A fresh posting at Advanced TV reveals that, on October 29, a 64-page document was submitted to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and considerably expanded considerably the C-Band Alliance’s (CBA) proposal to release 200 MHz of satellite spectrum (in the 3.7-4.2 GHz band) for 5G use over the U.S.
The FCC filing was followed up by the CBA’s Preston Padden (EVP at the Alliance) on November 13 at a Washington-DC meeting organised by the Information Technology & Innovation Forum (ITIF). The initial document from the CBA (and including Intel) provides a detailed response to some critics who suggested the alliance of Intelsat, SES, Eutelsat and Telesat has considerable flaws in its scheme. This new filing to the FCC stresses that the economic consequences of not agreeing a prompt decision are significant.
The CBA is lobbying for a “market based” approach to selling off the C-band spectrum, with the USA’s wireless telcos being the likely buyers. “Only the market-based approach achieves the difficult task of expeditiously reconciling the terrestrial mobile industry’s need for more mid-band spectrum for 5G with the need to protect existing and future C-band satellite operations. It harnesses market incentives to make mid-band spectrum available for terrestrial 5G voluntarily, quickly, and with minimal FCC intervention, and it enjoys cross-industry support,” stated the document.
The CBA stresses that the proposal recognizes the deployment of 5G is a “national priority” and where speed is paramount, both in adoption and also in decision making by the FCC.
Preston Padden emphasized this point, saying to ITIF delegates: “Every part of the U.S. Government is urging maximum speed in the race to 5G – FCC Chair & Commissioners, Congressional Leaders, the Administration, Larry Kudlow [Director of the US National Economic Council) saying ‘Let it rip!’“ Padden was blunt in warning that “Any effort to seize spectrum involuntarily would produce more than a decade of litigation. By the time any government process got underway, 5G in the US would be a small blip in China’s rear-view mirror.”
A specially commissioned report from consultants at the Brattle Group said that the societal benefits to the USA’s economy are between 10 and 20 times the value of the actual spectrum.
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