Is Anyone Listening?
The Enterprise Wireless Alliance (EWA) along with a multitude of other like-minded organizations continue efforts to have the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) understand the importance of retaining some census tract-sized Priority Access Licenses (PALs) at 3.65 GHz. Last week representatives met with Abigail Slater, newly appointed Special Assistant to the President for Tech, Telecom, and Cyber Policy at the White House National Economic Council as well as with the staff of Federal Communications Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. Implementing a license assignment program that exclusively benefits national carriers at the expense of other entities, including business enterprises whose use of the 3.65 GHz band is no less crucial, but less demanding from a geographic coverage standpoint, deserves serious consideration by the FCC.
In an ex parte letter in this same proceeding, James Crandall, Policy Analyst at the American Petroleum Institute stated clearly the importance of this issue.
“Events such as the California wildfires reinforce the lesson that cellular communication is predominantly a consumer grade undertaking, which often is either uneconomic or unreliable for large critical data users, or of insufficient quality to meet tightening needs of digital application and/or data throughput. Consequently, the experts have voiced strong concerns over a potential proposal for the top 316 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) which eliminates the economic viability of CBRS [Citizens Broadband Radio Service] priority access by private firms within those areas. This change may have been prompted by the Commission’s belief that smaller license areas within these populous areas, such as licensing by census tract, will somehow hurt the advent of 5G speeds by the major carriers or threaten the U.S. leadership position in broadband data.”
EWA anticipates a decision from the FCC on this issue soon. (GN 17-258)
Category: EWA On Your SideGet the Spectrum Back in Play
On August 30, 2018, EWA met with staff of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) and Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB) to discuss various pending matters as well as the possibility of a “buffet auction” of spectrum being held in FCC inventory, such as the remaining Part 22 “paging” channels, Automated Maritime Telecommunications System (AMTS), Interactive Video and Data Service (IVDS), and similar small-sized licenses. While the FCC is focused on several higher-priority auctions that involve the much larger blocks of spectrum expected to be needed for 5G deployment, EWA is considering petitioning the FCC to schedule an auction for these smaller authorizations.
Category: EWA On Your Side
Annual FCC Fee Increases Now Effective
In July, the FCC announced its 2018 filing and regulatory fee schedule for fiscal year 2018, which largely remain the same for the types of applications typically filed by EWA members. These new fees became effective on Tuesday, September 4. The Part 90 waiver fee has increased from $200 to $210 and Part 22 Paging applications have increased from $435 to $450.
Because of an open rulemaking regarding the FCC’s regulatory fees, FY 2016 regulatory rates remain in effect for Wireless Telecommunications Services application fees that have an associated regulatory fee. EWA will inform you of any changes to associated regulatory fees for land mobile licensees upon FCC action.
Category: In the newsRecent Enforcement Actions, September 7, 2018
Another Mega-Fine for Unauthorized Transfer of Control
On August 28, the FCC announced that it had entered into a Consent Decree with Marriot International, Inc. that involves a $504,000 settlement amount. Marriott failed to get prior approval from the FCC before taking control of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide LLC. The violation, which was reported to the FCC voluntarily, involved 63 separate licensee entities and 65 licenses. It’s possible the fact that Marriott had more than $22B in 2017 reported revenues may have affected the size of the fine. (DA 18-843)
But Will Anthony Be Fined?
On the same day, the FCC issued a Citation and Order to an Anthony Locasto for the operation of an outdoor night vision surveillance camera that has been causing interference to Sprint’s 800 MHz cellular operations since at least March 2017. The FCC had already posted three prior warnings at the Locasto residence without receiving a response, and the interference problem has continued. The Order advised Locasto that a failure to resolve the problem could result in a fine of up to $19,639 per day. (DA 18-890)
Category: Enforcement Corner