Officials with 5G for 12 GHz Coalition didn’t get everything they wanted from the FCC in the item teed up for a vote at the May 18 open meeting. But they're pleased with what was proposed and see it as the next step on the way to use of the band for fixed wireless, and potentially to be used as part of broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program applications.
A draft order, Further NPRM and NPRM on the broader 12 GHz band includes, as expected (see 2304260072), asking about fixed-wireless use in the lower part. It also asks about possible unlicensed use. The FCC also released a draft order on the 60 GHz band and a robocall order and FNPRM. All are proposed for votes at commissioners' May 18 open meeting. The proposed title of the 12 GHz draft is “Optimizing Spectrum for Services from 6G to Satellite.”
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel is proposing a bifurcated approach on the 12 GHz band for the commissioners' May 18 open meeting, dedicating the band's lower section, for now, to satellite broadband and the upper part to mobile broadband. The order involves some of the most hotly contested spectrum before the agency. The decision is in line with advocacy from SpaceX and others that said the upper 12 GHz band, which some refer to as 13 GHz, makes more sense as a target for wireless broadband than the lower 12 GHz (see 2210130063). Industry officials said the FCC may ask questions about fixed-wireless in the lower band. The FCC will also take on 60 GHz and robocalls.
The White House National Security Council led a 6G summit Friday at the National Science Foundation’s Alexandria, Virginia, headquarters aimed at ensuring the U.S. leads the coming wireless technology’s standards research development and deployment. Officials in part cited a need to prevent China from gaining a foothold on the emerging technology like it has on 5G. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel pushed during the summit for restoring the FCC’s spectrum auction authority as one means of cementing the U.S.' 6G role.
Despite considerable lobbying from some satellite operators for a different time frame, the FCC stuck with a 10-year sunset for interference protections in its order and NPRM passed 4-0 Thursday regarding spectrum sharing procedures among non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) fixed satellite systems (FSS) approved in different processing rounds. The commissioners at their open meeting also unanimously adopted a framework for requiring companies to renew their Section 214 authorizations to provide international telecommunications services to and from the U.S. and an order expanding its access stimulation rules to traffic that terminates through IP enabled service providers, as well as receiver standard and wireless emergency alert items (see 2304200040).
The FCC approved 4-0 Thursday “high-level principles” for spectrum management, focused on receivers. Industry observers say the effects could be limited (see 2304050046). Commissioners at the open meeting also approved a Further NPRM looking at more requirements for wireless emergency alerts, as expected (see 2304190027), which has proven more controversial.
LAS VEGAS -- Broadcasters and broadcast CEOs believe the FCC’s Future of TV Initiative (see 2304170056) will speed the ATSC 3.0 transition and that datacasting revenue could start flowing to TV stations as early as 2024, they said on panels Tuesday at the NAB Show 2023.
LAS VEGAS -- The structure of FCC regulatory fees and the way they’re applied to broadcasters is a thorny issue that's complicated to change, but this year’s fees will be “closer to a regulatory fee balance,” said David Strickland, media adviser to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, on a panel at the NAB Show Monday. , Media Bureau staff and 10th-floor aides in panels also discussed AM inclusion in cars, media ownership, virtual MPVDs and other topics. The FCC has authority to add Big Tech companies to the payor base, said Adam Cassady, media adviser to Commissioner Nathan Simington: “It may be time for a broad rethinking” of the regulatory fee structure.
Top Republicans on the House and Senate Communications subcommittees told us their recent broadband oversight moves weren't unfairly partisan and they seek a more critical assessment of the Biden administration’s implementation of connectivity programs from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and COVID-19 aid measures to prevent appropriations misuse. The subpanels' top Democrats and other stakeholders told us they’re not particularly concerned so far about the tone of GOP queries but are continuing to monitor how they compare with Congress’ past oversight of the controversial Broadband Technology Opportunities Program and other initiatives.
The FCC isn't expected to make big changes to the non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) spectrum sharing order on the agenda for commissioners' April meeting (see 2303290068), a satellite executive told us. There were strong disagreements over such items as sunsetting interference protections of earlier-round NGSO systems, and that kept up in lobbying by some satellite operators in recent days.