NTIA Gets Requests for 12 GHz, 3.1-3.45 GHz Repurposing

In its hunt for spectrum available for more-intensive use, NTIA was urged to look at the 12 GHz and upper 12 GHz bands, in comments submitted Monday responding to its request for comments on creating a national spectrum strategy (see 2303150066). CTIA said U.S. efforts to lead the world in 5G are threatened by the lack of a spectrum pipeline and the expiration of the FCC's spectrum auction authority.

NTIA should urge the FCC to authorize the 12.2-12.7 GHz band for terrestrial two-way fixed and mobile broadband use, and the 12.7-13.25 GHz band for mobile broadband, the Computer and Communication Industry Association said. The lapse of the FCC's auction authority "makes it all the more crucial" that existing bands be expanded for more technologies and services, it said. It also urged creating "a uniform, routinized process" for resolving interference concerns. There can't be a universal authorization procedure for every band, it said, but "a minimum set of administrative protocols might be a help to both the industry and to the agencies," it said.

Opening the 12 GHz band for two-way terrestrial use is technically possible, and incumbent license holders can successfully coexist there, the 5G for 12 GHz Coalition said. With 5G spectrum needs growing, the band is "a unique opportunity for the U.S. to enhance its leadership in the race to 5G," it said. "The appropriate sharing framework" can make the Upper 12 GHz usable for mobile and fixed broadband and other terrestrial uses, it said. Coalition members include Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, Cambridge Broadband Networks Group, Computer & Communications Industry Association, Dish Network, Dell Technologies, Federated Wireless, Incompas, New America, Public Knowledge, RS Access, Rise Broadband, Rural Wireless Association and Starry.

U.S. mobile traffic is expected to increase 2.5-fold over the next five years and almost sixfold in the next 10, Brattle Group said Monday in a CTIA-commissioned study. Without new spectrum bands allocated for commercial wireless use, the U.S. could have a 400 MHz deficit by 2027. It said that shortfall could reach more than 1,400 MHz by 2032.

A separate CTIA-commissioned report by Boston Consulting Group said annual 5G data traffic by 2027 will be seven to nine times the level of annual data traffic before 5G. It said, due to how long it takes to make spectrum available for commercial use, "the lack of a pipeline of licensed full-power spectrum for 5G is an increasing concern." It said the U.S. lags behind nations including Brazil, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the U.K. in 5G spectrum availability, with that gap likely growing without future spectrum auctions in the U.S. It said 5G growth will necessitate more spectrum, particularly in the mid-band range, and network operators' densification of the networks will in part hinge on land use and government right-of-way policies. It said the permitting approval process remains opaque.

Free State Foundation urged NTIA to repurpose more midband spectrum for exclusive licensed use, starting with the 3.1-3.45 GHz band. FSF said the 4 GHz and 7/8 GHz bands also should be evaluated for near-term commercial use. It said the focus should typically be licensing on an exclusive rather than shared basis. It said the spectrum strategy should make clear executive branch agencies that have interests in spectrum being evaluated for reallocation have to take part in an NTIA-led interagency process for their views to be considered in reallocation decisions. It also should expressly acknowledge the FCC as the expert independent agency overseeing commercial spectrum usage, FSF said.

The U.S.' spectrum pipeline is "more clown car than cogent strategy," GlobalData said. It said average monthly mobile data usage in the U.S. is expected to grow from 23.6 Gbps this year to 46.3 by 2027. It said carriers haven't lit up all the spectrum assets acquired in recent auctions, but repurposing spectrum is a years-long undertaking: "The US wireless operators, which are only just starting to see some of the advantages touted (too) early in 5G’s hype cycle, can ill afford a prolonged spectrum drought."