[1st-mile-nm] FCC UNLEASHES 25 MHz OF SPECTRUM FOR MOBILE BROADBAND USE

[Richard Lowenberg]

FCC UNLEASHES 25 MHz OF SPECTRUM FOR MOBILE BROADBAND USE

Provides Greater Certainty for Satellite Radio and Mobile Broadband  
Licensees

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-298308A1.doc

Washington, D.C. -- The Federal Communications Commission today  
adopted rules that will make available 25 megahertz of spectrum for  
mobile broadband service in much of the United States, while  
protecting adjacent satellite radio and aeronautical mobile telemetry  
operations. Mobile broadband promises to be a significant contributing  
factor for economic growth and job creation in the 21st century. To  
promote mobile innovation and investment, the National Broadband Plan  
recommends that the Commission make 500 megahertz of spectrum  
available for broadband use in the next 10 years, including 300  
megahertz for broadband use in the next five years.



The Report and Order adopted today amends the Wireless Communications  
Service (WCS) rules to immediately make 25 megahertz of spectrum  
available for mobile broadband services.  The existing WCS rules  
constrain operations to fixed services, but the Commission found today  
that those rules can be revised to allow mobile broadband services  
without risking harmful interference to neighboring operations.

To provide certainty for licensees while maintaining high-quality  
satellite radio services to the American public, the Commission  
adopted rules permitting the use of terrestrial repeaters by Satellite  
Digital Audio Radio Service (SDARS) licensees at the same time

The Commission also adopted enhanced build-out requirements for WCS  
licensees, to ensure that the promise of mobile broadband is realized.  
These requirements are designed to spur investment that will promote  
the deployment of innovative mobile broadband services across the  
country.


Together, the Orders establish a regulatory framework for the co- 
existence of WCS and SDARS licensees in the 2.3 GHz frequency band in  
the following manner:


·       Mobile and portable broadband devices: Mobile and portable  
station power levels are permitted up to 250 mW average equivalent  
isotropically radiated power (EIRP) per 5 megahertz in WCS Blocks A  
and B and in the portions of WCS Blocks C and D that are separated by  
2.5 megahertz from the SDARS band edges; duty cycle limitations and  
automatic transmit power control (ATPC) will apply; out of-band  
emissions (OOBE) requirements on WCS mobile and portable devices are  
also relaxed.

·       WCS base and fixed stations: Base and fixed stations in WCS  
Blocks A and B are permitted to operate with up to 2 kW average EIRP  
per 5 megahertz but stations in the C and D blocks remain limited to  
the 2 kW peak EIRP level currently specified in the Rules; WCS base  
and fixed stations’ OOBE are also relaxed; a notification process with  
SDARS and coordination process with aeronautical mobile telemetry  
(AMT) users are also established.

·       Performance requirements for WCS licensees: For mobile and  
point-to-multipoint services, WCS licensees must serve 40 percent of a  
license area’s population within 42 months, and 75 percent within 72  
months.  For fixed point-to-point services, WCS licensees must  
construct and operate 15 point-to-point links per million persons in a  
license area within 42 months, and 30 links within 72 months, together  
with a minimum payload capacity to ensure that the spectrum is used  
intensively.  Licensees will not be required to satisfy submarket  
construction requirements.

·       WCS Coordination with Flight Testing Service.  In those  
license areas where WCS licensees must coordinate with aeronautical  
mobile telemetry receive sites to serve a significant percentage of a  
market’s total population, alternative requirements apply for mobile  
and point-to-multipoint services.  Specifically, affected licensees  
must serve 25 (rather than 40) percent of the population within 42  
months, and 50 (rather than 75) percent within 72 months.

·       SDARS terrestrial repeaters: Permanent rules are established  
for the operation of SDARS terrestrial repeaters.  Repeaters operating  
up to 12 kW average EIRP will be authorized under a blanket licensing  
regime.   The Commission also denies petitions for reconsideration of  
the 1997 SDARS Order filed by the Consumer Electronics Manufacturing  
Association (CEMA) and the Cellular Phone Taskforce.

Action by the Commission May 20, 2010, by Report and Order and Second  
Report and Order (FCC 10-82).  By the Commission:  Chairman  
Genachowski, Commissioners Copps, McDowell, Clyburn, and Baker.  
Separate statements issued by Chairman Genachowski, Commissioners  
Copps, McDowell, Clyburn, and Baker.



WT Docket No. 07-293, IB Docket No. 95-91 and GEN Docket No. 90-537.


For further information, contact Patrick Forster (202-418-7061; Patrick.Forster at fcc.gov 
), or Ronald Repasi (202-418-2470; Ronald.Repasi at fcc.gov).


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Richard Lowenberg
P. O. Box 8001,  Santa Fe, NM  87504
505-989-9110 off.; 505-603-5200 cell
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