Wireless Bureau Busy With 5G, Spectrum Frontiers, Auction, Other Items, Officials Say

Wilkins said he couldn't provide overall policy guidance as Republicans prepare to take over the agency when President-elect Donald Trump takes office Jan. 20. GOP Commissioner Ajit Pai appears likely to be named chairman, at least on an acting basis (see 1611140066). When asked if he would step down on Jan. 20, Wilkins noted he was "career SES" (senior executive service) and said his role was "under consideration.”

Wilkins acknowledged many big-ticket items are on hold after Capitol Hill Republicans pressed the commission to defer action on controversial matters (see 1611150052). Not everything going to the eighth floor is on hold, he said. "It’s these large, significant items -- the Hill was very clear, and obviously the chairman’s office is going to honor that.” Wireless Bureau items on a mobility fund Phase II and mobile roaming were among those withdrawn from the November commissioners' meeting agenda (see 1611160048). Wilkins said he couldn't say whether the mobility fund Phase II item might still be acted upon, noting the decision was up to commissioners.

"But there’s no slowing down of work," Wilkins said. “From the bureau standpoint, other than the two November meeting items, we were sort of at the place right now where there wasn’t like a particular big thing about to go up to the eighth floor. We were just doing a lot of ongoing work. So I think relative to other bureaus maybe there’s not going to be quite as much of an interim pause. The new commission will have to decide what they want to do on certain cuts and timing. But the work the bureau is doing, there’s a fair bit where we’re just rolling along and we’ll see where we are in the first quarter next year.”

Wilkins said "the infrastructure item" is a particular bureau priority. "We’re not standing down on that," he said, noting the bureau was still analyzing the issues. The focus is to facilitate 5G wireless deployment, including through coordination with local and tribal governments and other federal agencies, said Deputy Chief Joel Taubenblatt. Chad Breckenridge, chief of staff of the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, called the tribal issue a "top priority" for Chairman Tom Wheeler. "We’re hopeful that we’ll be able to get something done, although I think we’re also being realistic," said Breckenridge. "There's a lot on the table.”

The incentive auction continues to occupy the Wireless Bureau, said Margaret Wiener, chief of the Auctions and Spectrum Access Division. Jean Kiddoo, deputy chairwoman of the Incentive Auction Task Force, said the broadcast "reverse" bidding part of Stage 3 of the auction ends Thursday (see 1611280055), with the wireless "forward" side to begin next week. Both officials said staff is gearing up to address post-auction work on spectrum assignment and other transition issues. Wilkins said the incentive auction has so consumed the bureau that "it's a big question" as to what the next auction would be.

The bureau is working to complete licensing from the AWS-3 auction, said Blaise Scinto, chief of the Broadband Division. "We are quite close to being done," she said. "I think we have two outstanding applications of 31. So that's pretty good.”

The bureau is "in the middle" of the spectrum frontiers proceeding, said its chief. “The bigger issue is just going to be the broader administration turnover," said Wilkins. "There’s a lot federal coordination that has to happen on that. So the question of NTIA and the other agencies and just how the federal coordination is going to work would be the one question I would have on that.”

Scinto said her division is working on the spectrum frontiers proceeding. The FCC's July order adopted wireless licensing rules for the 28 GHz, 39 GHz, 37 GHz and 64-71 GHz bands, and there's "a lot of back-office work" that needs to done to convert licenses, she said. She noted the commission also issued a Further NPRM to explore what other high-frequency bands could be targeted for use. The division also is working on a "wireless backhaul proceeding" that looks to modernize and increase flexibility for Part 101 rules for point-to-point microwave services, said the staffer.

The bureau also continues to push to implement spectrum sharing in the 3.5 GHz band (see 1504170055). “We’ve been really encouraged by the amount of interest and engagement on that," said Brian Regan, associate bureau chief. "There’s a lot of momentum behind it, not just within the commission but in the industry, to really help make that band a reality. The benefits of doing that are pretty significant. That type of sharing can become a valuable tool, as we look at new bands in the future. ... So we continue to keep the pedal down to try to make that a reality in the near term.”

The Mobility Division is also implementing the 3.5 GHz order, said Scot Stone, deputy division chief. The division also is working on positive train control, 700 MHz lower-block construction showings, an 800 MHz cellular reform docket, competing proposals for using 900 MHz band spectrum, and Part 90 private land mobile radio spectrum proposals, said Stone.

The Technologies, Systems and Innovation Division is moving the universal licensing system (ULS) to a cloud-based platform to cut costs and improve performance for stakeholders, said Diane Dupert, division chief. She said staff is targeting three areas initially to transition, including general mobile radio services, with a beta version of the new GMRS platform targeted for release soon. The ULS upgrade is a "big deal," said Wilkins, who said the costs of the current ULS aren't sustainable.