Notes from the Broadband Plan Related to CR

http://www.broadband.gov/download-plan/

James Neel

Originally presented to WinnF CRWG 3/17/10, some wording fixed

Email me if you think I mis-summarized or missed something importantjames.neel@crtwireless.com

DisclaimersLots of text and all figures from the plan. When in doubt, if it looks like a sentence,assume that it’s not my original wording.If it’s not CR and / or not related to CRWG projects, I might of ignored it. Doesn’t mean that’s not important. Pulled together in a few hours, so things are probably missing. Don’t treat this as an authoritative publication. Refer to the plan itself instead.

Overview of Key CR-Things I Caught in a Skimming

• TVWS– Move expeditiously to complete– High power fixed rural

• TV-> Mobile– Some TV bands appears to be

going to cellular (impact on TVWS?)• At least 120 MHz

– “Voluntary”• Satellite

– Enhance movement to mix terrestrial / satellite in Mobile Satellite Spectrum (MSS).

• D-block public/private still of interest (pushing LTE)

• Other– Encourage R&D– Easier experimental licensing

• Spectrum Monitoring– Create a “dashboard”– Augment with utilization info

• Release annually

• Opportunistic Use– Encourage– < 10 years new contiguous

nationwide band– Encourage secondary markets

• Federal Squeeze– AWS 20 MHz– Look for more opportunities to

repurpose– Start charging fees to users of

government spectrum.

Spectrum for Mobile Notes• 300 MHz in 5 years for mobile• Biggest chunk from Broadcast TV

• Looks like Hazlett plan (some later)• Less spectrum for TVWS

Satellite Bands for Ancilliary Terrestrial• Authorized 2003• No licensee is operating a live commercial ATC network,

– Globalstar, SkyTerra, DBSD, Terrestar authorized to provide ATC services. • Gating criteria problem for deployment and partnering

• Various fixes – benchmarks, incentives• Add a primary “mobile” (terrestrial) allocation to the S-

Band• 2.4 Big LEO suitable for terrestrial

Spectrum for Opportunistic Use• Extend geolocation database

concept to other bands • Free up new unlicensed

contiguous band in next 10 years• Allow use in spectrum held by

FCC (sandbox)• More experimental licensing• Additionally, the National Science

Foundation, in consultation with the FCC and NTIA, should fund wireless research and development that will advance the science of spectrum access

• TVWS– The FCC should move expeditiously

to resolve pending petitions for reconsideration in the TV white spaces proceeding

– As the FCC considers other changes to the TV broadcast spectrum, it should also evaluate the impact on the viability of use of TV white spaces

– Consider higher power fixed operation in rural areas

– Reconsider border issues for low power devices

– Does further TV reallocation impact TVWS?• Earmarked for cellular• Maybe not BW, but definitely

channels

CRDB / REM Note

• Second, the FCC should initiate a proceeding that examines ways to extend the geo-location database concept, currently being implemented in the TV bands, to additional spectrum bands that are made available for access by opportunistic radios.

• In addition, devices that operate under this database approach may serve effectively as “listening posts” to measure and report usage of the spectrum back to the database. These reports could improve the opportunistic use of the selected frequencies without causing harmful interference.

Secondary Markets• To ensure that secondary

markets are functioning effectively, the FCC should identify and address barriers to more productive allocation and use of spectrum through secondary markets. The FCC should complete its assessment of potential barriers by the end of 2010.

• Thousands of transactions since allowed in 03-04– Transfers, partitioning, leases,

disaggregation• Want to enhance and to support

emerging technologies

• Examine additional positive incentives– reducing secondary market

transaction costs like lease filing costs, and encouraging and facilitating the use of dynamic spectrum leasing arrangements that harness emerging technologies.

• Consider a more systematic set of incentives, both positive and negative, to ensure productive use of spectrum to address broadband gaps in underserved areas.

TV->Mobile Notes• Want 120 MHz for economic

reasons– 700 MHz sold at $1.28 MHz-pop– Estimate current usage at $0.11-

$0.15 MHz-pop• Redo Channel Assignments

– Repacking alone could potentially free up to 36 megahertz

– Retune TVs antenna directions• Allow 2+ stations to share a

channel– Many already broadcasting

multiple streams

• Set rules for auctioning freed spectrum– Stations receive share of proceeds– establish a voluntary, market-

based mechanism to effect a reallocation, such as the incentive auctions

– Likely in biggest cities– New business models enabled by

the DTV Transition: multicasting and mobile DTV

• If voluntary doesn’t work, consider other architectures– Cellular, overlay license, require

sharing, packing, other• Enhance efficiency

– Charge high power fees, transition date for low power DTV, trust fund for public interest media

D-Block• The original rules required the D

Block licensee to enter into a public-private partnership with the PSBL to build a public safety broadband network. The absence of meaningful bidding activity indicated that the public safety obligations as designed were not commercially viable. The approach recommended in Chapter 16 would allow for a voluntary partnership between public safety broadband spectrum holders and commercial partners, including the D Block licensee(s). Limited technical requirements on the D Block can help maximize the number of partners available to public safety, while also maximizing the commercial potential of the spectrum.

• Nationally standardized air interface (LTE) for roaming and ease of implementation of prioritized access

• Define compensation plans for public safety roaming and priority access on broadband networks– Required for Block D

• D Block licensee(s) must develop and offer devices that operate both on the D Block and the neighboring public safety broadband block– path toward scale production of

components and devices

• Commercially reasonable buildout requirements. – incentives to promote rural / public

safety benefits