The FCC auction of 3,400 MHz in the 37, 39 and 47 GHz bands brought in the highest bids of any high-band auction, at just more than $7.5 billion. But prices per MHz/POP for the 37 and 39 GHz bands are lower than the previous auctions, which offered much less spectrum, and much lower for the 47 GHz band. Auction watchers told us Friday more will be known about how industry views high-band for 5G when it’s revealed what AT&T and Verizon did in the auction. The auction closed for the day Friday at $7.5 billion after 86 rounds.

Likely marquee items for the 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference will include space-to-space satellite links, and big mobile and satellite industry focus on the 6 GHz band, U.S. WRC delegates said at an FCBA event Thursday. Boeing Global Spectrum Management Vice President Audrey Allison said as spectrum use increases, such issues are becoming more contentious.

Former NTIA Administrator David Redl and his consulting firm Salt Point Strategies have been lobbying on behalf of Facebook, he said in a registration filing. Redl reported he’s been lobbying for the social media platform since the beginning of October on the 6 GHz band. Facebook is among the tech sector entities that urged the FCC to allow sharing of that frequency for unlicensed Wi-Fi use (see 1911060046). Salt Point Strategies separately reported $90,000 in lobbying income from Facebook, which is thus far its only registered client. Facebook didn’t comment. Redl resigned as NTIA head in May (see 1905090051).

The Wi-Fi Alliance met an aide to Chairman Ajit Pai and Office of Engineering and Technology staff on the importance of the 6 GHz band. "The Wi-Fi ecosystem is ready to support the growing demand for wireless connectivity and new applications, but lacks the necessary spectrum capacity,” the alliance said in docket 18-295, posted Tuesday. Also that day, Commissioner Mike O'Rielly said such an FCC item may be forthcoming soon (see 2001210028).

As the U.S. explores allowing unlicensed devices to share the 6 GHz band, the U.K.’s Ofcom Friday sought comment by March 20 on 6 GHz issues. Ofcom proposes to “make the lower 6 GHz band (5925-6425 MHz) available for Wi-Fi. The release of this spectrum would enable also very low power outdoor use. This would improve performance by reducing congestion in existing bands caused by large numbers of devices and enable the development of new, higher bandwidth applications.” Ofcom also proposed removing dynamic frequency selection requirements from Wi-Fi channels in the 5.8 GHz band. “Ofcom’s announcement confirms that regulators around the world are focused on delivering Wi-Fi spectrum capacity in the 6 GHz band, which is urgently needed to support the growing demand for wireless connectivity,” said Alex Roytblat, Wi-Fi Alliance senior director-regulatory affairs.

Tech companies urged the FCC to let Wi-Fi share the 6 GHz band. Cisco, Google, HP Enterprise, Microsoft and Qualcomm representatives met aides to Commissioners Brendan Carr and Geoffrey Starks, said a filing posted Friday in docket 18-295. "Quickly resolve any outstanding issues in a manner consistent with our previous advocacy and" issue an order "for unlicensed use throughout the band,” they asked. Meanwhile, in meetings with aides to Carr and Starks, iRobot said a proposal to “introduce Wi-Fi in the 6 GHz band at the power levels being discussed in this proceeding would render ultra-wide band devices inoperable due to the interference that would be caused,” the company said: The 2 billion UWB devices in use are "estimated to increase to 3.1 billion by 2025.”

Data in a December NAB filing on unlicensed use of the 6 GHz band includes errors and reaches inapplicable conclusions (see 1912060007), wrote tech and consumer electronics companies including Apple, Cisco, Facebook, Google, Intel and Microsoft, posted Wednesday in FCC docket 18-295: NAB studied power levels “400 percent higher than appropriate." The tech interests only request indoor use of the band, but the study includes information about outdoor devices, the filing said. NAB also doesn’t account for frequency coordination, the tech interests said. “These important factors have caused NAB to overestimate the risk of harmful interference by more than 30 dB, and likely more.” The association didn't comment.

FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel warned the Senate Commerce Committee Wednesday the U.S. isn’t leading the world on 5G and can’t without more mid-band spectrum. Rosenworcel asked the committee to develop C-band legislation. Commissioner Mike O’Rielly said the FCC isn’t necessarily behind, though a winner won’t be known for some time.

Seven critical infrastructure groups warned of harmful interference from unlicensed operations without automatic frequency control in the 6 GHz band. The Edison Electric Institute, American Gas Association, American Public Power Association, American Water Works Association, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Nuclear Energy Institute and Utilities Technology Council submitted the FCC report. They said in docket 18-295 that members' “continued, unimpeded access is paramount.”

NARUC leaders urged FCC commissioners to delay sharing 6 GHz frequencies with unlicensed devices including for Wi-Fi until automatic frequency coordination can be proven to ward off interference. “Radiofrequency interference to these mission-critical communications systems in the 6 GHz band risks causing interruptions of the delivery of essential energy and water services as well as the loss of communications with railroad positive train control systems and police, fire and rescue operations,” NARUC President Brandon Presley and Telecom Committee Chair Karen Charles Peterson wrote all five members in a Thursday letter emailed to us the next day. NARUC passed a resolution on that subject in November (see 1911210011).