FCC Chairman Ajit Pai assured Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., the agency will protect critical infrastructure use of the 6 GHz band, even if it’s reallocated for Wi-Fi and other unlicensed use. “I agree that protecting incumbent users from interference is an important consideration,” Pai said in an April 29 letter posted Thursday. “That is why the FCC suggested allowing unlicensed devices to operate in the 6 GHz band only in locations and in frequencies where they would not cause harmful interference to incumbents.” The agency is examining Wi-Fi and other unlicensed use of the band (see 1903190050). Some utilities are concerned (see 1905200048).

New America Wireless Future Project Director Michael Calabrese opposed CTIA proposals to license the upper 6 GHz band, currently under examination for unlicensed use, in meetings with FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly and aides to the other commissioners. Any private sale of the C band would violate the public auction requirements of Communications Act Section 309(j) even if the FCC requires transparent auction procedures and a share of the money to Treasury, Calabrese said. “With respect to the 5.9 GHz band, I inquired about the reason for delaying a Commission vote on what Chairman [Ajit] Pai indicated would be a Further” NPRM (see 1905150053), said a filing posted Wednesday in dockets including 18-295.

Alongside the C band and 6 GHz band, making 40 MHz of licensed L band available for 5G "would add meaningful points on the scoreboard for Team USA," Ligado CEO Doug Smith and Competitive Carriers Association CEO Steven Berry wrote Monday in Morning Consult. They said the limbo that Ligado's FCC proposal for using the spectrum for broadband terrestrial low-power service waits in stands in contrast to the drumbeat for more mid-band for 5G.

Five utility groups want the FCC to take additional steps to protect their microwave communications from interference in the 6 GHz band if it's opened to unlicensed use. Hundreds of critical infrastructure industries' licensees are in that band, associations representing nearly all U.S. electric utilities and many water and wastewater utilities wrote FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, in a letter posted Monday in docket 18-295. The agency's proposed automated frequency coordination system (AFC) "remains untested and unproven," said group leaders, mostly their CEOs, of the American Public Power Association, American Water Works Association, Edison Electric Institute, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and Utilities Technology Council. NTIA has concerns about a similar technology in the 5.8 GHz band, the groups said. They sought to have AFC required for indoor and outdoor unlicensed operations, mandate AFC cybersecurity, and test the system to prevent interference to microwave systems before any 6 GHz unlicensed operations.

The Wi-Fi Alliance challenged a May 3 claim by the Fixed Wireless Communications Coalition that 2008's American Radio Relay League v. FCC by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit means any FCC 6 GHz rules must protect fixed wireless incumbents. The FWCC said the court was clear that the commission "can overlook the licensing requirement, and thereby authorize unlicensed devices, only where it has determined the devices will not cause harmful interference to licensed services.” The decision “does not say that,” the alliance fired back, in docket 18-295. “The ruling says nearly the opposite, affirming longstanding precedent that the Commission may permit the use of unlicensed devices when it finds there is not a ‘significant potential’ for harmful interference to licensed operations. That is precisely what the record demonstrates in this proceeding, meaning the Commission has the authority to permit unlicensed devices to access the entire 6 GHz band.” The FWCC didn't comment. Also Monday, the docket posted filings by utilities (see 1905200048) and by Intel (see 1905200047).

While still hoping to see up to 300 MHz of the C band freed up for 5G use, FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly on Saturday said he's amenable to clearing 200 MHz now and a structure that sees more opened up in the future. He said at the FCBA annual retreat that his top priority is clearing the band as quickly as possible. Panels at the event in Hot Springs, Virginia, also covered topics ranging from cybersecurity to autonomous vehicles.

The FCC will take up cable leased access rules and an NPRM on aviation safety, in addition to the declaratory ruling and Further NPRM on robocalls (see 1905150041), Chairman Ajit Pai blogged Wednesday. The FCC isn’t slated to tackle the 2.5 GHz educational broadcast service (EBS) band or a notice on the 5.9 GHz band, as some had expected (see 1905130054 and 1905140050). "We’ve certainly had monthly meetings with more items on the agenda, but with a major item to crack down on unwanted robocalls, this could be one of our most impactful meetings of the year," Pai said.

A lawyer laid out the Wireless ISP Association's stance on the 2.5 GHz educational broadband service band, in a meeting with aides to Chairman Ajit Pai and Commissioner Mike O’Rielly. For existing EBS licensees, the FCC should “eliminate leasing, ownership and educational requirements, and should rationalize existing Geographic Service Areas by extending them to the county border,” said Stephen Coran of Lerner Senter. “With respect to unassigned EBS spectrum,” WISPA’s preference is for “an open eligibility auction designed with appropriate safeguards to ensure that one entity could not acquire all available spectrum in a geographic market,” Coran said, per a Tuesday filing in docket 18-120. Pai is expected to propose revised 2.5 GHz rules for a vote at the June 6 commissioners’ meeting (see 1905130054).

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said Tuesday at the Wi-Fi World Congress the commission will soon take another look at the 5.9 GHz band. Wi-Fi backers cheered the remarks. Pai has long been expected to circulate a Further NPRM seeking comment (see 1811140061). The FNPRM could come as early as the June 6 commissioners' meeting, industry officials said.

Oil companies led by Chevron asked the FCC to exclude the Gulf of Mexico from any expanded unlicensed use of the 6 GHz band. “The 6 GHz backhaul network is essential for the safety of oil and gas operations and for new government continuous monitoring regulation," said a filing in docket 18-295."Offshore energy production operations have become safer and more secure over the last decade, in part through greatly improved communications between oil production platforms and on-shore management, monitoring activities and public safety entities." The FCC is examining Wi-Fi and other unlicensed use of the band (see 1903190050).