Commercial carriers want clear spectrum, rather than sharing it with Federal government users. That was the essence of the first of several recommendations in an outline document on spectrum sharing that was considered during the November 11 meeting of the Commerce Representatives on the Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee (CSMAC). While carriers prefer reallocation and clearing of spectrum, the outline also recommended sharing should be studied in spectrum bands that cannot be fully cleared in order to determine what impact those federal systems that remain in the band would have on future commercial uses, and what sharing conditions are required to protect incumbent systems. The outline recommended that joint-studies between incumbents and new entrants be conducted to characterize incumbent operations and evaluate compatibility between new entrants and incumbent Federal government operations. Further, the outline recommended the establishment of a joint government-industry technical committee to conduct the studies.
UTC is working with CSMAC to develop opportunities for utilities and other critical infrastructure industries (CII) to share spectrum with Federal government users. Given carriers' preference for cleared spectrum, utilities may have a better opportunity to share spectrum that cannot be cleared. UTC has advocated for shared access to the 1800-1830 MHz band, which is part of the larger 1755-1850 MHz band that the CSMAC is currently evaluating for broadband use. During today’s CSMAC meeting, the “Search for 500 MHz Working Group” recommended reallocating the entire 1755-1850 MHz band for commercial broadband using a two-stage approach by which the 1755-1780 MHz band would be fast-tracked on a "high priority" and the rest of the spectrum from 1780-1850 MHz would be given a "longer term focus" to provide additional time to further develop government reallocation and sharing options and develop pairing options with other spectrum bands. Thus, the CSMAC appears intent on pushing to reallocate and clear the 1800-1830 MHz band for commercial broadband, but the question remains whether incumbent Federal users in the band will agree to move and whether commercial broadband service providers can afford to pay for relocating them. If not, there may still be an opportunity for utilities to share that spectrum with Federal government users.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has reportedly announced that it has completed its analysis of the 1755-1850 MHz band for broadband use. According to TR Daily, NTIA plans to finalize the report and make it publicly available "in the coming weeks." While nothing official has been released yet, the report is expected to conclude that the 1755-1780 MHz portion of the band could be made available for commercial broadband, but that suitable spectrum must be identified for relocating incumbent Federal spectrum users first, which could be a long, drawn-out process.

Meanwhile, NTIA's Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee (CSMAC) has scheduled its next meeting for November 10, 2011 at 9:00 am-12:00 pm ET at the US Department of Commerce in Washington, DC. The meeting is open the public and, while a detailed agenda has not been published yet, will review the findings and recommendations of each of CSMAC's four subcommittees: 500 MHz Initiative; Spectrum Sharing; Spectrum Management Improvements; and Unlicensed Spectrum. The CSMAC was established to assist the Commerce Department in its efforts to develop radio frequency policies that will promote new technologies, expand consumer choice and enhance first responder capabilities. It also develops recommendations for improving the federal government's internal spectrum management policies and stimulating more efficient use of the radio spectrum by state and local governments and the private sector. Doug McGinnis, Principal Smart Grid Communications Architect for Exelon Corporation and UTC Smart Networks Council Board of Director, is a representative on CSMAC.

At a meeting of the Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee (CSMAC) in Boulder, Colorado this week, the “Search for 500 MHz” working group (WG) unveiled an interim report that supports reallocating the 1755-1850 MHz band for commercial services. The 1755-1780 MHz portion of the band would be the highest priority for reallocation, while reallocation of the remainder of the spectrum would be a longer term priority designed to allow more time to develop government relocation and sharing arrangements and to allow for the development of options for pairing the spectrum with other frequency bands. The WG also laid out principles for the band that would favor relocating incumbent Federal government operations entirely out of the band, rather than relocating them into the upper portion of the band. These principles would also limit sharing to short or medium term where necessary, and would only permit long-term sharing to cases where relocation of Federal government incumbents is not possible and where commercial operations would continue to have substantial access to the spectrum. Finally, the WG reported that there was no simple answer to quantifying how much interference that would be acceptable for commercial operations that would be using the band. Instead, the WG recommended case-by-case study of the impact of potential interference. In addition, the WG discouraged the Federal government from instituting exclusion zones as a way of coordinating operations, because such exclusion zones would decrease the value of the spectrum at auction. For more information about the WG Interim Report or for information about other reports during the CSMAC meeting, contact the UTC Legal/Regulatory Department.

In comments filed with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) late last week, UTC urged the FCC and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to provide access to federal spectrum for utilities and other critical infrastructure industries (CII). The comments were filed in response to a Public Notice from the FCC inviting comment on technical issues associated with the spectrum bands identified in a NTIA Report that was released in October 2010. This report identifies 115 MHz of federal spectrum that could be freed up for broadband purposes. Read more »

The FCC has put out a public notice asking for comments on how it can best collaborate with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to allocate more spectrum for wireless broadband. It has specifically requested information on frequency bands 1695-1710 MHz, 3550-3650 MHz, 1755-1850 MHz, 4200-4220 MHz, 4380-4400 MHz and the other Federal and shared-use bands that have been identified by NTIA as potential broadband spectrum. The FCC's questions concern the technical viability of the bands including how broadband could be deployed in each band, what condition would lead to effective deployment, what technologies could be deployed and if there is already equipment readily available, the best techniques for sharing the band with Federal users and whether or not sharing might even be feasible etc.

In a Plan released this week which could have implications for utility access to spectrum, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) identified 115 MHz of spectrum that will be fast-tracked for use for wireless broadband in the next five years, and it set a framework and timetable for freeing up 500 MHz over the next ten years. NTIA plans to prioritize certain candidate bands to determine which ones should be reallocated first. In addition to identifying the candidate bands for wireless broadband (including the 1695-1710 MHz band, the 3550-3650 MHz band, and two 20 MHz blocks somewhere in the 4200-4220 MHz range), the Plan outlines a framework to ensure that existing spectrum is being used efficiently (e.g. through a spectrum inventory) and that there are incentives for existing licensees to free up spectrum (e.g. through sharing and reimbursement for relocation/equipment). The Plan also lays out a timeline for the next five years, including a target date for identifying the first band of reallocated spectrum by January 2011. In addition to publishing its “Plan and Timetable for Making Available 500 MHz of Spectrum for Wireless Broadband,” NTIA also released “An Assessment of the Near-Term Viability of Accommodating Wireless Broadband Systems in the 1675-1710 MHz, 1755-1780 MHz, 3500-3650 MHz, and 4200-4220 MHz, 4380-4400 MHz Bands.” This report reveals information about the extent of use of these bands. For more information, contact the UTC Legal/Regulatory Department.

 The FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau plans to issue a public notice exploring whether promoting competition in the public safety communications market would help public safety agencies. This was disclosed in a letter from FCC Chairman Julius Genachowskito the Chairs and ranking members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and its Communications, Technology, and the Internet subcommittee. In the letter, Genachowski said that the competition public notice would “seek comment on whether and to what extent the interoperability for public safety narrowband voice communications has been hindered by a lack of competition in equipment and device availability, and how this can be remedied in the future." Regarding broadband communications, he said, "The current structure of the public safety equipment market may hinder efforts to achieve interoperability for a broadband public safety network. To remedy this state of affairs, the National Broadband Plan recommended an incentive-based partnership approach that leverages commercial technology and economies of scale, including the commercial deployment of a broadband wireless network using the D block." 

Meanwhile, Reps. Jane Harman (D- CA) and John Shimkus (R-IL) have introduced legislation titled "Next Generation Public Safety Device Act of 2010" that seeks to spur competition and innovation in the public safety broadband equipment market through a $70 million grant competition. Rep. Harman is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the chairwoman of the House Homeland Security Committee's intelligence, information sharing, and terrorism risk assessment subcommittee. The proposed legislation would authorize a $70 million grant competition, overseen by the NTIA, for developing and making prototype voice and data handsets and vehicle-portable public safety 700 megahertz band devices. NTIA would hold the contest in consultation with the FCC, NIST and the DHS Office of Emergency Communications. 

President Barack Obama signed a memorandum titled ‘Unleashing the Wireless Broadband Revolution’ that collaborates with the Federal Communications Commission to making an additional 500MHz of government and commercial spectrum available mobile and fixed wireless broadband use in the next 10 years. This goal of getting 500MHz spectrum in the hands of wireless broadband providers over the next decade is a key part of the National Broadband Plan that the FCC presented to Congress earlier this year. Read more »