Wheeler endorses 200 MHz spectrum blocks

On June 20, FCC Chairman Wheeler said the FCC intends to act to make “ample spectrum available” through a new Spectrum Frontiers proposal even before 5G standards are passed.

Wheeler said: “…we do not believe we should spend the next couple of years studying what 5G should be, how it should operate, and how to allocate spectrum…we will make ample spectrum available and then rely on a private sector-led process for producing technical standards best suited for those frequencies and use cases…it’s a simple formula: Lead the world in spectrum availability, encourage and protect innovation-driving competition, and stay out of the way of technological development.”

He said his plan would expand licensed blocks to at least 200 MHz in the higher bands and the creation of a “massive 14 GHz unlicensed band” with ample spectrum for satellite and mobile industries.

Another Step toward Spectrum Frontiers

On March 3 the Senate committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation approved the Mobile Now Act, a bill which is focused on increasing spectrum available for building commercial mobile networks.  The FCC’s Spectrum Frontiers rulemaking for the mm wavelengths plays into this and the agency is moving ahead with proposed rules for 28 GHz, 37 GHz, 39 GHz and 64-71 GHz bands.

NYU Wireless researchers reported at the Spectrum Frontiers workshop that spectrum in several GHz bands can be utilized for wireless networking and it appears that both transmit and receive hardware will be available soon to operate in the mm bands.


In any case the FCC will have to weigh arguments from current wireless giants (think AT&T), from satellite operators, and from possible new entrants with deep pockets (think Google) as to who gets to do what in what bands. 

Jean Kiddoo will coordinate station repacking

Jean Kiddoo, deputy chief of the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, has been appointed deputy chair of the Incentive Auction Task Force to focus on the post-auction repacking of station channels. This apparently includes overseeing the controversial $1.75 billion relocation fund. She will be a liaison to the Media, Wireless, Wireline bureaus.