Enterprise Wireless Insider, Volume 14, Issue 7

Pai Announces Forthcoming R&O on 900 MHz

In a blog post, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Pai announced that on May 13, the Commission will release a Report and Order to reconfigure the 900 MHz band for the deployment of broadband services and technologies. Chairman Pai specifically noted that for “decades, this band has been allocated for narrowband communications like two-way dispatch radios used by business, industrial, and land transportation licensees. The draft rules would make available six of the band’s ten megahertz for the deployment of broadband services, while retaining four megahertz to continue incumbent narrowband operations. The new regulatory framework would allow 900 MHz licensees, like utilities, to obtain broadband licenses and would include operational and technical rules to minimize harmful interference to narrowband operations. To facilitate the quick transition to broadband services, (the FCC) will use a market-driven process that primarily relies on negotiated agreements between interested parties.”

This Order has been nearly six years in the making and has been consistently supported by the Enterprise Wireless Alliance (EWA) as a means to provide Business/Industrial and private carrier operators, in addition to critical infrastructure entities, an opportunity to have access to spectrum dedicated to their broadband requirements, in lieu of relying on national consumer-based networks or FirstNet which is dedicated almost exclusively to serving mission critical user needs. 

FCC Expected to Maintain 800 MHz Interstitial Protections

On April 10, 2020, the FCC Chairman’s office placed on circulation for voting by the other four Commissioners the Order addressing the Land Mobile Communications Council (LMCC) Petition for Reconsideration concerning the appropriate protection criteria for 800 MHz interstitial channels. It is expected that the Order will reaffirm the FCC’s decision to maintain the F(50,10) curve for interference protection rather than the F(50,50) curve recommended by the LMCC, but that it will adopt the revised contour matrix filed by LMCC consistent with the F(50,10) curve. The Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau and Wireless Telecommunications Bureau hope to move quickly once the Order is adopted to issue a Public Notice specifying when applications may be filed. 

Adoption of 6 GHz Rules

Despite multiple ex parte filings noting significant interference risks, the FCC adopted its Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking permitting unlicensed operations in the 6 GHz band during its April 23 meeting. CTIA, EEI, AAR, NARUC, and NPSTC have submitted filings opposing the decision to allow low-power use without connection to an AFC and other aspects of the R&O. There also are reports that CTIA intends to pursue its proposal to have microwave systems in the less encumbered U-NII-7 band (6.525-6.875 MHz) relocated to 7/8 GHz Federal spectrum and reallocated for licensed wireless use.

FCC Extends Construction Deadlines

The FCC has granted in part a request by EWA to delay the requirement that site-based and mobile-only wireless systems complete construction of facilities in response to the disruption of work caused by the coronavirus pandemic. In an Order released April 15, the FCC has provided certain site-based and mobile-only wireless licensees with construction deadlines from March 15, 2020, through and including May 15, 2020, an additional 60 days to meet their existing deadlines. While the FCC did not extend construction deadlines until August 31, as EWA requested, the Commission noted that it “may consider further extensions if warranted.”

Amdocs Certified as SAS in 3.5 GHz

The FCC has certified Amdocs, Inc. (Amdocs) as a Spectrum Access System (SAS) Administrator in the 3.55-3.7 GHz band (3.5 GHz band) and is authorized to make its SAS available for commercial use for a five-year term. Amdocs is certified to operate in the contiguous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Guam.

Federated Wireless Certified to Operate as 3.6 GHz SAS in American Samoa

The FCC has announced that Federated Wireless, Inc. (Federated Wireless) is now certified to operate as an SAS Administrator in the 3650-3700 MHz band in American Samoa. Federated is a certified SAS for full scale commercial deployment in the 3550-3700 MHz band (3.5 GHz band) in the contiguous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Guam.