Update on FCC's spectrum frontiers Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

The FCC proposal to adopt new rules to make spectrum bands above 24 GHz available for mobile and other services was adopted back in October of 2015 with public comment period ending in January (later extended to February). This is the so-called "Spectrum Frontiers" rulemaking and FCC Chairman Wheeler has indicated that a decision on the final rule should be made by the end of the summer 2016. Companies such as Google want a Spectrum Access System to be used for the 37 GHz band whereas big wireless carriers (e.g. Verizon) would like the licensing to be done as it was in the past. On November 19, 2015, the Satellite Industry Association (SIA) wrote that analyzing spectrum sharing with mobile wireless services should be based on a separate review for each band as current and future satellite operations differ depending on the band. In particular, satellite companies have stated their desire to keep the 28 GHz band free of new ground-based signals.