Spectrum

The Federal Communications Commission has granted an emergency Special Temporary Authority request filed by the Makah Tribe to use unassigned spectrum in the 2.5 GHz band to provide wireless broadband service over its reservation as part of its emergency COVID-19 pandemic response. The Tribe is located within Washington State. The temporary grant of authority is effective for 60 days.

On May 7, 2020, several Members of Congress wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai to express deep concern about the FCC's approval of Ligado Networks request to modify licenses. "The national security community was unanimous in the judgement that approval of the use of certain portions of the L band spectrum could pose an unacceptable risk to the use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) in the United States.

Reps Darren Soto (D-FL) and Bill Flores (R-TX) introduced the Leveraging American Understanding of Next-generation Challenges Exploring Space (LAUNCHES) Act, a bill that will eliminate unnecessary barriers that hamper the ability of private companies to obtain spectrum licenses required to launch rockets from US soil into space. The legislation:

The days of Dish and T-Mobile playing nice may be coming to an end. On March 13, during the height of the coronavirus crisis, Dish lent its portfolio of 600 MHz spectrum to T-Mobile at no cost for 60 days in order to bolster wireless capacity during the pandemic. Recently, T-Mobile asked Dish for an extension of its 600 MHz spectrum loan until June 30. T-Mobile says the continued use of Dish’s spectrum is necessary to support the needs of customers who are still working and learning from home.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, on behalf of the executive branch, particularly the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Transportation (DoT), respectfully petitions the Federal Communications Commission to reconsider or, in the alternative, to clarify its Order and Authorization. NTIA also requests that the FCC rescind its approval of the mobile-satellite service (MSS) license modification applications conditionally granted to Ligado Networks, which will cause irreparable harms to federal government users of the Global Positioning System (GPS).

In accordance with the Secure 5G and Beyond Act of 2020, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, on behalf of the Executive Branch, is requesting comments to inform the development of an Implementation Plan for the National Strategy to Secure 5G. The Strategy is focused on four lines of effort: (1) facilitating domestic 5G rollout; (2) assessing the cybersecurity risks to and identifying core security principles of 5G capabilities and infrastructure; (3) addressing risks to United States economic and national security during development and deployment of 5G infrastru

On April 27, 2020, a group of representatives, led by Congressional Native American Caucus Co-Chairs Deb Haaland (D-NM) and Tom Cole (R-OK), wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai urging the FCC to "grant Tribal Nations and their eligible tribal entities an emergency Special Temporary Authority (STA) to employ the use, on a secondary non-interference basis, of 2.5 GHz spectrum and other efficient, available, and cost effective spectrum on all tribal lands to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic and its current and future effects in Indian Country."

Public Knowledge joined more than 30 public interest groups (including the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society), advocacy organizations, trade associations, academics, and former administration officials in a letter urging both the Senate and House Armed Services Committees to support the Federal Communications Commission’s 

Perhaps the most impressive thing about 5G – the next generation of wireless technology — is that it manages to bridge the hyper-partisan divide in Washington (DC).