Sharing 3.1-3.45 GHz With Federal Radar a Challenge: Spectrum Experts
Finding ways to make parts of the 3.1-3.45 GHz band available for nonfederal use, as laid out in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (see 2111120050), faces a variety of big hurdles, spectrum sharing experts said Tuesday at the annual Wireless Innovation Forum. NTIA Office of Spectrum Management Executive Director Scott Patrick said relations with the FCC "are in a nice spot right now," with commitments high in the Biden administration that agencies understand the positions of other agencies, and with plans for more concrete actions once NTIA and FCC leaders are confirmed. The two agencies collaborate a "tremendous amount" daily, said FCC Office of Engineering and Technology Deputy Director Ira Keltz, saying the agencies may not always agree but "the working relationship is good."
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Sharing the 3.1-3.45 GHz band is a particular challenge because of the density of military radar systems there, exacerbated by DOD moving numerous systems into that spectrum when clearing out the 3.45-3.55 GHz band, said Michael Calabrese, director of the Wireless Future Program at New America. "We need to think creatively about what we can do, how we can do it," echoed Keltz. Calabrese said provisions in the Spectrum Innovation Act (see 2111120002) would solve some problems with the Jobs Act, such as DOD being sole determiner of what sharing can be done, but the Spectrum Innovation Act could face Senate Armed Services Committee pushback against rewriting what had been bipartisan legislation.
Development and refinement of incumbent informing capability spectrum sharing technology"is a long-term goal for us," Patrick said. Many see IIC as a big focus for NTIA (see 2110220024). He said such a portal-based system would hold a lot of promise for knowing incumbents' spectrum needs in real time.
The FCC will likely receive several proposals this week on automated frequency controls in the 6 GHz band (see 2109290040) that meet at least minimum requirements, meaning the agency will be able to provide some interim approvals that would encourage activity in the band, Keltz said. He said allowing two-way mobile service in the 12 GHz band would be "extremely complicated" but he's "hopeful there are ways to figure out whether we can make this work."
The need for an interagency and a government/industry sharing process for spectrum use information could be filled by the National Spectrum Consortium's Partnering to Advance Trusted and Holistic Spectrum Solutions Task Group unveiled last month (see 2110270050), said Dave Wolter, AT&T Labs assistant vice president-radio technology and strategy. He said it could be critical to understanding particulars about DOD and commercial systems. Wolter said it's also important the U.S. have a unified position at the 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference on the 3 GHz band agenda item.
The FCC has been trying to expand its experimental license innovation zone concept, creating several this year (see 2108050056) for different types of usage, Keltz said. He said that should help toward the goal of spectrum sharing. Citing the Raleigh zone with a focus on unmanned aerial systems, Keltz said the agency could likely go much further in allowing those systems via sharing.
Patrick said the plan submitted to Congress in September for modernizing the agency's IT upgrades will give it the spectrum management capabilities "that seem obvious today" but that it nevertheless lacks. The modernization itself will be done in phases, contingent on federal funding, he said. Patrick didn't give specifics about what modernization ideas were handed to Congress.