economic, public safety and consumer benefits of GPS, satellite communications, aviation and environmental satellite data communities "are too important to jeopardize" with Ligado's service, calling its benefits "speculative." They said it would threaten reliability of position, navigation and timing services like GPS, undermine investment in commercial satellite systems by changing the interference environment, and take 40 MHz of spectrum from satellite use. They are Aerospace Industries Association, Airlines for America, Aviation Spectrum Resources, Iridium, Resilient Navigation and Timing Foundation and Narayan Strategies. Ligado emailed that "as needs emerge and technology evolves, spectrum bands will transition. The 3.5 GHz (CBRS), 5.9 GHz, C-band, and L-band proceedings are all evidence of that principle and that the country is moving forward to achieve ‘5G First’. We are prepared upon FCC approval to invest hundreds of millions of dollars to help build this 5G future.”
The Wireless ISP Association told the FCC members will be left out if the agency approves only county-sized priority access licenses in the citizens broadband radio service band. The proposed rules appear headed to a 3-1 vote at Tuesday's commissioners' meeting (see 1810160068). WISPA representatives met aides to all commissioners. WISPA asked the order be changed to approve at least two census-tract-sized PALs per market. “While county-based PALs may be acceptable to larger WISPA members, the majority of WISPA members are small broadband providers that would be able to participate in the auction in greater numbers and with better opportunities for success if the Commission auctioned PALs by census tracts,” the group said Wednesday in docket 17-258. “Because many counties contain urban cores where large companies could easily satisfy their build-out obligations, the rural areas surrounding those urban areas would, in many cases, be left unserved with PAL spectrum.” Auctioning PALs by county “would give an insurmountable advantage to large cellular carriers such as Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Union Cellular (a regional provider serving our area),” said Lariat, a WISP. CTIA repeated support for county-sized PALs, as did the Competitive Carriers Association (see here and here).
The FCC is expected to vote 3-1 on Oct. 23 to adopt revised rules for the 3.5 GHz citizens broadband radio service band largely as circulated by Chairman Ajit Pai (see 1810020050). Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel is expected to dissent. A question remains whether she will be able to get a few changes that would allow her to vote for part of it. Rosenworcel voted for part of the wireless infrastructure order last month after getting a few concessions. Observers think a similar dynamic could develop here (see 1809260029). Interested parties got an extra day to lobby since the sunshine notice was delayed a day after the agency was closed Monday (see 1810150023).
Executives from Midcontinent Communications gave FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr a tour Thursday of the company’s facilities in North Dakota and spoke with him about the citizens broadband radio service band and other issues. “Midco shared its views on the 2.5 GHz and 3.5 GHz bands, next generation or 5G fixed wireless technology, and Midco’s preference for county-sized spectrum licenses,” said a filing Sunday in docket 18-120. “Midco also discussed its desire for the rural bidding credits for the priority access license auction in the 3.5 GHz band.” Midco said in written testimony at a Senate hearing last week (see 1810120051) it's testing residential fixed wireless speeds of 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload using 3.65 GHz and CBRS spectrum.
With a commissioner vote next week on revised rules for the 3.5 GHz citizens broadband radio service band, CBRS advocates said Monday the band is poised to be a big deal regardless of the outcome (see 1810110068). The FCC fight has been over the priority access licenses to be sold in each market, but 80 MHz remains for general access, unlicensed use, a Monday webinar heard.