WISPA, Tech Players Say FCC Should Look Again at C-Band Sharing
The FCC draft proposal for the C band, set for a vote Friday, wrongly forecloses sharing with point-to-multipoint operations, wireless ISPs and tech groups told the commission in meetings last week. Most filings posted Monday in docket 18-122 deal with…
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issues previously raised. The FCC should have at least sought comment on sharing, said Google, Microsoft, the Open Technology Institute at New America and the Wireless ISP Association. The agency could delay some issues for future consideration in the interest of broader support for key parts of the plan (see 2002210046:). The draft “mischaracterizes the weight of comments in the record by stating that ‘an overwhelming number of commenters across industries oppose the proposal’” for sharing, the tech interests said: Sixteen commenters "argued for the proposed spectrum sharing.” WISPA and the others had meetings with aides to all five commissioners, posted Monday. NAB sought tweaks, to “allow satellite customers to comment on each satellite operator’s transition plan before approving it” and the commission should require the clearinghouse to “resolve disputes beyond reimbursement. ... The Commission should seek information not only from space station operators, but from other stakeholders, to confirm that the transition has been successfully completed.” CTIA said the FCC is on the right track. “Make clear that earth station operators that elect to transition to fiber rather than maintaining satellite reception must complete their transition by the relevant accelerated relocation deadline,” CTIA asked: “This modest clarification will provide earth station operators, bidders, and the administrator of the Relocation Payment Clearinghouse with added certainty regarding the relocation process, thereby better enabling a smooth post-auction transition.” Aviation industry groups said the order should be modified to guarantee safe operation of radio altimeters in nearby spectrum. The draft “proposes simply to monitor the situation,” said the Aerospace Industries Association, Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association, Air Line Pilots Association, Airlines for America, Aviation Spectrum Resources and others: “There is a lot more that the Commission can and should do now with the inputs and active involvement of both the commercial wireless and the aerospace and aviation industries.” It should “expressly provide that, as new entrants coming into the spectrum, flexible use licensees shall not cause harmful interference to adjacent band radio altimeters and they should be responsible for resolving any such interference,” they said. Charter Communications urged addressing “the potential for harmful interference at the band edge” between the C band and the citizens broadband radio service band.