The FCC Wireless Bureau Thursday granted 16 licenses to winning bidders in the 2022 2.5 GHz auction. Under the 5G Spectrum Authority Licensing Enforcement Act, enacted in December, the FCC can now issue licenses despite the expiration in March of its spectrum auction authority (see 2312200061). The licenses were awarded to Northern Valley Communications in South Dakota, Paladin Wireless in Georgia and SkyPacket Networks in Maryland and West Virginia.
The FCC Wireless Bureau Thursday granted three licenses in the 900 MHz broadband segment, to PDV Spectrum. The licenses are in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The FCC approved an order in 2020 reallocating a 6 MHz swath in the band for broadband, while maintaining 4 MHz for narrowband operations (see 2005130057).
APCO representatives raised concerns about Wi-Fi in the 6 GHz band in a meeting with FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez. The expanded use of unlicensed devices in the 6 GHz band “presents a substantial threat of interference to public safety,” said a filing Wednesday in docket 18-295. “Real-world testing has raised doubts over the technical assumptions underlying the Commission’s decision to open the band,” APCO said. A 6 GHz multistakeholder group “failed to meaningfully address interference concerns or otherwise provide value beyond consensus that incumbents should perform baseline testing of their systems in anticipation of interference,” APCO said: “Public safety agencies lack the resources to promptly detect, identify, and eliminate interference from unlicensed devices, and viable alternatives to support mission critical communications in the event 6 GHz becomes untenable have yet to be identified.”
The FCC Wireline Bureau granted United Telephone Association's transfer of control request for Panhandle Telephone Cooperative (PTCI) to "assign substantially all of the assets held by United in the South Englewood telephone exchange" from United to PTCI. A public notice Thursday in docket 23-255 also granted the companies' joint petition for a waiver of the commission's definition of a "study area" subject to PTCI's "commitment not to seek Safety Valve Support" following the transaction.
The C-Band Relocation Payment Clearinghouse as of the end of 2023 received 3,843 claims for a total of $3.28 billion -- up from 1,712 claims for $2.49 billion as of the end of 2022, it told the FCC Thursday in a docket 18-122 quarterly report. It said that as of year's end, total claims received included 1,524 earth station operator claims totaling $227.9 million, and 2,308 satellite operator claims totaling $3 billion. It said that as of year's end, it had paid 1,790 claims of about $2.28 billion.
A senior research analyst from Georgetown University's Center for Security and Emerging Technology cautioned Thursday that in some locations the cost of replacing Chinese hardware in information technology networks with more expensive alternatives outweighs the benefits. Jack Corrigan told the China Economic and Security Review Commission at a Thursday hearing that procurement bans should be targeted at "high-risk sectors, networks and use cases."
The lower 3 GHz band, a top target for wireless carriers for reallocation for full-power licensed use, remains critical to DOD as well, DOD Chief Information Officer John Sherman said Thursday at NTIA's spectrum policy symposium. The band is one of five targeted for study in the national spectrum strategy (see 2311130048).
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel confirmed to congressional leaders Thursday that the Wireline Bureau will move forward with freezing new affordable connectivity program enrollments Feb. 8 amid the continued push to provide the program stopgap funding to keep it running once its original $14.2 billion allocation runs out in April (see 2401250075). Senate Communications Subcommittee ranking member John Thune, R-S.D., is beginning to cite a recent FCC Office of Inspector General report on its audit of ACP’s 2022 performance (see 2401300090) as vindicating Republicans’ misgivings about the program, which some lobbyists believe may complicate those funding efforts.
Comments to the FCC are due March 4, replies April 1, on NTIA-proposed Table of Frequency Allocation footnotes about the use of spectrum by manned and unmanned spacecraft during missions, said a notice for Thursday's Federal Register. In addition, the FCC is seeking comment on spectrum allocations in specific bands for communications with cargo and crew capsules and payload communications with the International Space Station and other crewed space stations. Moreover, it seeks comment on expanded use of the 2360-2395 MHz band beyond launch vehicle "telemetry and telecommand operations."
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel circulated a draft order and further notice that would allow FM broadcasters to air geotargeted radio “for a limited period of time during the broadcast hour,” according to a joint statement from Commissioners Brendan Carr and Geoffrey Starks endorsing the item. “If radio entrepreneurs want to test new business models and deploy new technologies, the FCC’s rules shouldn’t stand in the way,” said the statement, which thanks Rosenworcel for moving the proceeding to an order. The item stems from a 2020 NPRM that followed a petition from geotargeted radio company GeoBroadcast Solutions. The company’s ZoneCasting tech uses multiple synchronized FM boosters to transmit targeted signals that FM receivers pick up as being a single signal. The tech also requires a change to FCC rules barring boosters from originating content to operate. It's expected stations using the technology would mainly broadcast a single stream of content but briefly shift certain zones to geotargeted, specialized content multiple times daily: usually for localized commercials. GBS has said it could be used for localized weather and emergency alerts as well. NAB and large broadcasters such as iHeart have vigorously opposed the technology, saying it will reduce ad rates, interfere with other stations and affect the FM noise floor. In 2022, NAB filed ex parte letters (see 2209230070) with the FCC accusing GBS founder Chris Devine of “fraudulent and deceitful conduct.” NAB declined to comment Wednesday. Smaller broadcasters and groups such as the Multicultural Media Telecom and the Internet Association have largely supported the proposal, although the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters in 2022 voted to discontinue its support. Last year, NABOB was acquired by the U.S. Black Chambers, which has since endorsed the GBS proposal (see 2311030068."Geotargeting technology is not just about modernization; it's about survival and growth," said NABOB President Jim Winston in a UBC release Wednesday. "It's a tool that can rejuvenate a declining sector while also propelling forward the FCC’s vision of promoting minority broadcasting." “Small and independent broadcasters have repeatedly told us that geo-targeting could be a gamechanger,” said Starks and Carr in the joint statement. "It is a great day for radio innovators and a possible salvation for so many facing new levels of competition, said MMTC President Robert Branson in an email. "Importantly, the new service is another way for radio broadcasters to truly serve their local market."