O'Rielly Backs Spectrum Frontiers Timing; Pai Aide Cites Possible 5G Auction 'Stumbling Block'
FCC Commissioner Michael O'Rielly welcomed Chairman Ajit Pai's spectrum frontiers plan to issue an order by year's end, and a Pai aide warned of a "potential stumbling block" to 5G auctions. Both spoke to the Americas Spectrum Management Conference Friday.…
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O'Rielly said the agency should auction licensed bands quickly or at least set a schedule. He said millimeter-wave spectrum "of greatest interest to manufacturers and providers" should be prioritized, with industry focused on the 24 and 42 GHz bands. "Considering these bands also makes sense due to the proximity" to already-allocated 28, 37 and 39 GHz bands where providers are conducting trials, he said in remarks. O'Rielly cited benefits of international spectrum harmonization and said the EU and China are among those studying the 24 and 42 GHz bands for 5G use. He said more work is needed on mid-band spectrum for next-generation technologies. He couldn't support proposals for fixed operations at 3.7-4.2 GHz, and labeled as "gibberish" criticisms that proposals to provide industry more certainty contained in a pending draft 3.5 GHz NPRM were "stale ideas." Those ideas ushered in auctions and modern networks that made the U.S. "the leader" in wireless, he said. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel Wednesday criticized the 3.5 GHz draft as offering "stale ideas" (see 1710120009). Citing unlicensed mid-band opportunities, O'Rielly said it's time to bring the 5.9 GHz proceeding to a close, and also consider whether dedicated short-range communications are needed. If DSRC isn't needed, the FCC could combine the 5.9 and 6 GHz bands to expand unlicensed operations. Surveying Pai's policies, his adviser Rachael Bender hailed "flexible" spectrum use and detailed FCC efforts in low, mid and high bands as part of his "all-of-the-above approach." She said a hurdle to the 5G push is that bidder upfront payments are required by law to be put in an FCC-designated "interest bearing account of a financial institution," but no private entities want to do that for spectrum auctions because of recent regulatory changes on collateralization and capitalization. "So the commission currently has no way to comply with the law or move forward with a large spectrum auction," she said, noting a legislative fix was included in a draft FCC Reauthorization Act cleared by the House Communications Subcommittee Thursday (see 1710110070).