Google, AT&T and Verizon have shared vision for 3.5 GHz framework

It has long been observed that politics makes strange bedfellows, and a recent Federal Communications Commission filing shows that trend continues.

In this case, Google, AT&T and Verizon partnered to express their views to the FCC regarding commercial operations in the 3.5 GHz band, which is envisioned for use in small cell deployments.

According to the ex parte filing, submitted on Google letterhead, on March 13, representatives of the three companies met with members of the FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Office of Engineering and Technology and Public Safety & Homeland Security Bureau. At issue was the FCC's proposal to open the 3550-3650 MHz band for sharing between government and commercial users.

Rival telecommunications companies AT&T and Verizon, as well as Internet giant Google, whose partnership with telcos is perhaps best characterized as one of coopetition, joined to support the three-tiered sharing framework proposed by the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) for the 3.5 GHz band.