CTIA Urges Rulemaking on Clearing Upper 6 GHz Band for 5G

CTIA urged the FCC to launch a Further NPRM on licensing the 6.525-7.125 GHz band for flexible-use services and moving incumbent fixed service operations to other spectrum. NTIA has been scoping the 7125-8400 MHz band (see 1908010065). What CTIA seeks could be difficult since federal agencies, particularly DOD, are active in the band (see 1912230035). CTIA isn’t giving up and filed a Commsearch report saying the move is possible. “Merely matching other countries’ spectrum investments, however, will not be enough for the U.S. to lead in our new 5G economy because these nations are not finished,” CTIA said in docket 18-295, posted Tuesday. “Other leading countries are on track to make available four times as much licensed mid-band spectrum as the U.S. by the end of 2020, with nations like Japan and South Korea pushing ahead with plans for additional mid-band spectrum in the next few years.”