FCC Suspends T-Band Application Processing 

The FCC issued a Public Notice suspending the processing of applications for T-Band (470-512 MHz band) licenses, including renewals, in accordance with the current T-Band mandate to hold an auction in 2021. Licensees that have filed, and will in the future file, timely and complete applications for renewal of license2 may continue to operate using their licensed facilities past the license expiration date while the suspension is in effect.   

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai issued the following statement calling on Congress to repeal the mandate to auction T-Band spectrum and allow public safety officials to continue saving lives through T-Band communications: “In 2012, Congress passed legislation requiring the FCC to reallocate and auction T-Band spectrum used for decades by public safety licensees and fund the relocation of those licensees elsewhere. The agency has extensively analyzed the T-Band and concluded that moving forward is not viable—relocation costs for public safety licensees would likely far exceed any potential auction revenue, making it impossible to fund the relocation and comply with the mandate. The Government Accountability Office has agreed—reporting to Congress that the T-Band mandate is unworkable and could deprive first responders of their current ability to communicate by radio.”  

“Because of these concerns, I’m calling on Congress to repeal the T-Band mandate. I’m hopeful that Congress can resolve this matter without delay. Doing so will not only protect public safety communications in the T-Band but will also allow our dedicated auction staff to focus in 2020 on auctions that will make new airwaves available for 5G, like spectrum in the 3.5 GHz and 3.7 GHz bands.”   

The processing suspension applies to applications for the following radio 

services in the 470-512 MHz band: 

• Part 22 Public Mobile Services: Paging and Radiotelephone (radio service code CD), Offshore Radiotelephone (radio service code CO)  
• Part 90 Industrial/Business Pool: Industrial/Business Pool - Conventional (radio service code IG), Industrial/Business Pool - Commercial, Conventional (radio service code IK), Industrial/Business Pool - Trunked (radio service code YG), Industrial/Business Pool - Commercial, Trunked (radio service code YK)  
• Part 90 Public Safety Pool: Public Safety Pool - Conventional (radio service code PW), Public Safety Pool - Trunked (radio service code YW). 

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The Regulatory Mix Today: FCC Suspends T-Band Application Processing , US Senate Hearing on 5G 

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US Senate Hearing on 5G 

U.S. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet, announced he will convene a hearing titled, “The Evolution of Next-Generation Technologies: Implementing MOBILE NOW,” at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 5, 2019. The hearing will examine the implementation of several mandates required by the Making Opportunities for Broadband Investment and Limiting Excessive and Needless Obstacles to Wireless Act (MOBILE NOW). Witnesses will discuss MOBILE NOW’s spectrum provisions and the streamlining of broadband infrastructure on federal lands, among other things. 

The scheduled witnesses are as follows: 

• The Honorable Paul TenHaken, Mayor, City of Sioux Falls, South Dakota 
• Mr. Jonathan Adelstein, President & CEO, Wireless Infrastructure Association 
• Mr. Scott Bergmann, Senior Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, CTIA—The Wireless Association 
• Mary Brown, Senior Director, Technology and Spectrum Policy, Cisco 
  
• Ms. Sarah Morris, Director, Open Technology Institute, New America 
  
  

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The Regulatory Mix, Inteserra’s blog of telecom related regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of an Inteserra Briefing.