CBRS

NCTA and its members urged adopting 3.45-3.55 GHz rules consistent with those in the citizens broadband radio service band, in a call with FCC Wireless Bureau and Office of Engineering and Technology staff. “NCTA noted the successful outcome of the 3.5 GHz CBRS auction, and the role that the service rules for that band played in attracting a diversity of auction participants … and encouraging the widespread deployment of the spectrum,” said Tuesday's posting​​​​​​​ in docket 19-348. Charter Communications, Comcast, Cox and CableLabs participated.

Adopt aspects of sharing rules in the citizens broadband radio service band in 3.45-3.55 GHz rules, cable interests asked an aide to acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. Ensure the rules “provide adequate protection to adjacent CBRS operations,” said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 19-348.

Make the 3.45-3.55 GHz band available for commercial 5G “as quickly as possible” via rules similar to those in the adjacent citizens broadband radio service band, Federated Wireless executives asked an aide to acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “A holistic approach to the 3 GHz band will be critical for assuring U.S. 5G leadership by maximizing the utility of this spectrum for the widest range of diverse users and use cases and promoting innovative spectrum management,” said a filing posted Monday in docket 19-348.

Charter Communications ended 2020 with 19,000 more video customers than it had a year earlier, and it expects to do better in its video trends this year than the MVPD industry overall, CEO Tom Rutledge said during an analyst call Friday as the company announced Q4 results. Rutledge said the growth was driven in part by its broadband connectivity growth. He said industry growth will continue to decline "at a moderate pace," while Charter "won't have quite the internet growth … we had in 2020." Charter ended 2020 with 15.6 million residential video subscribers. It also ended the year with 27 million residential broadband subs, up 2.1 million year over year; 9.2 million residential voice subs, down 228,000; and 2.3 million residential mobile subscriptions, up 1.2 million. Rutledge said this year should have a return to pre-pandemic trends in internet subscriber additions, plus a full recovery of the advertising business as the economy also fully rebounds. He said that during Q4, Charter's minimum broadband speed offering of 200 Mbps went from being available in about 60% of its footprint to 75%. Rutledge said the 210 citizens broadband radio service priority access licenses that Charter bought for $465 million will be used on targeted 5G small cells. He said that over the next four to five years, up to a third of Charter's traffic might end up on the CBRS spectrum. The stock closed down 7.2% at $607.56.

NCTA urged aides to FCC Commissioners Brendan Carr, Geoffrey Starks and Nathan Simington to adopt parts of the citizens broadband radio service rules in the framework for the 3.45-3.55 GHz band. There's “concern expressed by many commenters in the record regarding the coexistence of deployments in the CBRS band with new adjacent 3.45 GHz operations,” said Tuesday's posting in docket 19-348.

The Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee unanimously approved, with no debate, a proposed memorandum of understanding Thursday between NTIA and the FCC (see 2101130054) on how they cooperate on spectrum. The current CSMAC is scheduled to meet one more time, during the new Joe Biden administration, to vote on a report on spectrum for drones.

The Enterprise Wireless Alliance warned the FCC that all states may not be ready to move forward with new rules for the 4.9 GHz band, approved 3-2 in September (see 2009300050), under which states will assign use of the spectrum. APCO raised concerns about the FCC’s order in general, in comments due Wednesday in docket 07-100. Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks dissented to the order, and experts say its future is in question (see 2012300047). The proposal is “novel,” EWA said: “It will require states to take on spectrum management and leasing duties for which some have little or no experience, and perhaps limited interest. While there are parties with expertise available to help guide them, this is not an undertaking that will proceed smoothly and at the same pace in all states, whether or not a State Band Manager also is involved.” The FCC will need to stay involved and oversee the process, the alliance said. Reconsider the order, APCO said. “The new approach to expanding use of the 4.9 GHz band is unlikely to promote public safety or the Commission’s spectrum utilization goals,” APCO commented: “Continuing with this ill-conceived model for fragmented state-by-state spectrum leasing would be a mistake.” Lift the 4.9 GHz freeze, urged the California Department of Transportation. Freezing incumbents in place is “severely disruptive to state and local entities that have operational needs requiring continued access to the 4.9 GHz spectrum and prevents system expansions for months and possibly longer,” the department said. Protect 4.9 GHz incumbents “against interference and signal degradation as states enter into lease arrangements,” it said. Federated Wireless called for a spectrum management system comparable to what’s in place in the citizens broadband radio service band. Similar to CBRS, “the 4.9 GHz band currently supports operations by disparate users, including radio astronomy, naval training operations, public safety and critical infrastructure operations,” Federated said: “As the Commission expands access to the band to include non-public-safety, flexible-use lessees, the number of users and uses will continue to grow.” Make use of the sharing technologies used in other bands, said Nokia. “Encourage cross-jurisdictional cooperation, whether between states or on a regional basis,” it advised: “While we believe that the band could be useful for small-scale enterprise deployments, certain critical infrastructure providers (such as railroads and utilities) and carriers could span multiple states.” The Wireless ISP Association said its members are interested in the spectrum. More use of the band “will trigger investment and promote public safety use,” WISPA said: The band “has commercial value to WISPs even if it isn't 5G spectrum. For evidence, the Commission need look no further than the nearby 5 GHz U-NII bands, where commercial investment and deployment have flourished because the Commission’s rules do not dictate particular standards, uses or users.”

The CBRS Alliance is expanding its focus beyond the citizens broadband radio service band and is now the OnGo Alliance. The group will look at 3rd Generation Partnership Project “technologies operating in shared spectrum bands around the globe.” The FCC, NTIA and DOD “are actively considering other bands for sharing,” said Executive Director Alan Ewing: “Additionally, the Alliance is being contacted by international organizations that would like to engage and become affiliated.”

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai is expected to tee up several items for a busy Jan. 13 open meeting, his last on the commission, industry and FCC officials said. The meeting is expected to be 5G heavy, including a notice on a 2.5 GHz auction and possibly a 3.45-3.55 GHz and 12 GHz item. Also likely, Pai could use the meeting to complete action on the latest Communications Act Section 706 report (see 2012160051) and other items he wants to finalize as chairman. Pai’s blog on the meeting is due Tuesday, with draft items to be posted Wednesday.

Google urged the FCC to move forward on an incumbent-informing spectrum sharing system operated by DOD for the citizens broadband radio service and adjacent 3.45-3.55 GHz band. “Such a system would notify authorized non-government users when they need to temporarily cease commercial operations in all or portions of the 3.45-3.55 GHz band to protect government operations” and would “avoid spectrum waste” inherent in the environmental sensing capability framework used in CBRS, said a filing posted Friday in docket 19-348.