The FCC today released a proposal to make 150MHz of mostly federally held spectrum in the 3.5GHz band available to share between the government, “priority access licensees,” and other “general authorized access users.”
This move would boost spectrum for small cells deployed by cellular carriers and fixed wireless broadband services.
The FCC is calling the spectrum-sharing plan the “Citizens Broadband Radio Service.”
The proposal is the result of an advisory put out by the Obama administration way back in July 2012, which recommended that 1000MHz of federal spectrum be opened to alleviate some of the pressures in the industry relating to the scarcity of spectrum. Today's proposal deals specifically with spectrum between 3550MHz and 3650MHz, and it seeks comment on adding another 50MHz on top of that, expanding the band to 3700MHz.
In the program, a wider band of spectrum would be shared by multiple licensees rather than divvying spectrum up into smaller and smaller bands that sit dead in areas where they're unused. “Because the federal use in this band occurs primarily around the coasts, it is a great opportunity for intensive wireless broadband use on a shared basis,” wrote the FCC in a blog post.
The FCC explained in its press release today that access to the band would be shared among three tiers of licensees: “federal and non-federal incumbents, priority access licensees, and general authorized access users.” The program would also require a responsive database for managing access to the spectrum:
Federal and non-federal incumbents would be protected from harmful interference from Citizens Broadband Radio Service users. Targeted priority access licenses would be made available for a variety of uses, including mobile broadband. General authorized access use would be permitted in a reserved amount of spectrum and on an opportunistic basis for a variety of consumer or business oriented purposes, including advanced home wireless networking.
Access and operation within the 3.5 GHz band would be managed by a spectrum access system, a dynamic database or databases that incorporates technical and functional requirements necessary to manage access and operations across the three tiers.
Wireless advocacy groups generally applauded the move, saying that the sharing of spectrum would promote small-cell technologies, which operate wireless networks for very small geographic locations. The Wireless Innovation Alliance said in a press release that going through with the proposal would “benefit countless stakeholders, including public safety, small businesses, educators, and consumers through improved wireless broadband access.”
The FCC also announced today that it was moving ahead with the second phase of its plan to connect rural America with better access to broadband and voice service. “Over five years, Phase II of the Connect America Fund will provide nearly $9 billion to expand broadband in rural areas,“ the FCC wrote in a press release. Through Phase II, incumbent carriers will be offered subsidies to build out or improve their networks, and if they decline, the FCC will open the subsidies to other carriers through a competitive bidding process.
That project will be paid for by the Connect America Fund, a "reformed" version of the controversial Universal Service Fund.
