Spectrum

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced that the items below are tentatively on the agenda for the Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, Dec 12, 2019:

988: Suicide Prevention Hotline Number – The FCC will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would propose to designate 988 as the 3-digit number for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline. (WC Docket No. 18-336)

The last Federal Communications Commission meeting of 2019, on December 12, features more than one item that could receive top billing in an ordinary month. The FCC will consider:

After 20 years of seeing these prime airwaves [in the 5.9 GHz band] go largely unused, the time has come for the FCC to take a fresh look at the 5.9 GHz band. And I’m pleased to announce that today, I shared with my FCC colleagues a proposal to end the uncertainty around the 5.9 GHz band and set a path for the deployment of new services. Specifically, I’m proposing to make available the lower 45 MHz of the band for unlicensed uses like Wi-Fi and allocate the upper 20 MHz for a new automotive communications technology, Cellular Vehicle to Everything, or C-V2X.

It has been over 4 months since the Federal Communications Commission voted to overhaul the Educational Broadband Service (EBS) spectrum band (2.5 GHz) and prepare it for commercial auction. As EBS licensees, Voqal strongly opposed the FCC’s decision because it was an enormous missed opportunity not only to strengthen educational benefits but also to close the homework gap and digital divide in rural areas.

President Donald Trump says he wants the US to dominate 5G ultra-fast internet, and Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai has been clearing regulation to speed the way. But now they appear to have succumbed to Washington rent-seekers and their political mouthpieces. Chairman Pai notified Congress that the FCC plans to repurpose spectrum that is currently licensed to satellite providers for 5G and auction it off to other users.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced his intent for the FCC to conduct a public auction of 280 megahertz of the C-band in letters like this to lawmakers following a weekend of speculation about how the C-Band Alliances latest proposal would be received.

The bipartisan leadership of several key Senate committees urged President Donald Trump’s national security adviser to designate a senior coordinator dedicated to leading the nation’s effort to develop and deploy next-generation communications technologies.

Five House Commerce Committee Democrats sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai raising concerns about the shortened notice and filing window for spectrum license applications in the 2.5 GHz proceeding, which will prevent many tribes and tribal organizations from taking advantage of the priority filing window. The Members also believe the FCC’s request that the Office of Management and Budget

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai has announced his plans to begin freeing up valuable airwaves within the C-Band, a part of the spectrum—the radio frequencies that our cell carriers, television stations, and others use to transmit services—historically used for satellite television. Once freed, the spectrum would be auctioned and used for 5G and other advanced wireless services. The FCC is making the right call here.