On March 26th, Roger Sherman, Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau; Julius Knapp, Chief, Office of Engineering and Technology; Gary Epstein, Chair, Incentive Auction Task Force; and John Leibovitz, Deputy Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and Special Advisor to the Chairman for Spectrum Policy testified before the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Here is the last part of their prepared remarks:

Keeping the Pipeline Flowing

In the fall of 2014, the Commission unanimously initiated a proceeding to explore the feasibility of using bands above 24 GHz for mobile wireless broadband and other wireless applications.The Commission is taking a proactive approach to examine the future evolution of wireless broadband technologies and determine what steps to take to create a flexible regulatory environment in which these technologies can flourish.

Conclusion

The Nation’s leadership in wireless, and our ability to meet the wireless needs of consumers, depends in large part on spectrum resources. We will continue to pursue effective spectrum policies, leveraging the tools Congress has provided. We will also look to this Subcommittee for assistance and guidance in developing new, innovative approaches to spectrum management, and standready to work with Congress and our federal partners towards these important goals.

We agree completely with the last paragraph. However, there previous paragraph raises serious questions about present FCC policy. While indeed FCC “unanimously initiated a proceeding to explore the feasibility of using bands above 24 GHz for mobile wireless broadband” in Docket 14-177, it has paid scant attention to other “spectrum frontier”issues before it and has tried to narrow the scope of Docket 14-177 to minimize its applicability to non-CMRS applications. See fn 64 of the NOI to see how the drafters were looking for excuses to do as little as possible in this proceeding. In that footnote, they reference the TAC report on Spectrum Frontiers saying “TAC suggested instead that the Commission should carefully balance the benefits and risks of adopting service rules in these bands and take an active role to establish a framework for coexistence with passive services.”

• So what is FCC now doing to “establish a framework for coexistence with passive services”?
• What about the bands above 24 GHz where there are no passive allocations at all? (e.g. 122.25-123 and 158.5-164 GHz)
• What about the bands above 24 GHz where the passive allocations are co-primary, not primary? (e.g. 102-109.5 GHz)
• What does FCC think that Sections 7(a) and 303(g) of the Communications Act actually mean?

Millimeter wave technology - It really is different
Why is FCC acting so slowly?

Tags: mmW, innovation, FCC Reform