Time for FCC NPRM on 3.7 GHz Band, Ericsson Says
Ericsson said the FCC should release an NPRM soon on the future use of the 3.7-4.2 GHz band. An NPRM is widely seen as likely this summer or earlier (see 1803020042). Ericsson said the FCC shouldn’t wait. “This band is…
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
If your job depends on informed compliance, you need International Trade Today. Delivered every business day and available any time online, only International Trade Today helps you stay current on the increasingly complex international trade regulatory environment.
of vital importance in fulfilling the goal of ensuring that adequate low-, mid-, and high-band spectrum is available for licensed, mobile terrestrial uses with a focus on 5G,” the company said in a filing in docket 17-183. “An extensive record that began with the publication of the Notice of Inquiry continues to develop, demonstrating interest in this band.” Last summer, the Broadband Access Coalition (BAC) asked the agency to allow fixed wireless use of the band (see 1708080050). A rival plan by Intel and others supports licensed use of the 3.7-4.2 GHz band and unlicensed use of the 6 GHz band. Intel also proposed a plan with Intelsat for clearing the 3.7 GHz band (see 1710020047). “Because the issues have coalesced around a few central themes, Ericsson urges the Commission to move forward with an NPRM to seek more granular comment on critical matters,” Ericsson said. “We ask that the upcoming NPRM state anticipated clearing targets in order to provide some certainty and also guide the discussion on the various approaches to making the spectrum available.” Meanwhile, representatives of BAC and Google said they met with FCC staff on the importance of moving forward on the band.