The FCC Office of Economics and Analytics and Wireless Bureau granted T-Mobile’s request to apply to participate in Auction 103, despite its pending purchase of Sprint (see 1908270023), said an order in Tuesday's Daily Digest. Bidding rules for such auctions bar participation by companies that have ongoing arrangements with other bidders, but the FCC granted similar waivers for T-Mobile in auctions 101 and 102, the order said. This now allows more participation in the “historic” auction of high-band spectrum, the staff said. The auction will “make available the largest amount of high-band spectrum for advanced wireless services ever in American history, releasing 3,400 megahertz of spectrum into the commercial marketplace for 5G deployment,” the order said. “The public interest will be best served by permitting T-Mobile to seek to participate.”
Wireless Spectrum Auctions
The FCC manages and licenses the electromagnetic spectrum used by wireless, broadcast, satellite and other telecommunications services for government and commercial users. This activity includes organizing specific telecommunications modes to only use specific frequencies and maintaining the licensing systems for each frequency such that communications services and devices using different bands receive as little interference as possible.
What are spectrum auctions?
The FCC will periodically hold auctions of unused or newly available spectrum frequencies, in which potential licensees can bid to acquire the rights to use a specific frequency for a specific purpose. As an example, over the last few years the U.S. government has conducted periodic auctions of different GHz bands to support the growth of 5G services.
Leaders of the House Communications and Senate Appropriations Financial Services subcommittees are using the month-plus August recess to finalize their plans for a legislative solution to the debate over how to clear spectrum in the 3.7-4.2 GHz C band for 5G use. Some lawmakers said they need to reach a quick decision on how to proceed to influence the outcome before the FCC releases its proposal. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai appears to be aiming for a plan to clear at least 300 MHz of C-band spectrum (see 1908200044). The sides offered conflicting readings earlier this month of initial comments to the FCC on alternative plans (see 1908150042). Those comments showed little move toward consensus (see 1908080041).
While an FCC proposal is still taking shape, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai is telling industry officials he wants at least 300 MHz of C-band spectrum allocated for 5G. Pai also appears to be leaning toward an FCC auction rather than a private sale to allocate the licenses, industry officials said. The C-Band Alliance plan for clearing the band has dominated discussions. Last week, the FCC took reply comments on alternate proposals (see 1908150042). Again, comments were sharply divided. Pai said last month the FCC should have “results to show” on the C band in the fall (see 1907050024). The FCC and CBA didn't comment.
The Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee is gearing up for its first meeting since being rechartered, likely in early fall, said CSMAC members and federal officials Monday. CSMAC last met in July 2018 (see 1807240057). “We are finalizing the topics and questions that we wish the CSMAC to address prior to our first meeting, which is tentatively scheduled for early October,” an NTIA spokesperson emailed: The location and exact time haven't been decided.
The C-Band Alliance told the FCC its proposal remains the best alternative for opening the band for 5G. Other commenters endorsed a proposal by America’s Communications Association, the Competitive Carriers Association and Charter Communications, or a study by Jeff Reed of Virginia Tech and Reed Engineering on sharing the band with fixed point-to-multipoint (P2MP) operations (see 1907020061). Industry officials said there's little consensus on the band. Comments were due Wednesday in docket 18-122.
House Communications Subcommittee Vice Chair Doris Matsui, D-Calif., said Wednesday she filed her C-band-centric Wireless Investment Now in (Win) 5G Act (HR-4171). The bill, which Matsui floated in June as a draft (see 1906260078), would set up a tiered system for satellite companies to benefit from an FCC-administered auction of spectrum in the 3.7-4.2 GHz band in which freeing up additional spectrum would increase satellite companies' share. The filed version shortens the deadline for submitting a transition plan to the FCC to four months from the six months in the draft. It also shortens the timeline for the FCC to ensure a transition plan is adequate to two months from the original 90-day deadline. “Since releasing the draft of this legislation, I am [pleased] with the breadth of stakeholders who have offered support for a compromise and consensus-based approach,” Matsui said in a statement. “As introduced, the WIN 5G Act includes stronger timeframes for the review and reallocation plan to be completed -- ensuring that this spectrum can be repurposed for 5G rapidly and equitably.”
One of the bands NTIA seeks more information on from other agencies is a relative mystery band, 7125-8400 MHz, which has gotten little previous attention. It's among those mentioned in the Advancing Innovation and Reinvigorating Widespread Access to Viable Electromagnetic Spectrum (Airwaves) Act, which seeks to identify spectrum for unlicensed use and free up mid-band spectrum for auction (see 1802070054). The band is directly north of spectrum the FCC is already looking at for unlicensed use, the 6 GHz band.
The Trump administration didn’t meet a July 22 deadline for completing its long-term National Spectrum Strategy. An Oct. 28, 2018, memo by President Donald Trump set that date for the National Economic Council director and the assistant to the president for national security affairs to submit the strategy. Two government officials told us the White House missed the deadline, but the report is essentially finished and under internal review. It's still unclear how or when it will be publicly released, one official said.
Nokia officials urged the FCC to move forward on the C band for 5G, in a meeting with FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. “While the planned 2.5 GHz band and 3.5 GHz band auctions are positive steps for mid-band spectrum in the U.S., they do not remove the urgency of moving forward with the 3.7 GHz band,” Nokia said in a filing posted Tuesday in docket 18-122. “Terrestrial wireless spectrum in the mid-band is critical to the United States keeping pace globally in the ‘Race to 5G.’ Nokia outlined the most recent international developments where spectrum allocation and product development and deployment planning in mid-band continue ahead of the U.S.”
Incumbent 39 GHz licensee short-form applications, to be submitted in preparation for upcoming FCC Auction 103, are available to the public, said a notice in Tuesday’s Daily Digest. The auction, to start Dec. 10, will be the FCC’s third of high-band spectrum for 5G. “FCC Form 175-A applicants and other interested parties may view submitted FCC Form 175-A applications by searching for them in the Commission’s database on the Commission’s website,” said the notice in docket 14-177 by the Wireless Bureau and Office of Economics and Analytics.