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.

Commenters debated the need for more unlicensed versus licensed spectrum to promote the IoT, in comments posted Tuesday in response to an FCC notice of inquiry, in docket 21-353. Commissioners approved a broad NOI 4-0 last summer, looking at the broader spectrum needs of the IoT (see 2110010046). Multiple satellite operators offering or planning to offer IoT service argued against additional spectrum being allocated specifically for satellite IoT, instead saying there should be access to sufficient spectrum for satellite services overall.

The 3.45 GHz auction continued to rise to $16 billion Wednesday, after surpassing in the second round of the day the $14.77 billion reserve price needed to close (see our news bulletin here). Experts said which major bidders stayed in, and whether Dish Network or Verizon dropped out, won’t be clear until after it closes. “Contrary to our expectations, bidders moved back into a few more large markets, causing price growth to re-accelerate to 6-7% per round from the 5% it was growing at when bidding concluded yesterday evening,” New Street’s Phillip Burnett told investors Wednesday. Some 16 MHz of excess demand nationally still “must settle before the auction can close,” he said: “We would still expect price growth to decelerate materially once bidding in large markets settles (which is likely to happen today or tomorrow).” The auction could still reach New Street’s $25 billion forecast, but that seems unlikely, he said. Potential failure loomed after one large bidder appeared to drop out in round 10, blogged Sasha Javid, BitPath chief operating officer. Speculation has focused on both Dish and Verizon exiting, he said: “While speculation of which bidder dropped out … will continue until the final bidding data is released, this large drop in demand followed by a subsequent steep drop in Round 22, certainly made auction failure plausible. It was only demand in a few of the largest markets that pushed proceeds across the reserve price.” The FCC and carrier groups declined to comment.

The Wi-Fi Alliance released an automated frequency coordination compliance test plan Tuesday for the 6 GHz band. The FCC is seeking AFC proposals, due Nov. 30 (see 2109290040). “Wi-Fi Alliance development efforts on this innovative AFC system aim to ensure worldwide adoption, interoperability, security, and reliability expected of Wi-Fi,” the group said.

Getting “stability” and clear political leadership at the FCC tops Google’s regulatory wish list, Michael Purdy, senior counsel-commercial, product and policy, said during an FCBA wireless webinar Tuesday. “Hopefully, that will resolve by year-end.” The U.S. needs “some consistency in 5G policy,” he said. All the speakers said U.S. leadership on 5G must remain a top goal. The Biden administration hasn't named a permanent chair at the FCC or nominated Democrats to fill two commissioner slots.

Tech companies responded to a June Southern Co. report warning of the threat from low-power indoor unlicensed devices to electric utility operations in the 6 GHz band (see 2106240075). The companies said an August letter “attempting to rehabilitate its flawed test report. … not only failed to resolve the problems with the testing, but also doubled down on some of the … report’s most questionable aspects.” Southern’s testing shows why the FCC’s approach in the 6 GHz order “was correct, and in fact very conservative, for avoiding a significant risk of harmful interference to incumbent operations from low-power indoor operations,” tech companies said. The filing by Apple, Broadcom, Cisco, Facebook, Google and other companies was posted Friday in docket 18-295. Southern didn’t comment.