900 MHz Rules, Licensing Fees for Foreign-Flagged Satellites on May Agenda
The FCC will take on the long-stalled 900 MHz realignment, allowing broadband in the swath that has been used for narrowband communications including two-way dispatch, Chairman Ajit Pai blogged Tuesday, previewing the May 13 meeting agenda. Also slated are regulatory fees for foreign-licensed satellite operators, a proposed streamlining and revision of broadcaster license notifications, and an earth stations in motion (ESIM) order.
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Anterix, formerly pdvWireless, asked for the 900 MHz change six years ago, in combination with the Enterprise Wireless Alliance (see 1708160059). When the FCC took comment last year, it got mixed reviews (see 1906050040). The Association of American Railroads and others raised concerns. Utilities were divided.
The proposed rules would make six of the band’s 10 MHz available for broadband, while retaining 4 MHz for incumbent narrowband operations, Pai said. “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,” he said: “To facilitate the quick transition to broadband services, we would use a market-driven process that primarily relies on negotiated agreements between interested parties.”
“The utility and enterprise ecosystems in the United States are eager to put this spectrum to work fueling industrial 5G and delivering the benefits of secure, innovative, private LTE broadband networks,” said Anterix CEO Morgan O'Brien: “This decision will lead to new jobs, new investment, and new technology development." The stock closed up 9.9% at $53.85.
“Reconfiguring the 900 MHz band for broadband allocation will help support existing LTE networks and new 5G networks, enabling a broad range of use cases among many industries,” emailed Kevin Zvokel, Ericsson North America head of networks.
The FCC's $339 million FY 2020 budget will include fees for foreign-licensed satellites with U.S. market access, Pai said. Since the agency spends money regulating them, "it’s only fair that the foreign space stations, just like U.S. space stations, help pay for the Commission’s operations," he said. Various foreign-licensed satellite operators contested that fee proposal (see 2003240047).
Pai said there will be a vote on a draft order expanding bands ESIMs can use to connect with geostationary satellites, and allowing ESIMs to communicate with non-geostationary orbit satellites. "American consumers want and expect to be connected wherever they are, and this plan will open new market opportunities to connect vehicles on land, on sea, and in the air," he said. Commissioners approved an NPRM in 2018 (see 1811150028).
The media modernization order would let broadcasters fulfill notice requirements for applications with online, shorter notices rather than newspaper advertisements, said Pai. “The current notices are clunky and lengthy, and give consumers little guidance on how to access the applications and file comments or objections to them." The order will allow “simpler” notices that direct consumers to station online public files, he said. Broadcasters and public interest groups largely supported proposals to shift to online notices. Newspaper trade groups opposed early proposals to make the shift but were silent during the most recent comment round on the proposal, and the associated NPRM was approved unanimously (see 1909270027). "Notices will be simpler and transition from newspaper to websites, better reflecting how consumers access information these days," Pai said.