Sharing

Rep Brett Guthrie (KY-02) introduced the Simplifying Management, Reallocation, and Transfer of Spectrum Act, or SMART Spectrum Act (H.R.5486). The SMART Spectrum Act would create an information sharing capability at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to allow more commercial use of spectrum licensed for federal government use. The federal government is currently not fully utilizing all of the spectrum licenses that are allocated for federal use.

The Federal Communications Commission kicked off a mid-band spectrum auction to support next-generation wireless services – including 5G – in the 3.45 GHz band. Auction 110 will make available 100 megahertz of contiguous mid-band spectrum for commercial use in 2021. “We are moving with record speed and collaboration to free up more mid-band spectrum for 5G,” said FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “These airwaves are a critical part of unlocking the 5G promise everywhere in the country." Bidding in the first phase of the auction, the clock phase, kicked off at 10 am EST.

The National Telecommunication and Information Administration (NTIA)’s 2021 Spectrum Policy Symposium brought together key policymakers and industry experts to explore how a “whole of government” approach to spectrum policy can address US priorities for 21st-century global leadership. Each keynote speaker highlighted the importance of spectrum to the economy, US technological leadership, innovation, and federal government missions.

Reps Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Mike Doyle (D-PA) introduced the Spectrum Innovation Act (H.R.5378) to free up new airwaves for wireless broadband use by the public. The Spectrum Innovation Act would ensure faster speeds and more responsive networks for consumers. In addition to up to 200 megahertz of spectrum auctioned for mobile broadband, this bill would help usher in new, innovative wireless uses through opportunistic and other flexible spectrum uses.

Federal Communications Commissioner Nathan Simington provided a keynote address at the University of Colorado’s Silicon Flatirons “Frontiers in Spectrum Sharing” conference.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration commented in response to the Federal Communications Commission’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking addressing federal earth stations, launch spectrum, and operation of a new federal environmental sensing satellite. These issues are connected by the principle that the responsibilities of the FCC and NTIA to manage our respective spheres of spectrum use require continued adjustment to reflect the realities of their interdependence. Here, it means:

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, T-Mobile wrangled additional 600 MHz spectrum from a number of companies and from unused spectrum held by the Federal Communications Commission to bolster its capacity for Americans during a crisis. On July 27, T-Mobile filed a sixth application with the FCC f

The massive infrastructure bill making its way through the US legislature includes a section on spectrum auctions, including pre-auction funding for the Department of Defense (DoD) to research sharing and commercial use in the 3.1-3.45 GHz band. The section says once the bill is enacted, $50 million from the Spectrum Relocation Fund would be transferred to the DoD for research, planning and other activities for efficient spectrum use for the purpose of making the band available, including reallocating spectrum for shared federal and non-federal licensed users and conducting an auction. Shar

The Federal Communications Commission’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) issued a joint Public Notice to provide information about the cooperative sharing framework for federal and non-federal coordination in certain defined areas where and when federal incumbents require continued access in the 3.45–3.55 GHz band. The notice provides information and guidance on the overall coordination process, as contemplated by the 3.45 GHz Band 2d R&O.

The Federal Communications Commission denied an appeal from a California-based company that repeatedly disregarded its obligations to reasonably share a channel with other licensees. Mobile Relay Associates disputed the FCC Enforcement Bureau’s earlier imposition of a fine for improperly monopolizing use of a shared wireless communications channel, failing to monitor the channel to detect possible interference problems, and actually causing interference to co-channel licensees. The Bureau had warned the company repeatedly to change its behavior, but Mobile Relay did not do so.