Today's Regulatory Mix:  FCC Proposes Information Sharing of Communication Outages with Other Federal and State Agencies,  FCC Establishes Bidding Procedures for 3.5 GHz Band, FCC Adopts Rules to Auction C-Band Spectrum for 5G Services and Seeks Comment on Bidding Procedures, FCC Wants to Free Up White Space to Increase Broadband Coverage in Rural Areas 

FCC Proposes Information Sharing of Communication Outages with Other Federal and State Agencies 

In a press release, the FCC announced a proposed framework for sharing detailed communications outage information with state and federal agencies to improve their situational awareness, enhance their ability to respond more quickly to outages affecting their communities, and help save lives, while also preserving the confidentiality of this data.

The Commission supports the nation's emergency response and preparedness efforts by collecting and providing accurate and timely information on the status of communications services and infrastructure through its Network Outage Reporting System (NORS) and Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS).  During disasters, the Commission makes this information available to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which uses it to assess the needs of affected areas and to coordinate emergency response efforts with state and local first responders. 

The Commission’s proposal would allow participating agencies to share NORS and DIRS information with first responders and other government officials who play a vital public safety role in their jurisdictions during crises.  Participating agencies would also be allowed to publicly disclose information that is appropriately aggregated and anonymized. 

FCC Establishes Bidding Procedures for 3.5 GHz Band 

The FCC issued a press release announcing it has established application and bidding procedures for the auction of over 22,000 county-sized Priority Access Licenses (PALs) in the 3.5 GHz band.  The 3.5 GHz band holds the potential to be prime mid-band spectrum for 5G services, and the Commission is planning to auction PALs to increase innovation and investment in this band.  Bidding in this auction, which is designated as Auction 105, is scheduled to commence on June 25, 2020. 

FCC Adopts Rules to Auction C-Band Spectrum for 5G Services and Seeks Comment on Bidding Procedures 

The FCC announced it has adopted new rules to auction and make available quickly and efficiently 280 megahertz of mid-band spectrum for flexible use, including 5G. Making this critical spectrum available represents another important step to closing the digital divide, especially in rural areas, and secures U.S. leadership in 5G. 

Today’s action makes a wide swath of mid-band spectrum available for 5G through a public auction.  As a result, this valuable spectrum will be available quickly, while generating substantial revenue for the United States Treasury.  At the same time, the item ensures the continuous and uninterrupted delivery of video programming services and other content to the American people that is currently delivered by satellites using the C-band. 

Additionally, the FCC announced it is seeking comment on proposed application and bidding procedures for an auction of new flexible-use overlay licenses for the 3.7-3.98 GHz portion of the C-band.  The C-band holds the potential to be prime spectrum for 5G services.  Bidding in this auction, which is designated as Auction 107, is scheduled to commence on December 8, 2020. 

FCC Wants to Free Up White Space to Increase Broadband Coverage in Rural Areas 

The FCC has proposed targeted changes to its White Space device rules to pave the way for improved broadband coverage for rural Americans. White Space devices operate in portions of the broadcast television bands that are not used by television stations and can be used to provide broadband and other wireless services. 

In response to a petition filed by Microsoft Corporation, the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposes updates to the Commission’s rules that would allow for more robust service and efficient use of White Space devices particularly in rural areas, without increasing the risk of harmful interference to protected services in the TV bands.  These updates would also provide flexibility for these devices to more fully participate in the Internet of Things. 

Specifically, the Notice proposes to permit higher transmit power and antenna height above average terrain for fixed White Space devices in less congested geographic areas.  If adopted, these changes would allow White Space devices to reach users at greater distances, resulting in better broadband coverage.   

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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.