FCC Enables Investments In And Provisioning Of Mobile Broadband Services In The 800 MHZ Cellular Band

The Federal Communications Commission moved to reform certain outdated rules applicable to the 800 MHz Cellular Service band to facilitate the use of Cellular spectrum for mobile broadband services such as long term evolution (LTE), which provides high-speed connectivity to today’s mobile consumers. To accommodate continued skyrocketing demand for mobile broadband, the revisions will allow providers to use Cellular spectrum to provide mobile broadband service to the public more efficiently, reduce barriers to innovation and investment and ease administrative burdens. At the same time, the rules will continue to safeguard public safety operations.

Specific reforms include:

• Power Reform: The FCC will facilitate broadband technologies by changing its technical rules to permit Cellular licensees to transmit the same amount of power across the spectrum band, whether they are deploying a legacy (narrow bandwidth) technology or modern (wider bandwidth) technology like LTE.
• Co-existence with Public Safety: The FCC will continue to ensure co-existence of Cellular and neighboring public safety systems by retaining Cellular-specific interference resolution rules and procedures and by engaging stakeholders via a public forum.
• Consistent Treatment with Similar Spectrum Bands: The FCC will treat Cellular spectrum consistently with other similar commercial wireless spectrum bands by conforming rules related to power measurement, out of band emissions, field strength, and discontinuance of operations.
• Unnecessary rules/burdens: The FCC will eliminate unnecessary rules and burdens related to application filings, domestic and international coordination, and comparative renewal.