AWS-3 auction: DoD pledges to enable greater access to shared spectrum

The next major US spectrum auction, for AWS-3 frequencies, is slated to begin in less than two months, and the Department of Defense (DoD) is pledging to do what it can to reduce the size of coordination zones in the 1755-1780 MHz band to enable greater access to shared spectrum by commercial operations.

That pledge is included in recently released government data, which is aimed at helping potential bidders assess how to proceed in order to coordinate their spectrum needs with incumbent DoD licensees in the 1755-1780 MHz band. The AWS-3 auction begins on Nov. 13, and the FCC hopes to raise a minimum of $10.587 billion for the airwaves. The auction will include the 1695-1710 MHz band, assigned as unpaired spectrum used for low-power uplink operations, and the 1755-1780 MHz band, which will be licensed for low-power uplink operations and paired with the 2155-2180 MHz band, which is unencumbered by federal users, for downlink operations. In most cases, federal spectrum users will have to exit the 1695-1710 MHz and 1755-1780 MHz bands or geographically share them with commercial users.