Educational interests got little of what they were hoping for in draft FCC rules on the 2.5 GHz educational broadband service band, in an order circulated by Chairman Ajit Pai for the July 10 commissioners' meeting and as expected (see 1906120043). Pai didn’t circulate a rulemaking on the 5.9 GHz band, which some expected, after it, like the 2.5 GHz item, didn’t make the cut for the June meeting (see 1905130054). The 5G items top a busy July 10 agenda (see 1906180080).

AT&T won licenses covering more than 98 percent of the U.S. population in the 24 GHz auction, it said Monday. The company said it's buying spectrum in 383 partial economic areas for a nationwide average of 254 MHz. All the licenses are in “the more valuable upper 500 MHz portion of the 24 GHz band, giving AT&T stronger nationwide coverage and additional spectrum depth and capacity in many top markets where demand is often greatest,” it said. “AT&T will use the spectrum to bolster its mobile 5G strategy.” The licenses cover all but one of the 100 largest PEAs. Starry, a fixed-wireless broadband provider, said Tuesday it won 104 licenses, covering 51 markets in 25 states and more than 60 million people. “Combined with Starry’s current deployment roadmap, Starry’s fixed wireless footprint will reach more than 40 million households, covering more than 25 percent of all U.S. households,” it said.

Wireless ISP Association President Claude Aiken discussed the 2.5 GHz educational broadband service band, in a meeting with an aide to FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly, said a Monday filing in docket 18-120. Chairman Ajit Pai is expected to propose new 2.5 GHz rules for a vote at the July 10 commissioners’ meeting (see 1906120043). “WISPA’s preference for an open eligibility auction designed with a 63-megahertz limit (roughly half of the EBS spectrum) on the amount of spectrum a bidder could acquire at an auction” would “ensure that multiple parties would be better able to compete for spectrum and in the marketplace,” the group said.

If the FCC OKs Ligado's pending license modifications to let it use 35 MHz of mid-band spectrum for 5G, it would be an active participant in any agency auction for the 1675-1680 MHz and likely "ensure" a successful auction by meeting a reasonable reserve price. That according to Ligado officials and economic consultants who met with Office of Economics and Analytics, Office of Engineering and Technology and Wireless Bureau staffers, recounted a docket 19-116 ex parte posting Monday. Ligado said without that license modification approval, its robust auction participation and its ability to create a 10 MHz contiguous block with the 1760-1675 MHz band is in question. The company said that could mean lower auction price and ultimately a delay in 5G.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and other commissioners placed blame for recent hiccups in work to free up spectrum for commercial 5G use squarely on the Commerce Department and NOAA, during a Wednesday Senate Commerce Committee hearing. Pai used the panel to announce pending FCC action to improve the agency's broadband coverage data collection practices, which have come up repeatedly in Capitol Hill communications policy hearings (see 1905150061). Senators also used the panel to probe FCC actions on other communications policy items, including GOP commissioners' public support for T-Mobile's proposed buy of Sprint.

Trinity Broadcasting/LPN Spectrum's C-band clearing plan (see 1905170034) is another call for a broad array of stakeholders to get a piece of any spectrum rights sale proceeds. Some see that as a route to getting any plan to move forward, they said in interviews in recent weeks. Problem is, one major stakeholder isn't yet on board.

Wireless ISPs need more and better spectrum to succeed, WISP Association officials said in a briefing for Capitol Hill staffers Wednesday. WISPA officials are especially hopeful about the 2.5 GHz band, a likely target of the FCC at its July 10 meeting.

Plaintiffs made initial arguments at the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which will hear challenges to the FCC’s wireless infrastructure changes that were aimed at speeding build out of small cells and 5G. Court watchers said what the 9th Circuit will do is difficult to predict, though it may prove unfriendly to President Donald Trump’s FCC.

The C-Band Alliance (CBA) is proposing a sealed-bid combinatorial second-price auction process for clearing 180 MHz of the 3.7-4.2 GHz band. The auction design -- now being discussed with the FCC -- is the last of the major components of its band-clearing plan put before the commission, the CBA told us Tuesday. That follows its transition (see 1904090067) and band plan.

The Wireless Bureau, in cooperation with the Office of Economics and Analytics, released rules on the reconfiguration of 39 GHz licenses, for auction starting Dec. 10. The FCC will sell licenses in that band, plus licenses in the upper 37 and 47 GHz bands in the agency’s third and largest high-band auction. The public notice in Thursday's Daily Digest also sets a timeline. “As part of the reconfiguration process, each 39 GHz incumbent will submit its selection of one of three Initial Commitment options,” the PN said. Each incumbent may “accept modified licenses based on the FCC’s proposed reconfigured holdings, … accept modified licenses based on an acceptable alternative reconfiguration submitted by the incumbent that is consistent with Commission requirements” or “relinquish spectrum usage rights under all its 39 GHz licenses in exchange for an incentive payment and eligibility to bid on new licenses.” The filing window for participation is July 9-15. The initial commitment window is Aug. 13-15.