Spectrum

T-Mobile has the fastest-growing home internet solution in America right now, with its 5G fixed wireless service taking on 578,000 customers in the third quarter alone and quickly amassing a base of over 2.1 million users in just over a year. According to T-Mobile CEO Neville Ray, the entire enterprise is based on "fallow capacity"—network wherewithal that's not already being tapped by the wireless company's mobile users. “The incremental cost of serving those customers is de minimis," said Ray. "And why would you sit on your hands on all of that capacity that you have no utilization for or

As AT&T continues ramping up its fiber business – reaching 18.5 million passings in Q3 – it aims to leverage its fiber strategy to grow wireless customers, according to CFO Pascal Desroches. “In 5-10 years from now I just don’t see consumers accepting anything other than fiber,” Desroches said. “Also I think the power 5G will bring will make wireless relationships even more valuable. And we are able to provide both with our owner’s economics.” When AT&T offers both fiber and 5G, it sees a “meaningful uplift” in its wireless penetration, Desroches added.

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau granted nine 900 MHz broadband segment license applications to PDV Spectrum Holding Company in Missouri and Kansas. On May 13, 2020, the Commission realigned the 900 MHz band to make available six megahertz of low-band spectrum for the development of critical wireless broadband technologies and services, while reserving the remaining four megahertz of spectrum for continued narrowband operations.

In 2012 the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) was asked to write a report on how it envisioned the allocation of wireless spectrum in the future. Taking the position that clearing spectrum for unencumbered use was too difficult in some cases, the report called for sharing spectrum between incumbent federal, state and local users and commercial users. Licenses should be small, reused, and relicensed and would thereby increase the capacity by a factor of 1,000.

The Federal Communications Commission, which has responsibility for protecting Americans from potential radiation hazards generated by wireless transmitters and cellphones, has repeatedly sided with the telecommunications industry in denying the possibility of virtually any human harm.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel is planning to reorganize the FCC to better support the needs of the growing satellite industry, promote long-term technical capacity at the agency, and navigate 21st global communications policy. Under this plan, Chairwoman Rosenworcel will work to reorganize the FCC’s International Bureau into a new Space Bureau and a standalone Office of International Affairs.

The Federal Communication Commission's Office of Engineering and Technology conditionally approved 13 proposed automated frequency coordination (AFC) database systems to finalize development for operations in the 6 GHz band and prepare for the testing phase. This automated frequency coordination (AFC) system manages spectrum access for 6 GHz band standard-power unlicensed devices. The FCC’s recent rule changes expanded unlicensed use in the 5.925-6.425 GHz and 6.525- 6.875 GHz portions of the 6 GHz band to allow standard-power devices under the control of an AFC.

The Federal Communications Commission voted to launch a proceeding to explore repurposing up to 550 megahertz in the 12.7 to 13.25 GHz band (12.7 GHz band) for next-generation wireless services.

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau granted six 900 MHz broadband segment licenses to PDV Spectrum Holding Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Anterix. Anterix is the largest holder of 900 MHz spectrum nationwide and has been courting utilities, which are interested in the spectrum for private LTE as they look to modernize and future-proof critical power grid infrastructure. The licenses are in Vernon County, St Clair, Barton, Jackson, and Jackson counties (MO) and Jackson County (KS).

Many carriers and last-mile providers may be interested in purchasing out-of-the-box “lit” services from a middle-mile network, like a Virtual Private Network (VPN) or connectivity to cloud providers or the global Internet.