Wireless Associations Urge Further Discussion on Globalstar’s Petition for Rulemaking

The Wi-Fi Alliance said it has several concerns about the 2400-2483.5 MHz band. It’s unclear how Wi-Fi devices will be affected by Globalstar’s proposed out-of-band-emissions rule, it said (http://xrl.us/boaswo). Globalstar’s low power use of 2473-2483.5 MHz “may require a change in filtering due to a change in the out-of-band-emissions requirements on the upper part of the band,” it said. If required, “this would raise device cost for new devices.” It appears that under Globalstar’s proposal, Bluetooth manufacturers “would no longer have access to spectrum above 2473 MHz, given that the spectrum would exclusively be used by Globalstar,” Wi-Fi Alliance said. The Mobile Satellite Users Association (MSUA) urged the FCC to ensure that any terrestrial services offered in the Big LEO band “do not cause interference to existing and planned satellite services in either the Big LEO band or adjacent frequency bands,” it said (http://xrl.us/boasw6). If Globalstar is granted terrestrial spectrum rights, the FCC also should ensure that these authorizations “remain under common ownership with Globalstar’s satellite system, in order to prevent interference to Globalstar satellite users from terrestrial operations and should be conditioned upon the continued provision of substantial satellite services,” MSUA said.

The few “concerns” expressed by the Wi-Fi Alliance are based on a fundamental misunderstanding of Globalstar’s TLPS proposal, said Barbee Ponder, Globalstar regulatory affairs vice president. The company is looking forward to working with the Alliance to address these concerns so it and its membership understand “that Globalstar is not requesting exclusive authority to operate in that portion of the ISM [industrial, scientific and medical] band at 2473-2483.5 MHz, has not requested that this spectrum be ‘licensed’ to Globalstar and does not seek to displace any current or future unlicensed use in that part of the ISM band,” he said. Ponder also said Globalstar will respond to the concerns of the Wi-Fi Alliance and other entities when it files reply comments due Jan. 29.

WISPA said Globalstar’s approach is creative, but it takes no position at this time on the potential benefits claimed in the petition (http://xrl.us/boasxx). It urged the commission to seek comment “on the potential for harmful interference that Globalstar’s TLPS [terrestrial low-power service] could potentially cause to Channel 11 and other channels within the 2.4 GHz unlicensed band.” Comment also should be sought on Globalstar’s statement that the TLPS “would co-exist with existing Bluetooth and other unlicensed users of ISM spectrum without raising any harmful interference issues,” WISPA said. Engineers for the Integrity of Broadcast Auxiliary Services Spectrum urged the commission to require Globalstar to give more details about its proposal if it establishes a rulemaking notice. Globalstar should be required to “address the issue of re-farming the 2.5 GHz TV BAS band, to eliminate the incompatible co-primary uses that now exists between grandfathered A10 ENG operations” and S-band terrestrial low-power service, it said (http://xrl.us/boasz7).