Spectrum

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced that the items below are tentatively on the agenda for the June Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, June 9, 2020:

In today’s interconnected world, making spectrum available for the private sector to deploy and advance new technologies will not only benefit American consumers, but will also allow our nation to continue to lead on the global stage in 5G and Internet of Things. After hearing from many stakeholders, the FCC made its decision to grant Ligado’s application. This application has been tested, reviewed, revised, and tested again.

The FCC's June 2020 meeting agenda includes the following:

Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr announced that the FCC will vote on his plan to promote the build out of Broadcast Internet services. These are a range of innovative offerings that can be delivered over the same, powerful broadcast television spectrum that blankets US communities today. These Broadcast Internet services are enabled by a new broadcast transmission standard known as ATSC 3.0 and delivered over an efficient one-to-many architecture. The FCC will vote on the item—a Declaratory Ruling and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking—at its June Open Meeting.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jim Inhofe (R-OK), along with a group of 31 bipartisan Senators, sent a letter to the five Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioners, expressing concern over the FCC’s order granting Ligado Network’s application to deploy a terrestrial nationwide network that would interfere with the Global Positioning System (GPS) — devastating our military and countless industries that rely on its signals.

An FCC auction of the T-band is a bad idea. But as of today, the law mandates that we do it. It’s unfortunate that Commission resources must be dedicated to laying the groundwork for an auction that will likely fail. This is especially true at a time when we are making every effort to keep Americans safe and connected, including allowing expanded temporary use of this very spectrum to help first responders save lives.

Intelsat’s decision to file for bankruptcy reveals what many suspected all along: Intelsat had no intention of accepting the FCC’s deal. The [Federal Communications Commission] should withdraw its offer, take control of America’s spectrum and save taxpayers billions of dollars instead of shelling out that money to foreign companies.

Co-Chairs of the Congressional Native American Caucus Deb Haaland (D-NM) and Tom Cole (R-OK), and Sen Martin Heinrich (D-NM), announced the introduction of the COVID-19 DISASTER in Indian Country Act to unleash emergency access to broadband internet in Indian Country. The bill will direct the Federal Communications Commission to grant Indian tribes emergency special temporary authority of available spectrum on tribal lands so they can immediately deploy broadband networks on tribal lands during this pandemic.

The Federal Communications Commission took action to make six megahertz of low-band spectrum available for the development of critical wireless broadband technologies and services. The 900 MHz band is currently designated for narrowband land mobile radio communications and primarily used by land transportation, utility, manufacturing, and petrochemical companies. The item approved May 13 makes six megahertz available for broadband licenses on a county-by-county basis while reserving the remaining four megahertz of spectrum for continued narrowband operations.

Even as major players like Verizon and AT&T are rushing to roll out 5G, a little-known company is looking to build its own alternative network using the wireless technology with the intent to connect the various devices in our lives. With so much hype around 5G, you'd expect a red carpet for this initiative. But the company, Ligado Networks, has run into some high-profile opposition: the US Defense Department. It's the latest twist in a long-running saga over the idea of an alternative cellular network.