Prioritize Rights of Companies Buying Spectrum in Incentive Auction, CTIA Urges FCC

FCC rules for the TV incentive auction must prioritize the rights of companies that buy spectrum in the auction to build out those frequencies, CTIA said in reply comments on a public notice on defining the term “commence operations” in the context of the 600 MHz band transition rules. The FCC should “err on the side of protecting primary uses” of the spectrum, said the filing posted Monday in docket 12-268.. Carriers should be able to “engineer and test their networks free from interference by defining ‘commence operations’ as the moment of first transmission on the licensed spectrum,” said the association. “This will ensure that the band is cleared of secondary uses early enough in the testing process that essential network testing functions are not subject to interference.” After carriers buy licenses in the auction, they have lots to do to build out their networks and test services and equipment before service begins, CTIA said. The 600 MHz licensees face a tough spectrum environment, with white spaces devices, low-power TV and wireless mics also using the 600 MHz spectrum, the wireless association said. “These secondary operations have the potential to interfere with the testing and use of licensed spectrum if permitted to operate in close proximity to licensed wireless transmissions.”