CTIA's proposed high-frequency band road map (see 1707140055) would unjustifiably and unsustainably do away with the FCC's long-held technology-neutral stance by framing 5G as a terrestrial wireless-only neighborhood, said the Satellite Industry Association in a docket 14-177 filing posted Monday. SIA said a variety of satellite systems planned for bands above 37 GHz will let operators be part of the 5G biosphere, and CTIA's push for identifying bands solely for terrestrial wireless would harm competition and innovation among and between tech platforms. SIA said the 40 and 48 GHz bands need to be maintained as primary for core satellite operations, though terrestrial operations could use them on a secondary, noninterference basis, and there's "significant potential" for sharing the 24 GHz, 47 GHz and 50 GHz satellite uplink and downlink bands with terrestrial services. SIA said the CTIA road map would turn over to terrestrial wireless a variety of bands used by satellite, such as the 29 GHz band -- used by local multipoint distribution service stations and non-geostationary orbit satellite service feeder links. CTIA said Tuesday its road map "offers policymakers a balanced path to making much needed spectrum available for 5G services, while also providing satellite operators an opportunity to access high band spectrum.”
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai is teeing up a notice of inquiry for the Aug. 3 commissioners' meeting on the future of mid-band spectrum, industry and agency officials said. A coalition led by Intel is preparing a statement in support of a proposal for the mid-band that goes beyond what was proposed by Mimosa and other companies for the 3.7 GHz band. Commissioner Mike O’Rielly referenced the Intel-led proposal in a Monday blog post (see 1707100049). It's unclear whether the coalition will file the proposal at the FCC, given the expected NOI.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai is teeing up a notice of inquiry for the Aug. 3 commissioners' meeting on the future of mid-band spectrum, industry and agency officials said. A coalition led by Intel is preparing a statement in support of a proposal for the mid-band that goes beyond what was proposed by Mimosa and other companies for the 3.7 GHz band. Commissioner Mike O’Rielly referenced the Intel-led proposal in a Monday blog post (see 1707100049). It's unclear whether the coalition will file the proposal at the FCC, given the expected NOI.
DOD could object to reallocation of C-band spectrum for terrestrial use, given its plans to rely increasingly on commercial satcom services that employ that band, said Satellite Industry Association President Tom Stroup Tuesday, as SIA released its annual state of the satellite industry report. FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly blogged with support Monday for alternative uses of the “underutilized” 3.7-4.2 GHz band mainly used by fixed satellite services operators (see 1707100049). DOD didn't comment Tuesday.
Direct broadcast satellite and cable interests, which clashed over DBS regulatory fees in FY 2015 and 16 (see 1507080013 and 1607060023) are doing so again with the FCC FY 2017 fee proposal, as expected (see 1706050038). wireline interests -- saying they bear a disproportionate regulatory fee burden compared with other industries -- are backing FCC plans for reallocation of Wireline Bureau full-time equivalents (FTE), though the satellite industry is opposing. Comments on the fee proposals were due Thursday, replies July 7. The FCC Received support for its plan to hike the de minimis regulatory fee threshold and pushback on hiking the submarine cable regulatory fee.
The new Broadband Access Coalition is asking the FCC to add a licensed, point-to-multipoint fixed wireless service in the “underutilized” 3.7-4.2 GHz band, mainly used by fixed satellite services (FSS) operators. Mimosa Networks, the Wireless ISP Association and New America’s Open Technology Institute led the filing. Other industry officials predicted a big fight from satellite operators trying to protect their spectrum and potentially from cable operators. Meanwhile, the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology is working on a notice of inquiry looking at mid-band spectrum, like that in the Mimosa petition, wireless layers said. Plan backers said they did initial outreach to the FCC.
The new Broadband Access Coalition is asking the FCC to add a licensed, point-to-multipoint fixed wireless service in the “underutilized” 3.7-4.2 GHz band, mainly used by fixed satellite services (FSS) operators. Mimosa Networks, the Wireless ISP Association and New America’s Open Technology Institute led the filing. Other industry officials predicted a big fight from satellite operators trying to protect their spectrum and potentially from cable operators. Meanwhile, the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology is working on a notice of inquiry looking at mid-band spectrum, like that in the Mimosa petition, wireless layers said. Plan backers said they did initial outreach to the FCC.
The new Broadband Access Coalition is asking the FCC to add a licensed, point-to-multipoint fixed wireless service in the “underutilized” 3.7-4.2 GHz band, mainly used by fixed satellite services (FSS) operators. Mimosa Networks, the Wireless ISP Association and New America’s Open Technology Institute led the filing. Other industry officials predicted a big fight from satellite operators trying to protect their spectrum and potentially from cable operators. Meanwhile, the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology is working on a notice of inquiry looking at mid-band spectrum, like that in the Mimosa petition, wireless layers said. Plan backers said they did initial outreach to the FCC.
The North American Free Trade Agreement should include provisions governing intellectual property, recognize the importance of the internet, and be free of impediments to U.S. companies operating in foreign countries, said industry associations in comments submitted to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Friday. “The U.S. approach to renegotiating NAFTA should reflect the increasing importance of Internet-enabled trade to the U.S. economy,” said CCIA. “For the Internet to serve its trade-enabling role, and for local entrepreneurs to drive crossborder economic activity, trade negotiators need to ensure predictable liability protections are in place across countries where users and content creators are sharing information on Internet platforms,” said CTA. The agreement should include principles consistent with an open internet, said Public Knowledge. PK also commented on the agreement’s provisions on intellectual property, though it said NAFTA may not be the correct place for such provisions. “When multiple bilateral and regional trade agreements address substantive intellectual property in detail, they run the risk of an inconsistent and complex patchwork of obligations,” PK said. If copyright provisions are part of NAFTA, they should preserve public interest balance and “require limitations and exceptions to copyright, which are essential in modern societies and economies,” PK said. North American trading partners should “maintain a balanced system of intellectual property regulation” said CCIA. NAB, CTA and the Satellite Industry Association said NAFTA shouldn't include rules that make it difficult for U.S. companies to work with Canada and Mexico. The agreement should address Canadian retransmission of U.S broadcast content and Canada’s “discriminatory tax treatment” of U.S. broadcasters, NAB said. The agreement “should require copyright limitations and exceptions like fair use that have been essential to U.S. innovation and the strength of the U.S. tech sector,” CTA said. “The absence of such provisions in Mexico leaves the U.S. tech sector vulnerable there -- particularly as Mexico strengthens other parts of its copyright system,” CTA said. NAFTA should “prohibit” the “trade barriers which create performance demands on U.S. satellite services in Canada and Mexico,” SIA said. The Communications Workers of America suggested a host of changes to the agreement to improve its effects on labor. “NAFTA has had a hugely negative impact on CWA members and other working families across this country,” CWA said. “The renegotiation of NAFTA must replace this deal written by and for multinational corporations with an agreement that is designed to create jobs and raise wages for working men and women."
High-quality broadband, satellite communications and various devices play roles in e-health, early replies in FCC docket 16-46 showed Thursday. Comments were due later that day. "Reliable, secure, high-speed, high-bandwidth, low-latency broadband access is critical to enabling access to care and modern healthcare technologies," said Baxter. "As healthcare organizations transition from wired to wireless, and as data moves from within an organization’s private network to the broadband network, the cybersecurity, privacy, legal, and other risks grow. ... Guidance, tools, and policies" can help, it said: "Broadband-enabled services are used in all healthcare settings." Initial comments show such solutions "always depend upon a reliable and secure broadband connection of sufficient speed and capacity," wrote the Satellite Industry Association. SIA touted satellite broadband as a telehealth solution. Nokia said medical research shows health "benefits of self-monitoring in the areas of activity, weight and blood pressure and sleep." Initial comments on a public notice urged the FCC to hike rural healthcare funding; the USF healthcare connect fund has $400 million yearly (see 1705250035).