OET Clears Way for T-Mobile to Conduct Spectrum Sharing Tests
The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology gave T-Mobile USA “special temporary authority” to launch tests of spectrum sharing with federal government users in the 1755-1780 MHz and 2155-2180 MHz bands. The move by OET could generate some of the first real-world data on how well sharing would work, industry executives said. The Obama administration has been increasingly focused on sharing as an alternative to clearing spectrum for commercial use (CD July 23 p1).
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T-Mobile has been working with Verizon Wireless, AT&T and other carriers on sharing tests. In May, Verizon committed to spending $5 million on tests. An industry official said Wednesday that while T-Mobile asked for an STA in early May, with tests to start June 1 and run through the end of the year (http://bit.ly/RRgAhB), the company is still putting the pieces in place for the upcoming testing.
The STA is approved “to determine suitability for commercial mobile broadband services, in particular the effect of existing Federal government operations on the use of this spectrum for mobile LTE service,” said an order by OET. The testing “is part of an industry-wide effort to build critical understanding of operations in this band, and we will be working with other carriers and equipment manufacturers moving ahead,” said T-Mobile Senior Vice President Tom Sugrue. “There remains a critical need for additional bandwidth for commercial services, and our ability to test in this band represents an important milestone in bringing new spectrum resources to market.”
"By granting the first authorization of testing in the 1755-1780 MHz band, the Commission hopes to facilitate commercial mobile broadband services in that band, which would significantly benefit millions of U.S. wireless consumers and help drive the mobile innovation economy,” said FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski (http://bit.ly/PlcX2f). “As we move forward, we will continue to collaborate closely with key government agencies, including NTIA and the Department of Defense, as well as private sector partners, to gain greater spectrum efficiency and unlock the many potential benefits of government-commercial spectrum sharing."
Michael Calabrese of the New American Foundation, a member of the Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee, said the STA may “suggest an acceptance of the reality that major military systems in particular will not be clearing off most of the 1755 MHz band soon -- and in some cases, perhaps not at all.” CSMAC working groups received “detailed briefings” by the Defense Department on the overall band, he said. “That reinforced what a complex challenge it will be even to share the band in a way that works with carrier operations,” he said. “Both sides need to be willing to make some changes to facilitate sharing, or the opportunity to make use of tremendous unused capacity on these bands will be lost.”
Public Knowledge Senior Attorney John Bergmayer said granting the STA was an important step for the FCC. “I think it shows pragmatism on the part of T-Mobile,” he said. “T-Mobile has less spectrum and is naturally more open to creative ways to alleviate that. I'd love to see more engagement from the larger carriers -- federal spectrum sharing can benefit them, too."
"Testing is often necessary when evaluating the potential of new services or rules to cause harmful interference,” said Fred Campbell, director of the Competitive Enterprise Institute’s Communications Liberty & Innovation Project and a former Wireless Bureau chief. “T-Mobile’s willingness to expend its resources testing federal spectrum sharing in the absence of an FCC sharing proposal is evidence of the need for more mobile spectrum.”