CTIA Says AWS H-Block Requires Further Study
The FCC should carefully test whether wireless operations in the AWS H-block will cause interference in the 1930-1995 MHz band, but should auction the spectrum for carrier use if at all possible, CTIA said in comments to the FCC. The FCC approved proposed rules “setting the stage for an auction of the H Block in 2013” in an electronic vote before its December meeting (http://xrl.us/boffzj). Comments on the notice of proposed rulemaking were due Wednesday. Last February’s spectrum law instructed the FCC to auction the 1915-1920 and 1995-2000 MHz bands, the upper and lower H-blocks, respectively, unless the agency determined that doing so would cause interference to other 1.9 GHz licensees.
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Carriers have “an urgent need” for more spectrum for mobile operations, CTIA said. CTIA acknowledged that it raised interference concerns when the FCC first proposed auctioning the H-block in 2004. “In the intervening eight years, mobile technology has changed dramatically,” the group said (http://xrl.us/bofe6j). “The testing in 2004 focused on GSM and CDMA technology, both of which have been surpassed by new technology. Only a single UMTS device was available, and LTE had not even been standardized in 2004.” New testing must be done due to the development of new technologies in the intervening years, the group said. “CTIA urges the Commission to carefully evaluate the results from the testing data and to develop a technical rule framework for the H Block that assures all licensees -- both future H Block licensees and existing PCS licensees -- will be fully protected from harmful interference.”
AT&T offered advice similar to CTIA’s. “As the Notice suggests, technology has changed significantly since the Commission last evaluated use of the H Block,” AT&T said (http://xrl.us/bofftj). “Given the record, however, and the Congressional directive to protect existing PCS operations, it is not possible to auction the H Block without a full understanding of the effects of these developments."
Sprint Nextel was more enthusiastic about the band, calling it “the only spectrum cleared of incumbents and ready for immediate auction, licensing, and deployment.” Appropriate technical standards” would address any interference concerns, the carrier said (http://xrl.us/boffgb). “The Commission has correctly concluded that the potential for harmful interference between the 1915-1920 MHz H Block uplink and PCS operations located at 1930-1995 MHz can be addressed through appropriate technical rules and conventional mitigation measures, and should not prevent licensees from putting this spectrum to its highest and best use,” Sprint said.
T-Mobile urged the FCC to proceed with caution. “As the Spectrum Act itself recognizes, there is a risk of harmful interference to PCS handsets from Lower H Block operations,” T-Mobile said (http://xrl.us/boffsv). “In particular, the Commission notes that there is a potential for handsets in the Lower H Block to cause both out-of-band emission (OOBE) and intermodulation (caused by receiver overload) interference to PCS handsets. That threat need not cause the Commission to determine that it may not auction the H Block, a possible outcome envisioned by the Spectrum Act. However, in order for the Commission to avoid that determination, the H Block service rules must provide adequate protection for PCS handsets."
MetroPCS said while the FCC should look closely at interference issues, the agency should put the spectrum in play if possible “for flexible use, without restrictions, and subject to the Commission’s rules of general applicability under Part 27” of its rules (http://xrl.us/bofftd). “Flexible use ... will help ensure that spectrum is put to its highest and best use without the government putting its thumb on the scale,” the carrier said.