Spectrum

Development of a National Spectrum Strategy

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) seeks comment on identifying airwaves for more intensive use and innovative new uses by both the private sector and federal agencies. NTIA seeks input on creating a spectrum pipeline for the next decade of frequencies that could be studied for new or additional uses. The agency’s goal is to identify at least 1,500 megahertz of spectrum to study for potential repurposing—perhaps the most ambitious study goal for NTIA to date—to meet future requirements for non-federal and federal users.

Chairwoman Rosenworcel Remarks at Satellite Industry Association Dinner

The Federal Communications Commission has big plans for that future. Because a few months ago, I announced a shake-up at the Federal Communications Commission. I shared my plans to reorganize the agency to create a new Space Bureau. This effort is part of what I believe needs to be a broader rethinking of satellite policy in the United States. There are now new technologies in the space industry, thousands of satellite applications pending before the agency, and so many more innovations on the horizon that I believe we cannot keep doing things the old way and expect to thrive in the new.

FCC Seeks Budget Boost to Power Equitable Communications Buildout

The Federal Communications Commission has asked for a budget increase of a little more than 5 percent for fiscal 2024 (FY 2024), given inflation and its goal of getting broadband to 100% of the US in an equitable and inclusive way. In its budget request to Congress, the FCC said its top priority is the universal broadband the Biden administration has said should be achievable by the end of the decade. To do that, the agency said, it wants a 5.3

FCC’s spectrum-auction lapse stalls next-generation 911 funding

The Federal Communications Commission’s recent lapse in authority to auction off wireless spectrum has members of the House of Representatives concerned about the US's ability to stay competitive in a global wireless market. It has others concerned that the upgrade to next-generation 911 just lost its primary funding source. The Senate recently declined to vote on the House’s Spectrum Innovation Act, a bill that would have funneled spectrum fees into numerous initiatives, including $10 billion for upgrading aging 911 systems.

Get ready for the summer of spectrum squabbling

For the first time ever, Congress allowed the Federal Communication Commission's spectrum auction authority to lapse—a development that prevents the agency from auctioning more spectrum to 5G network operators. At roughly the same time, President Joe Biden's nominee to the FCC, Gigi Sohn [Senior Fellow and Public Advocate at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society], abruptly withdrew from contention without any clear replacement.

How Not To Help Close the Digital Divide

If you’re a person living in the United States without quality broadband, you should be very disappointed in the way your elected officials have failed to meet the following challenge of closing the digital divide recently: 

Congress lets FCC spectrum auction authority lapse for first time in 30 years

Astonishingly, the U.S. Senate has allowed the auction authority of the Federal Communications Commission to lapse for the first time since it was granted to the FCC in 1994. The U.S. Communications and Technology Subcommittee is holding more hearings related to the issue. Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Energy and Commerce Committee ranking member, said, “Yesterday, for the first time since the agency gained this authority 30 years ago, Congress failed to extend it when the Senate refused to act.

Seven Contestants Selected for NTIA, DoD “2023 5G Challenge”

Seven contestants have been selected to participate in a $7 million research competition to promote more secure and interoperable wireless network equipment, the US Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the US Department of Defense (DoD) announced. The 2023 5G Challenge, a collaboration between DoD and NTIA’s Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS) in Boulder (CO) aims to accelerate the adoption of open interfaces, interoperable subsystems, secure networks, and modular multi-vendor so

UScellular demos 5G fixed wireless access in Alleman, Iowa — population 423

UScellular brought its 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) technology to North Polk High School in Alleman, Iowa, to show state government officials how it can connect homes, businesses, and classrooms – with the added benefit of mobility. The location was selected to represent the typical characteristics of any small town in rural America. Alleman has a population of 423 people. The wireless operator was joined by technology leaders at Ericsson, Qualcomm, and the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA).

FCC Commissioner Simington Addresses Incompas Policy Summit

I’d like to focus on the future of 5G as a technology that I think could revolutionize private networking in the US and allow this country to strengthen its international position in manufacturing. Apart from its benefits to consumers, I know that many policymakers are counting on the 5G revolution to create new application frameworks and new industrial possibilities. Non-phone, non-consumer cellular devices are a product category that goes from niche to viability at scale through 5G’s capacities in latency, density, multiple planes, and network edge intelligence.

Where will net adds come from once there’s Internet for All?

President Joe Biden’s administration has set an ambitious goal to deliver Internet for All using $42.5 billion in funding from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. It’s not entirely clear how realistic that goal is.

FCC Grants Auction 108 Licenses

The Federal Communications Commission granted licenses to seven of the smaller winning bidders in the 2.5 GHz auction, which was completed in August 2023.

Cox launches fixed wireless trial to provide internet in rural areas

Cable operator Cox is looking for new ways to serve rural communities within its footprint. Cox is conducting a proof-of-concept, fixed-wireless trial using 5G technology outside of Macon (GA), Tucson (AZ), and Oklahoma City (OK) to deliver high-speed internet to customers in underserved and rural communities. “We're committed to creating digital equity in the communities we serve.

FCC’s spectrum auction authority nears March expiration

The top Republican and Democrat on the House Commerce Committee are working to avert a lapse, in March 2023, of the Federal Communications Commission’s authority to auction spectrum as Congress seeks a more lasting plan that could pay for a number of telecommunications priorities.  Auctions of the spectrum have been a financial boon for the government.

5G Revenue Analysis: Fixed Wireless Ranks Last Out of 8 Services

Fixed wireless access (FWA) generates the least revenue of eight 5G service types studied by professional services giant PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in a 5G revenue analysis. The researchers estimate that FWA service generates just 14 cents of revenue per gigabyte (GB) based on a price of $50 a month. The service type that generates the most revenue per GB, according to the researchers, is internet of things (IoT) connectivity for low-usage plans.

Talking About Things We Don’t Talk About

The Federal Communications Commission is an important institution. It oversees a huge input to our information economy: Spectrum. Fortunately, three decades ago, we developed a method for allocating spectrum that has garnered bipartisan praise, been copied around the world, underlaid two Nobel prizes, and is arguably the most successful communications policy innovation ever. Unfortunately, Congress can’t decide how to reauthorize that auction authority. Congressional dysfunction? Alas, not weird. The stakes are high: billions in investment capital, 10x more in economic impact.

Bipartisan House Commerce Committee Leaders Commend Passage of Bipartisan FCC Auction Authority Bill

House Commerce Committee leadership commended the passage on February 28th, 2023 on the House floor of H.R. 1108, a bill to extend the Federal Communication Commission auction authority deadline to May 19, 2023. The bill was sponsored by Reps. Cathy Rodgers (R-WA) and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ). “Spectrum policy is national security policy.

Chairwoman Rosenworcel Keynote Address to Mobile World Congress

Three things we are doing at the Federal Communications Commission right now to help get us to the next generation of innovation around the globe.

Dish is launching new Boost Infinite markets every week

Dish Network says it is progressing with its Boost Infinite postpaid service but company executives stopped short of saying when it will launch commercially nationwide.

Filling Gaps in US Spectrum Allocation: Reforms for Collaborative Management

With the rapid rise of wireless technology, the demand for access to the spectrum has increased in recent years. However, there are critical and interrelated gaps and failures in the process and policies used for efficiently allocating the spectrum in the US. Key takeaways from an analysis on this issue include the following:

Fixed Wireless in Cities

I am often asked by cities about the option of building a municipal fixed wireless broadband network. My response has been that it’s possible but that the resulting network is probably not going to satisfy the performance goals most cities have in mind. There are several limitations of fixed wireless technology in an urban that must be considered:

The Rollout of Dish Network's 5G Wireless Network Will Have Big Impacts on Broadband Policy

In 2023, broadband policy debates will center on how states expend tens of billions of dollars to deploy broadband networks in unserved and underserved areas, most through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. But that will not be the most consequential broadband deployment of the year.

Lets Stop Talking About Technology Neutral

I want to take on the phrase ‘technology-neutral’. This phrase is being used to justify building technologies that are clearly not as good as fiber. The phrase was used a lot to justify allowing Starlink into the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) reverse auction.

A company is trying to map America’s cell networks using mail trucks

Cell network coverage maps have always been dubiously accurate in the US, and even the ones released by the Federal Communication Commission in 2021 come with a ton of asterisks. A company called Ranlytics is hoping to make a much more accurate picture by attaching equipment to some of the mail trucks that are already driving to many locations in the US to deliver parcels and letters.