Starry CEO Chet Kanojia, meeting with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, updated its U.S. deployment plans and its Marvell collaboration on fixed wireless technologies aimed at 5G, said a docket 14-177 ex parte filing posted Monday. Starry urged agency progress on setting a spectrum frontiers auction timeline and promulgating coordinated sharing rules for the lower 37 GHz band.
Trimble remains open to working with the FCC on regulatory issues for Ligado's proposed broadband terrestrial low-power service, it said in a docket 12-340 ex parte filing posted Thursday on meetings with Commissioner Mike O'Rielly, Office of Engineering and Technology Chief Julius Knapp, an aide to Chairman Ajit Pai and International Bureau staff. Trimble backs an agency waiver to let U.S.-based devices receive Galileo Global Navigation Satellite System signals and repeated its concerns free high-accuracy service to be provided as part of Galileo's GNSS service could disrupt the commercial market (see 1712220034).
A large group of wireless ISPs and other businesses said the FCC shouldn't tamper with rules for the 3.5 GHz citizens broadband radio service band. “For many of us, CBRS will allow us to develop our own networks and deploy technologies that will improve the experiences of our customers and connect the unconnected in rural America,” said a filing in docket 17-258. “CBRS is ready for business, and we are here to tell you that business is ready for CBRS.” The FCC may approve a compromise (see 1801310067).
High exposure to RF radiation (RFR) caused tumors in tissues surrounding nerves in hearts of male rats, the federal National Toxicology Program said, reporting on results of study released Friday. NTP said the incidence of the tumors -- malignant schwannomas -- increased in male rats as they were exposed to increasing levels of RFR beyond the allowable cellphone emission levels. They noted an “unusual pattern of cardiomyopathy, or damage to heart tissue, in exposed male and female rats,” said a news release. The amount and duration of exposure were much higher than people experience with even the highest level of cellphone use, said John Bucher, NTP senior scientist. "Tumors we saw in these studies are similar to tumors previously reported in some studies of frequent cellphone users." Scientific evidence continues to show no adverse health effects from cellphone use, a CTIA spokesman said: "The scientific community will consider the NTP draft reports in the context of the many other scientific studies conducted over several decades.” Jeffrey Shuren, director of the FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health, also said cellphones are safe. “All of this research provides a more complete picture regarding radiofrequency energy exposure that has informed the FDA’s assessment of this important public health issue, and given us the confidence that the current safety limits for cell phone radiation remain acceptable for protecting the public health,” Shuren said.
Market-based regulation is important to spectrum policy, said Thomas Lenard, senior fellow at the Technology Policy Institute, in response to an FCC notice seeking comment on various Technological Advisory Council spectrum policy recommendations. Comments were due Wednesday. “While mitigating interference and its effects in real time is a technological issue, truly dealing with the problem in a longer-term, more robust way requires thinking about it as an economics and incentives problem,” Lenard commented in docket 17-340. “We would expect a flexible, market-based system to provide the best incentives to address interference problems in a cost-effective manner and to promote efficient use of the spectrum.” The Office of Engineering and Technology sought comment in December (see 1712040034).
FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel again backed scheduling a new spectrum auction. "Other nations are speeding ahead with plans for auctioning airwaves for the next generation of wireless services," she said in her statement on other auction items at Tuesday's commissioners' meeting (see 1801300039). "All we have now is a blitz of bands being discussed in regulatory proceedings. If we want to lead in 5G we need to take action -- and not the misguided effort to nationalize networks recently leaked to the press -- but real action." Chairman Ajit Pai and aides say the FCC can't hold a spectrum auction because it can't deposit upfront payments into a bank due to certain legal restrictions, urging congressional fix. Asked about that hurdle later, Rosenworcel told reporters the FCC was able to hold the 600 MHz incentive auction last year despite the complications. The agency "found a way" then and should find a way now, she said. It's "imperative" the regulator move ahead and the excuses for not doing so are "ridiculous," she said. A Pai spokeswoman said: "As we’ve previously indicated, the Federal Reserve Bank that agreed to hold the upfront payments for the incentive auction has made clear to us that was a one-time arrangement, and it will not do so again."
FiberTower agreed to return all of its 24 GHz licenses and part of its 39 GHz licenses to the FCC, in an agreement that settles FCC litigation. AT&T is buying FiberTower, with an interest in its high-frequency spectrum (see 1702010035). As part of the deal, FiberTower promised to terminate two court proceedings and pay $27 million to the U.S. Treasury. “This case presents a series of unique circumstances, which, when taken together, demonstrate that a waiver is in the public interest,” said a Wireless Bureau order in Monday's Daily Digest. “With the return of all of FiberTower’s 24 GHz licenses and the settlement of litigation, the 24 GHz band will be virtually clear of licenses and can be made available for initial licensing, enabling rapid deployment of 5G and next generation wireless services nationwide.” The return of 39 GHz “will assist in rebanding the 39 GHz band,” the bureau said. "Millimeter wave spectrum is important to our 5G strategy, and we expect to be the first U.S. company to introduce mobile 5G in a dozen markets by late 2018," an AT&T spokesman said. T-Mobile said in a statement Monday the order is disappointing. The FCC “is rewarding AT&T and Fibertower for Fibertower’s failure to construct,” emailed Steve Sharkey, vice president-government affairs. “This decision weakens the Commission’s ability to enforce its buildout requirements and further consolidates millimeter wave spectrum in the hands of AT&T and Verizon without a competitive auction.”
Broadband Access Coalition representatives explained their plan for the 3.7 GHz band (see 1708080050) in meetings with Commissioner Brendan Carr, Office of Engineering and Technology Chief Julius Knapp and other officials over two days. BAC is proposing fixed satellite service users be required to disclose how much spectrum they actually use, a spokesman said. Most use only a fraction of the band’s 500 MHz, he said. “For example, Associated Press, which has 975 registered earth stations, roughly 25 percent of the total, uses at each location only 23 MHz, since all of its earth stations are locked on a single transponder on a single satellite,” the spokesman said. “The BAC representatives urged the Commission to act as soon as possible to gather accurate data from the FSS industry, and to require earth stations seeking interference protection to register by a date certain,” said a filing in docket 17-183. The main proponents of the proposal are Mimosa Networks, the Wireless ISP Association and New America’s Open Technology Institute. AP didn't comment.
CTIA stressed the importance of high-frequency spectrum to wireless operators and urged the FCC to finalize rules for numerous bands, in a filing in docket 14-177 in response to a second Further NPRM on spectrum frontiers. “Millimeter wave spectrum will play a vital role in supporting the successful roll-out of next-generation products and services for American consumers, particularly as we race with other nations to lead in 5G, and the Commission’s efforts in this proceeding have been instrumental in achieving that goal.” The FCC should “promptly seek comment on auction procedures to allow the rapid auction” of the 24, 28, 37/39 and 47 GHz bands, it said. Also in CTIA’s crosshairs -- allocation of the 29, 31, 32, 42 and 50 GHz bands. The FCC should also “prioritize the identification, allocation, and licensing of additional spectrum for exclusively licensed terrestrial flexible use,” the group argued. The 26 GHz band should be “allocated for flexible, exclusive use licensing, as international entities have focused on this band for the deployment of 5G services,” CTIA said. Separately, CTA said the FCC should both make more spectrum available and lay out a timetable for future auctions. “These next generation services and applications will improve consumers’ lives, make industry more efficient, power smarter cities and government, foster American leadership, and create new jobs,” CTA commented. Making "this spectrum available brings opportunity for investment, innovation and competition, all of which the Commission must be mindful when finalizing the [millimeter wave] band service rules,” the Competitive Carriers Association said. If the agency gets the rules right, CCA members could “develop next-generation technologies,” from 5G to the IoT “on an equal playing field with the largest carriers,” it said.
Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel Wednesday urged the FCC to release a spectrum calendar, listing the dates of spectrum auctions. “Make public a #spectrum calendar, identifying what #wireless bands will be brought to market in the future,” Rosenworcel tweeted. “It can start with 28, 37, 39, and 3.5 GHz. The sooner we make our plans -- for licensed and unlicensed airwaves -- clear, the stronger our #5G future.” The FCC has been in limbo over auctions. Chairman Ajit Pai says the agency won’t hold any spectrum auctions until Congress approves legislative language that would let auction deposits be sent directly to the Treasury Department (see 1801160034). Pai says the Communications Act requires deposits placed by bidders in spectrum auctions be sent to the Treasury. “Recent regulatory requirements have dissuaded private institutions from holding upfront payments,” he testified to the House Communications Subcommittee in October. “Public institutions have indicated that they will not set up the special purpose accounts that would be necessary to offer such services. As a result, no financial institution will accommodate the holding of upfront payments in an interest bearing account for a large spectrum auction.” An FCC spokesman said Pai has been clear on the issue.