Unlicensed an Important Issue as FCC Finalizes Incentive Auction Rules, Rosenworcel Says

"You're here to talk about the future,” Rosenworcel said. “The future of unlicensed spectrum is big.” The FCC is to take up incentive auction rules at its May 15 meeting, though parts of the rules for unlicensed are expected to be pushed off to a future NPRM. Among the questions about the rules is the size of the 600 MHz guard band that will be included in the 600 MHz band plan following the auction -- which could be a big as 12 MHz or as small as 6 MHz, industry and FCC officials say. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler proposed rules in April under which the guard band would be opened for unlicensed use (CD April 21 p1).

Rosenworcel said the FCC should also consider expanding the duplex gap in the 600 MHz band plan and allowing unlicensed to use that spectrum as well. “It’s high time we give unlicensed spectrum -- airwaves open to all under technical rules -- its due,” she said. “It’s an essential part of the wireless ecosystem, a critical part of wireless service and an important input to the modern economy."

Low-, mid- and high-band spectrum all must be set aside for unlicensed use, Rosenworcel said. She warned that the 2.4 GHz band, a key Wi-Fi band “is getting mighty crowded.” For mobile broadband, “the 600 MHz band is a good as it gets,” she said. “These airwaves can sound almost heroic. They can leap over tall buildings and go through walls like they are not even there. They're pretty super.” The FCC also must recognize the importance of wireless mics, low-power TV and medical sensors, all of which are competing for 600 MHz spectrum, said Rosenworcel. “We must acknowledge that they matter.” The FCC later posted a copy of her remarks (http://fcc.us/1uwGGcR).

Issa said unlicensed is preferable to creating more licensed spectrum, which is then sold to carriers. “The model for recaptured spectrum has to be that we figure out how to make it free, and then we collect, roughly, half of it back in taxes on profits,” he said. “It is that simple. The model for the government is we collect taxes on prosperity, not sell off pieces of America."

"It is your spectrum, and the highest and best use for your spectrum is to make it available for all,” Issa said. “There has never been a more important time to free up huge amounts of spectrum for use by people who want to make it available to everyone for free, or in a business model that is based on that low-cost, public interest."

"We've reached an environment where the government recognizes there needs to be a healthy mix of licensed and unlicensed,” said CEA Vice President Julie Kearney. “We're looking at an environment that we have to recognize the fact of licensed and unlicensed cohabitating.” Kearney expects the FCC to delay a decision on the rules for unlicensed. Putting off a decision is a workable solution “as long as the FNPRM in our view is thoughtful and asks the right questions and we're looking at the guard bands in a sensible way,” she said. “We have to be sensible with where unlicensed fits in, because we want to make sure that devices are deployed and that we don’t find out later that we didn’t do the technical homework.”

Google spent a lot of time and energy promoting unlicensed use of the TV white spaces, said Alan Norman, a member of its access strategy team. “To the extent that the FCC finds a way to make some spectrum for unlicensed, in a balanced way with the licensed uses, we think that that has significant upside.” Use of the 600 MHz spectrum can make at-home Wi-Fi work better, Norman said. “It can also be helpful for things like muni Wi-Fi,” he said. “There are very important applications that are really hinging on the balance of what the FCC rules."

"Regulators around the world are paying attention to what the FCC with be doing on the 15th,” said Michael Daum, a technology policy strategist at Microsoft.