FCC Hears from Groups Concerned about Specific Interests in Spectrum Above 95 GHz

that would be available for [fixed service] in this initial 36 GHz of spectrum, no reason exists to adopt service rules or introduce FS in the 66.2 GHz of spectrum above 95 GHz that is shared between FS and either the fixed satellite service or the mobile satellite service,” SIA said in comments in docket 18-21. “FS operators clearly do not require access to these frequency resources and considerations for sharing this spectrum should be addressed at a later date.” The Millimeter Wave Coalition urged the FCC to address some technical issues that could impede use of the spectrum. The group wants safeguards to protect experimental licenses from being too easily canceled by the FCC: “While experimental licenses will no doubt remain ‘experimental’ without the expectations of regular FCC licenses, there should nevertheless be a procedural safeguard to protect experimental licensees who invest significant sums of money in developing technologies under an experimental license. The cancellation provisions … should only apply in cases of actual interference with some safeguards to allow appeal of interference determinations.” The coalition also said the FCC should extend RF safety limits above 100 GHz and provide “regulatory certainty” for industrial, scientific and medical equipment operating in the above-95 GHz band. The coalition cited as an example terahertz spectroscopy, which the FCC’s NPRM mentions as “a technology that is well-suited for the above-95 GHz frequencies given the shorter wavelengths and that has garnered interest for these frequencies.” The group warned “the lack of regulatory clarity in the United States has deterred companies from investing in this technology domestically.” Other commenters urged the FCC to open the bands for wireless. “The pressure on existing licensed mobile and unlicensed spectrum bands will continue to grow, and the bands identified in this docket can play an important role augmenting the spectrum used to support America’s wireless connectivity needs over the long term,” Qualcomm said. The Wi-Fi Alliance said the FCC mustn’t cut off unlicensed use of the spectrum. The FCC should make “few, if any” allocations now, the alliance said. “Any allocations it makes should allow the necessary flexibility to permit not only Wi-Fi and other existing unlicensed technologies, but also future not-yet envisioned unlicensed uses,” the alliance said. “Any rules adopted today should not inadvertently preclude future technologies.”