Adaptive antennas offer single best technology for increasing spectral efficiency by factor of 3-20 times, ArrayComm Chief Technical Officer Marc Goldburg said at FCC tutorial Fri. sponsored by agency’s Office of Engineering & Technology. In cellular communications networks, adaptive antennas -- “smart” antennas -- use computer processing to adapt radiation pattern in real time, he said. Goal is to optimize focus of energy from base station to cell where subscriber is located and minimize interference to adjacent cells, Goldburg said. Systems also use processing to “try to listen selectively” to reduce effect of interference from adjacent channels. Rather than single dish, adaptive antennas use array of smaller low-power antennas functionally tied together with processing power, he said. As result, carrier “can support the same communication service with much less total power, something that [to regulators] has safety and RF exposure considerations,” Goldburg said. More significant benefit is spectrum reuse, ability to reuse same channel without buffer of numerous adjacent cells. Extreme case is fixed wireless network using time division duplexing where adaptive antenna increases spectral efficiency up to 20 times and provider “can actually reuse spectrum within a cell,” he said. Even in frequency division duplexing mobile voice service such as GSM, adaptive antenna technology promises up to 6 times improvement. He said technology was in early stage of development as necessary computer power -- antenna array could generate 1 Gbps data rate to interpret -- had been available and affordable only in last few years. Technology is “generally applicable to all air interfaces,” Goldburg said. “Efficient use of spectrum is critical due to increasing scarcity for mobile wireless applications. In the total range of spectrum only a relatively small amount is useful for mobile applications” ranging from 500 MHz to 2.5 GHz. “There is a lot of pressure on this 2GHz of spectrum from public safety, cell services, SMR, paging and military users, not to mention radio astronomers who can’t relocate the frequency of a star,” he said. New 3rd generation wireless data service will further increase need for spectrum -- resource that is yet to be allocated by FCC. Spectrum efficiency directly affects operating cost structure for wireless service, Goldburg said: “It determines the amount of spectrum required, number of base stations, number of sites and cost of site maintenance and, ultimately, consumer pricing and affordability of a service.” Increasing spectral efficiency reduces barriers to new operators and services because operators need to purchase less spectrum, he said.

Steady flow of ex parte arguments on various sides of ultra- wideband (UWB) proceedings has continued at FCC, including Tues. filing by broad coalition that disputed interference data submitted by UWB developer Time Domain. Array of 26 equipment makers, GPS interests and air transport groups told Commission that Time Domain had proposed “completely inadequate level of in- band protection” in 3 letters to Commission this summer. Groups disagreed with Time Domain contention that while GPS receivers were more susceptible to continuous wave (CW)-like UWB emissions than those resembling white noise, nothing in FCC record pointed to sensitivity of any system other than GPS to CW-like UWB emissions. “This distinction is beside the point,” groups said. “Each UWB waveform is unique and testing to date has been done on an extremely limited set of UWB waveforms.” Groups pointed to what they saw as “clear” record that all UWB signals shared characteristics that “cause harmful interference to a variety of authorized systems,” including GPS, cellular, federal radar. Groups signing filing include Motorola, Nokia, Qualcomm, Sirius Satellite Radio, U.S. GPS Industry Council, XM Radio. “Time Domain’s denial of the growing body of interference evidence in this docket means that this process has not served the nation by advancing to a common technical understanding and solution,” filing said. Groups again urged that FCC not issue UWB order without releasing further notice of proposed rulemaking. In ex parte filing last week, Cingular Wireless also urged FCC to proceed with caution on UWB, citing concern on potential interference involving UWB systems, base stations and handset receivers in cellular and PCS systems. “Effects could include cell shrinkage, coverage holes, degraded voice quality and decreased throughput of data,” Cingular said. “UWB will impact GPS for both location and network synchronization. Assisted GPS systems would be even more susceptible to interference. Additional analysis is needed.” Among wireless carrier’s recommendations to FCC was that it limit UWB devices to spectrum above 6 GHz for most systems and below 1 GHz for ground- penetrating radar.

Members of House Telecom Subcommittee urged Defense Dept. and wireless industry Tues. to work out differences on 3rd generation wireless spectrum, although military top brass continued to raise red flags on relocation, reimbursement, timing. Verizon Wireless CEO Denny Strigl used hearing to call on Congress to weigh in on settlement solution for C-block spectrum returned by U.S. Appeals Court, D.C., to NextWave. On 3G front, Rep. Pickering (R-Miss.) said he planned to introduce bill “as soon as possible,” quipping that all spectrum was “on the table” except for bands occupied by MMDS and Instructional TV Fixed Services licensees. Subcommittee Chmn. Upton (R-Mich.) said he foresaw markup in Oct. time frame, despite differences that appeared to be keeping cellular operators and Pentagon apart. While much of panel appeared to be interested in finding ways to use DoD-occupied spectrum at 1.7 GHz for mobile Internet applications, several members questioned impact on national security and continuing military operations. Rep. Harman (D- Cal.), addressing Pentagon “skepticism” about ability of military to move, said, “I would not agree that the right answer is ‘We just can’t.'” She said: “I would suggest that more attention needs to be paid to how to make that transition effective.” Nearly 3-hour hearing, first this year on 3G, also focused on Enhanced 911 progress and need for lifting spectrum cap.

U.S. GPS Industry Council is asking FCC to appoint independent band manager to oversee deployment of ultra-wideband (UWB) devices. In ex parte filing, group proposed draft rule that also would cover introduction of UWB devices. Rules proposed by council would: (1) License UWB ground penetrating radars operating below 1 GHz, subject to certain conditions. (Notice of proposed rulemaking approved by FCC last year weighed allowing operation of UWB technology on unlicensed basis under Part 15 rules.) (2) Unlicensed deployment of UWB devices in 6 to 12 GHz. (3) Creation of private sector-run and financed consortium that would be engaged in UWB deployment, which band manager would head. (4) Naming of band manager for UWB, who would promote competition among UWB device providers, promote development and use of technology, manage noise floor of affected frequencies and settle interference disputes involving existing users. This would free FCC from dispute resolution responsibilities, although it would remain “final arbiter of these issues.” (5) Launch of study to determine baseline noise floor level in affected spectrum, “subject to Commission-appointed peer group review and comment on study results.” Filing by council said it “believes adoption of these proposed rules by the Commission would facilitate a speedy introduction of UWB devices while limiting the potential for disruption of existing services.” Raul Rodriguez, counsel to GPS Industry Council, said licensing of UWB ground penetrating radars below 1 GHz wouldn’t likely have significant impact because these devices are marketed to public safety agencies that are accustomed to seeking FCC licenses for their radio services. Band manager concept is not new one for Commission, which has employed such entities in areas such as 700 MHz guardband auction. Point of this part of proposal is to put forth workable solution that will address interference concerns of existing spectrum users while still allowing technology to move forward, Rodriguez said. Use of band manager for unlicensed UWB devices in 6-12 GHz would provide entity that would manage noise flow to ensure that this technology “will not disrupt existing services,” he said. Proposal hasn’t been signed on to by UWB developers.

Subscribers on fixed wireless broadband systems in unlicensed bands will hit 7 million by year-end 2006, according to report by Allied Business Intelligence (ABI). Operations in unlicensed bands are growing faster than other fixed wireless systems because of relatively low entry barriers, including lack of license fees and inexpensive equipment, report said. ABI said that most existing systems have been launched at 2.4 GHz, but there is growing operator interest in 900 MHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz.

Members of House Telecom Subcommittee voiced concern Thurs. that wireless carriers and 911 call centers wouldn’t meet Oct. 1 deadline for deploying Phase 2 of Enhanced 911 location capabilities. Ranking Democrat Markey (Mass.) warned “industry should not seek -- nor should the Commission grant -- waivers to rules merely for business convenience.” He cited what he called “manana” syndrome among carriers on implementing E911. “But when it comes to 3G, they want spectrum today. They stipulate that it’s a national priority.” Markey said he backed industry’s quest for more 3G spectrum, but said he would “like to see the same alacrity and aggressiveness” on public safety offerings linked to E911. Hearing focused on thorny implementation issues that face wireless industry less than 4 months before Phase 2 deadline, including equipment availability and readiness of public safety answering points.

FCC is widely expected to issue Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to examine more closely spectrum beyond main MMDS and Instructional TV Fixed Service (ITFS) bands as part of 3rd generation wireless decision-making, several sources said. Among spectrum blocks likely to be rolled into further notice would be mobile satellite services (MSS) issues teed up at Commission in CTIA petition for rulemaking last month asking for reallocation to “more efficient uses” of “underutilized” MSS spectrum at 2 GHz (CD May 21 p5). One source said further notice could come as soon as next month. From outset of 3G decision-making process, FCC has said it would consider broader array of spectrum than just that at 2.5 GHz used by MMDS and ITFS operators, but controversy over incumbents that would be moved from those bands has received most attention in recent months. Meanwhile, Dept. of Defense continued to take hard line against reallocating military spectrum at 1.7 GHz to commercial uses.

Commerce Secy. Donald Evans is to meet with Multichannel Multipoint Distribution Service (MMDS), Instructional TV Fixed Service (ITFS) licensees and others in closed session Wed. to discuss need for 3rd generation wireless spectrum. Meeting will mark first time that Evans, who already has met with commercial wireless carriers on issue twice this year, has sat down with education and MMDS community in such session. FCC has been overseeing evaluation of 2.5 GHz band now used by MMDS and ITFS licensees for advanced wireless services such as 3G , and NTIA has undertaken analysis of 1.7 GHz band now occupied mostly by military users. Evans first met with mobile wireless carriers and other govt. officials in March, with observers at that time saying that he signaled his direct interest in working on 3G spectrum solutions (CD March 31 p1). Representative of one company that will be at June 6 meeting said one message likely to be brought up by industry was that wireless carriers shouldn’t automatically get new spectrum because maturity of mobile data applications still was in early phase. But another source said message of ITFS representatives was likely to be broader pitch about extensive educational uses of existing spectrum and its benefits to community groups and students. Among those expected to attend are Msgr. Michael Dempsey, pres., Catholic TV Network.

FCC proposed modifying band plan in 36.0-51.4 GHz spectrum for satellite and terrestrial operators in rulemaking launched Thurs. Commission said proposed band plan reflects decisions reached at World Radio Conference (WRC) 2000 in Istanbul. Rulemaking would give satellite and terrestrial operators greater certainty about scope of operations in band, along with specific power flux-density (PFD) limits on satellite operations in portions of this band consistent with WRC 2000. FCC said it wanted to modify 37.0-43.5 GHz portion of band plan in effort to harmonize domestic band plan with international sharing agreement to promote spectrum efficiency. Plans call for FCC to designate 40-42 GHz band for satellite services. While proposal would alter layout of satellite and terrestrial service designations, proposed band plan wouldn’t change total spectrum currently designated for use by satellite and terrestrial wireless services. Comment deadline is 60 days after publication in Federal Register, with replies 30 days after that.

It’s “too simplistic” to question whether FCC Chmn. Powell supports telecom competition just because he also advocates deregulation where appropriate, he said in interview with Communications Daily. “Of course we favor competition,” he said. “The policy of the entire country is to favor competition.” What has been misunderstood is more “subtle” question of when intervention is right and when it isn’t, he said. Powell said he didn’t believe in jumping too quickly into new regulations or keeping old ones that no longer are necessary. Telecom Act requires FCC to review regulations periodically and determine whether they still are appropriate, so this isn’t new concept, he said: “There are appropriate places for regulation, but they should be carefully scrutinized and one should be hesitant to interfere with those operations without clear and demonstrable reasons for doing so.”