The satellite and wireless industries remain divided over the feasibility of allocating a portion of the C band for mobile services and estimates of spectrum needed for the future, ahead of the November 2015 World Radiocommunication Conference. Both industries are continuing to work with the U.S. government and foreign governments to reach consensus with those governments on establishing proposals for solutions, professionals in both industries said.
Industry groups and telcos argued against raising the bar for judging whether the availability of broadband is adequate nationwide. AT&T called the higher speed threshold the FCC is considering “a casual, back-of-the-envelope calculation” based on the “bandwidth requirements of the highest-volume households.”
Industry groups and telcos argued against raising the bar for judging whether the availability of broadband is adequate nationwide. AT&T called the higher speed threshold the FCC is considering “a casual, back-of-the-envelope calculation” based on the “bandwidth requirements of the highest-volume households.”
Most major wireless parties continued to urge the FCC to revise the rules it proposed for a new Citizens Broadband Radio Service on the 3.5 GHz band. Replies said the major faults of the rulemaking continue to be the proposed exclusion zones and the three-tiered spectrum access system (SAS) licensing framework. The comments, posted Friday and Monday in docket 12-354, repeated concerns that parties raised in July. Commissioners Mike O'Rielly and Ajit Pai had also raised concerns about the size of the proposed exclusion zones, in which spectrum use would be restricted to protect government incumbents, when the commission approved the FNPRM in April.
Most major wireless parties continued to urge the FCC to revise the rules it proposed for a new Citizens Broadband Radio Service on the 3.5 GHz band. Replies said the major faults of the rulemaking continue to be the proposed exclusion zones and the three-tiered spectrum access system (SAS) licensing framework. The comments, posted Friday and Monday in docket 12-354, repeated concerns that parties raised in July (CD July 16 p4). Commissioners Mike O'Rielly and Ajit Pai had also raised concerns about the size of the proposed exclusion zones, in which spectrum use would be restricted to protect government incumbents, when the commission approved the FNPRM in April (CD April 24 p4).
Intelsat hires Patricia Cooper, ex-Satellite Industry Association, as vice president-government affairs and policy, new position, effective Aug. 25; SIA searching for replacement (see separate report above in this issue) … NCP, remote access virtual private network provider, promotes Patrick Oliver Graf to CEO … WiTricity, which transfers wireless power over distances, hires Farooq Butt, ex-Dell’s End User Solutions group, as senior vice president-business development and strategy … FCC names Elin Swanson Katz, Connecticut consumer counsel, to Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service, on behalf of National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates, filling position of William Levis, Colorado consumer counsel … Cablevision elects Steven Simmons, Simmons Patriot Media & Communications, to board.
The Satellite Industry Association will search for a new president this summer. Its current president, Patricia Cooper, will resign Aug. 15 to work for Intelsat. (See separate report below in this issue.) During the recruitment process, SIA Policy Director Sam Black will be SIA acting president, SIA said Wednesday in a news release (http://bit.ly/1s52XN5).
The Satellite Industry Association asked the FCC for an extension of time to file reply comments in the proceeding on commercial operations in the 3550-3650 MHz band. SIA would like the deadline changed from Aug. 1 to Aug. 15, it said in its motion in docket 12-354 (http://bit.ly/1Ah3q3t). Reviewing all the comments and documents filed during the initial comment period, and drafting responsive comments will be time consuming for SIA and other parties, it said. During the reply period, many technical personnel for SIA member companies will not be available due to their attendance at ITU joint task force group meetings for the 2015 World Radiocommunications Conference, it said.
Proposed changes to how FCC regulatory fees are assessed impose a “disproportionate” burden on wireless, CTIA said in comments filed at the FCC. The FCC’s overall budget for FY 2014 is $449.8 million and Congress directed the agency to recover about $339.8 million through regulatory fees, and $98.7 million through revenue retained from spectrum auctions. Comments in docket 12-201 were due Monday on a June 12 NPRM (http://bit.ly/U1K1m0).
The Satellite Industry Association met with the FCC on further modifications that could be made to streamline Part 25 rules and reduce regulatory burdens on the satellite industry. SIA focused on issues like ITU filings for satellites, the commission’s two-degree spacing rules, and “streamlined processing of some space station and earth station modifications,” it said in an ex parte filing posted Wednesday in docket 12-267 (http://bit.ly/TRphxc). The filing pertained to a meeting with executives from EchoStar, Inmarsat and the International Bureau.