Motorola urged FCC in recent White Paper to ‘proceed with caution...

on infrastructure such as base stations but involve system in which all covered devices have packet-forwarding capabilities. Recent research said cooperative ad hoc wireless relay networks could support virtually any number of users in certain cases. “Motorola believes that the practically achievable capacity of these cooperative networks is not yet known,” company said in filing to FCC’s Spectrum Policy Task Force. Potential promise of ad hoc wireless networks was among issues raised in recent series of workshops held by task force. Motorola told FCC it wasn’t clear that cooperative ad hoc wireless relay systems must be rolled out in unlicensed spectrum. Company suggested they might be able to achieve their best performance “within licensed spectrum where all users are able to cooperate.” Motorola said such network might better fulfill potential “if it is carefully engineered and not degraded by currently unpredictable interferers.” Motorola also told FCC it: (1) Supported pending Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (WECA) petition for additional unlicensed spectrum at 5470-5725 MHz. (2) Backed designating bands above 10 GHz for future allocations of unlicensed spectrum beyond what WECA was seeking “due to reduction of interference between systems and the availability of large bandwidths.” Because future wide-area mobile systems need spectrum below 6 GHz, they should be given preference for those bands over other unlicensed systems that can use spectrum elsewhere, Motorola said. (3) Recommended framework for future unlicensed spectrum policy that would provide “equitable access” to and use of spectrum “without disadvantage to particular uses in congested environments.” Motorola said underlying unlicensed transmitters on spectrum used by licensed services was problem, particularly for uses such as public safety. (4) Suggested FCC take steps to designate band for development of new systems. Motorola said existing system for experimental licensing and spectrum was working well but it might be appropriate to take additional steps, such as designating small spectrum block between 2-4 GHz, “for advance development of wide area mobile systems.” Company also proposed stepping up cycle time for granting access to govt. spectrum to test equipment that would be exported, “including providing the Commission with the ability to analyze the impact of interference to government spectrum.” Setting aside band segment for systems development could allow U.S. companies to be more globally competitive in that area, Motorola said. In making more licensed spectrum below 3.7 GHz available for commercial mobile systems, White Paper asked FCC to consider future wide area mobile system using 20 MHz bandwidth and carrier frequency of 3.7 GHz.