The Utilities Technology Council and other utility, public safety and infrastructure groups asked the FCC to stop certifying low-power indoor (LPI) devices in the 6 GHz band because of the alleged interference risk, in a petition posted Wednesday in docket 18-295. The groups filed a separate petition seeking a rulemaking to develop revised rules for the band. Industry officials said the FCC is unlikely to retreat from last year’s 5-0 order allocating 1,200 MHz for sharing with Wi-Fi and other unlicensed use in the band (see 2004230059). Another wild card is a challenge to the rules at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, where the FCC faced tough questions in September oral argument (see 2109170057).

Numerous nations have a regulatory focus on the 6 GHz band now, before the band is also center of attention at the 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-23), international regulators said Thursday on a Wireless Innovation Forum 2021 panel. Several countries said they're looking at technological means to better allow spectrum sharing, particularly of the 6 GHz band.

Fourteen companies or organizations are seeking FCC certification to be an automated frequency coordination (AFC) system operator in the 6 GHz band, per docket 21-352 filings this week. Applications were due Tuesday (see 2109290040). Some applicants touted what they said was pertinent experience. Key Bridge Wireless said it has provided flexible dynamic spectrum access services in the VHF and UHF television bands and worked as a TV band white space administrator. Amdocs cited its 3.5 GHz Citizens Broadband Radio Service spectrum access system, and Plume Design referenced its software-as-a-service experience platform for communications service providers. Citing its work as a spectrum access system administrator for the 3.5 Ghz band, Sony said it has "a comprehensive understanding of the technical and operational requirements for managing wireless spectrum access" and it has sufficient funds and access to capital to develop and operate the proposed AFC system for the anticipated five years. Federated Wireless said its work since 2018 in developing an AFC system to allow Wi-Fi and 5G New Radio Unlicensed deployments in the 6 Ghz band means becoming an AFC system operator would be "a natural extension." Other applicants are Nokia, Qualcomm, the Wi-FI Alliance, CableLabs subsidiary Kyrio, the Wireless Broadband Alliance, Red Technologies, Google, Comsearch and Broadcom.

Finding ways to make parts of the 3.1-3.45 GHz band available for nonfederal use, as laid out in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (see 2111120050), faces a variety of big hurdles, spectrum sharing experts said Tuesday at the annual Wireless Innovation Forum. NTIA Office of Spectrum Management Executive Director Scott Patrick said relations with the FCC "are in a nice spot right now," with commitments high in the Biden administration that agencies understand the positions of other agencies, and with plans for more concrete actions once NTIA and FCC leaders are confirmed. The two agencies collaborate a "tremendous amount" daily, said FCC Office of Engineering and Technology Deputy Director Ira Keltz, saying the agencies may not always agree but "the working relationship is good."

Wi-Fi 6 will reach more than 1.5 billion chipset shipments in 2022, said ABI Research, with Wi-Fi 6E component shipments to nearly triple shipments from this year. Ultra-wideband devices are expected to reach nearly 500,000 units as adoption rises in smartphones, wearables, speakers and personal trackers, said the research firm. Wi-Fi 6 grew in 2021 on adoption in smartphones from Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei, Oppo and Vivo, while growing availability of mobile Wi-Fi 6E chipsets and platforms from chipset vendors Qualcomm, Broadcom and MediaTek will accelerate the transition to 6-GHz capable devices, it said. Tablets and PCs are also transitioning to Wi-Fi 6 and 6E technology, it said.

Members of the Wireless Innovation Forum’s 6 GHz Committee Steering Group urged a quick process for approving automated frequency control systems in the 6 GHz band, in a meeting with staff from the FCC. “AFC Systems must be tested and certified for commercial operation,” which must include “a public trial/demonstration period,” the group said in a filing posted Friday in docket 18-295: Similar experiences with the TV white spaces and citizens broadband radio service “indicate the entire process could be lengthy.” The group said "AFC Systems are significantly less complicated and should be much easier and quicker to test and certify.”

Winners in the 3.45 GHz auction should be clear by Dec. 31, New Street’s Philip Burnett told investors Wednesday. The first phase ended Tuesday (see 2111160071). The assignment phase is likely to be over in one or two weeks once it starts, he said. AT&T likely spent as much as $9 billion, T-Mobile $8 billion and Dish Network $4 billion-$6 billion, he said: “There is a slim chance that T-Mobile got nothing and Verizon is the [complement], but that would be a big surprise.” NTIA tweeted Wednesday: “The results indicate confidence in the sharing framework for the band, developed by @FCC, @DeptofDefense, and NTIA.” Bidders “have reaffirmed how important it is for the U.S. communications industry to gain access to additional spectrum" for 5G, emailed Wiley’s Richard Engelman: “Bidders demanded 3.45 GHz blocks in every Partial Economic Area and at prices that approached -- or in some cases exceeded -- the prices paid earlier this year” in the C band auction. The level of bidding in the C band and 3.45 GHz auctions “demonstrates the demand for operators to gain spectrum that can help them deliver high-bandwidth, high-capacity connectivity in dense areas -- even if it costs them,” emailed Ronny Haraldsvik, Cohere Technologies chief marketing officer: “Carriers in the US now need to find the best way to leverage this hefty investment. Through the use of software, carriers can do a lot more with their existing and new spectrum assets, effectively doubling the capacity of the spectrum.” The 5Gfor12GHz Coalition said now that the auction is nearly complete, the FCC should take up the 12 GHz band, which offers five times as much spectrum: “This is an important accomplishment but will not satisfy the urgent need for more spectrum. 12 GHz is the only remaining unencumbered 5G spectrum between 6 and 24 GHz that can meet the exploding demand for mobile broadband.”

The Open Technology Institute urged quick FCC action approving automated frequency control (AFC) systems in the 6 GHz band, said a filing posted Monday in docket 19-138. “It would be a costly and unnecessary opportunity loss for consumers and the economy if the Commission takes several years to certify AFCs, as it [did] to certify the then-novel TV Bands Databases and Spectrum Access Systems,” OTI said in a call with an aide to Commissioner Nathan Simington: “AFC coordination with entirely fixed point-to-point links in 6 GHz is technically easier and [the Office of Engineering and Technology] has far more experience with geolocation databases.” On 12 GHz, OTI said “commissioners should encourage band incumbents to submit technical data in the record to better clarify claims that more intensive sharing with terrestrial fixed or mobile uses is not feasible” and urged a public notice “that clarifies what additional data it needs to make a decision on the nature and scope of additional sharing and coexistence that is feasible.”

Tech companies opposed AT&T’s pursuit from the Office and Engineering Technology of a knowledge database document identifying parameters automated frequency coordination system operators must use within the propagation models required by the FCC. The 6 GHz order didn't "delegate to OET authority to adopt ex ante the AFC system parameters AT&T discusses,” said Apple, Broadcom, Cisco, Google, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Intel, Meta Platforms, Microsoft and Qualcomm in docket 18-295: “Rather, it expressly left such implementation details to industry. AT&T’s assertion that Commission action is needed now, before the November 30, 2021 submission date for AFC system operator proposals, is doubly wrong. AFC system operator proposals do not depend on the parameters AT&T highlights. These parameters will become relevant at a later stage.”

Congress approved $50 million in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for a 3.1-3.45 GHz study, to be done by DOD, with the support of NTIA. Carriers had worked behind the scenes to oppose the allocation, which was a top priority of DOD, industry officials said. The legislation would give DOD 21 months to complete the study and says an auction can't start before May 31, 2025. Some say that's too much time and carriers can’t wait almost four years for more mid-band spectrum for 5G.