The FCC likely won’t have to delay the citizens broadband radio service auction past a July 23 starting date and the C-band auction should start in December (see 2003250052), Commissioner Mike O’Rielly told reporters Tuesday. He conceded COVID-19 and a jittery market could raise additional questions. “There may be some difficulty,” he said. “Cash is not going to be as cheap as it once was. … The purpose is not to raise money. The purpose is to efficiently allocate the licenses. I will certainly keep an open mind if companies are having difficulty accessing capital markets and we’ll have to see if that’s a case.” A spokesperson said Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel is also concerned about auctions in light of the virus.
CBRS
The Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) is designated unlicensed spectrum in the 3.5 GHz band created by the FCC as part of an effort to allow for shared federal and non-federal use of the band.
The FCC Wednesday postponed the first mid-band auction of citizens broadband radio service licenses for about a month because of COVID-19. The FCC postponed indefinitely an auction of FM construction permits. Analysts disagreed Wednesday whether the C-band auction could get pushed to next year.
Replies show little emerging consensus on an NPRM commissioners approved 5-0 at their December meeting (see 1912120063) proposing to remove existing nonfederal secondary and amateur allocations in the 3.3-3.55 GHz band and to relocate incumbent nonfederal operations. Amateur radio operators raised concerns right after the rulemaking was approved (see 2002180056). Replies were posted through Tuesday in docket 19-348.
Making more licensed mid-band spectrum available for 5G, beyond the citizens broadband radio service and C band, must remain an “urgent goal” for the U.S., said an Analysys Mason report released by CTIA Monday. An average of 382 MHz of licensed mid-band spectrum will be available in 13 other countries by the end of the year, compared to 70 MHz in the U.S., the report said.
The Wireless ISP Association told members Monday the FCC is communicating to it that it will allow six months for 3.65 GHz licensees whose licenses expire April 17 to transition from Part 90 to Part 96 gear. WISPA President Claude Aiken shared the news in a private Facebook group. Aiken said licenses expiring in May will likely get a five-month extension. WISPA and the Utilities Technology Council jointly requested the extension (see 1812040002). The spectrum is part of the citizens broadband radio service band. The proposal got mixed reviews when the FCC took comment in 2018 (see 1812260035).
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai could propose an order on the 6 GHz band for the April 23 meeting, industry and FCC officials said. That would move one of his biggest pieces of unfinished business, providing spectrum for unlicensed use comparable to the mid-band allocated for licensed use in the C band. Pai was expected to propose an item in March. Staff needed more time, we were told Thursday.
The draft and final bidding procedures for the 3.5 GHz citizens broadband radio service band auction, approved by commissioners 5-0 Friday (see 2002280031), had no major differences. That's based on a side-by-side comparison. The priority access license auction starts June 15. The Office of Economics and Analytics and Wireless Bureau released an updated guide on technical and mathematical details of the bidding procedures Tuesday.
The FCC approved 5-0 draft bidding procedures for the 3.5 GHz citizens broadband radio service band, which formally schedules a June 25 auction of CBRS licenses. Unlike the C band (see 2002280044), this second mid-band item was approved after a relatively brief discussion without similar political fireworks. Commissioner Mike O’Rielly and Jessica Rosenworcel agreed the process has taken too long. The licenses will be the first mid-band spectrum the FCC has offered for 5G.
Bluespan Wireless sought a waiver to operate equipment in the citizens broadband radio service band under Part 90 of FCC rules, after an April 17 deadline. The wireless ISP said it has moved all its 3.65 GHz access points to software-upgradeable equipment certified under Part 96 rules and migrated most customers to compliant customer premise equipment. But in recent weeks, vendor “Baicells confirmed to Bluespan that its first-generation CPE will not be certified under Part 96, requiring Bluespan to undertake an unanticipated second hardware change-out for 300 customers in various parts of Bluespan’s networks,” said a petition posted Thursday in docket 18-353. Bluespan sought waiver through the end of next year.
The Dynamic Spectrum Alliance (DSA) told the FCC the sharing regime in the adjacent citizens broadband radio service band could be a model across the entire 3.1-3.55 GHz range. Other commenters said amateur radio operations should remain in the spectrum. Commissioners approved an NPRM 5-0 at their December meeting (see 1912120063) proposing to remove existing nonfederal secondary and amateur allocations in the 3.1-3.55 GHz band and to relocate incumbent nonfederal operations. Comments posted through Monday in docket 19-348.