Subject: [NEXTEL-1] FCC OPENS 70, 80, AND 90 GHz SPECTRUM BANDS FOR DEPLOYMENT OF BROADBAND “MILLIMETER WAVE” TECHNOLOGIES

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2003 14:24:23 -0400

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE      NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:
October 16, 2003 Chelsea Fallon at (202) 418-7991

FCC OPENS 70, 80, AND 90 GHz SPECTRUM BANDS FOR DEPLOYMENT OF BROADBAND
“MILLIMETER WAVE” TECHNOLOGIES

Washington, D.C. – To promote the development of an additional competitive
broadband deployment platform, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today
adopted service rules for the commercial use of spectrum in the 71-76 GHz, 81-86
GHz, and 92-95 GHz bands.  These bands are well-suited for licensees to offer a
broad range of innovative products and services, including high-speed,
point-to-point wireless local area networks, and broadband Internet access.  The
rules adopted today represent a creative solution to spectrum access, and will
enable new companies to join and compete in the larger market for broadband
services.
Today’s action outlines a flexible and innovative regulatory framework for these
bands.  Because of the “pencil-beam” characteristics of the signals transmitted in
the 71-76 GHz, 81-86 GHz and 92-95 GHz bands, systems can be engineered to operate
in close proximity to one another without causing interference.  In light of this,
the FCC has adopted an inventive, non-exclusive licensing approach for these
bands.  Traditional frequency coordination between users will not be required.
Instead, each path will be registered in a database, and entitled to interference
protection based on the date of registration.  The FCC believes that this
non-exclusive licensing approach will stimulate investment and spur research and
development in new “wireless optics” technologies and services.  The FCC also
believes that this approach will provide an effective means of achieving greater
spectrum efficiency by allowing a maximum number of users – both non-Federal and
Federal Government – to share these bands while evolving their systems to meet
future needs and requirements.
Background

In July 2000, the Commission held a public forum to address possible new uses of
the 92-95 GHz band.  Several speakers at the forum indicated that, due to
technological developments, new uses of this band were approaching practicality.
In addition, in September 2001, Loea Communications Corporation filed a petition
requesting the establishment of service rules for the licensed use of the 71-76
GHz and 81-86 GHz bands after experimenting with technology it had developed for
use in the these bands.  In response to these two developments, the FCC, in June
2002, proposed rules to allow the commercial use of the 71-76 GHz, 81-86 GHz,
92-95 GHz bands for a broad range of new fixed and mobile services.

Specifics of the Order:

The 71-76 GHz, 81-86 GHz, 92-95 GHz bands are allocated to both Federal Government
and non-Federal Government users on a co-primary basis, except the 94.0-94.1 GHz
portion, which is allocated for exclusive Federal Government use.  Non-Federal
Government users include private entities, as well as state and local governments.

The 71-76 GHz and 81-86 GHz bands will be divided into four unpaired 1.25
gigahertz segments, for a total of eight segments, and the segments may be
aggregated without limit.  Pairing will be permitted in a standardized manner,
e.g., 71-72.25 GHz may be paired only with 81-82.25 GHz, and so on.  The
co-primary portion of the 92-95 GHz band will be divided into two segments,
92.0-94.0 GHz and 94.1-95.0 GHz, which also may be aggregated by licensees.

The FCC will issue an unlimited number of non-exclusive, nationwide licenses
authorizing non-Federal Government entities to use the entire 12.9 gigahertz of
spectrum in these three bands.  Licensees will generally be provided interference
protection on a link-by-link basis, with the priority being set based on the date
of link registration.  Initially, non-Federal Government links will be registered
in the FCC’s Universal Licensing System (ULS) database, subject to coordination
with Federal Government links under the existing coordination process involving
the Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee of the National Telecommunications
and Information Administration (NTIA).  Within four months of the publication of
this Report and Order in the Federal Register, FCC staff, in conjunction with
NTIA, will release a Public Notice establishing the implementation plan of a new,
automated mechanism for coordination of non-Federal Government links with Federal
Government users.  We expect such coordination to be accomplished under an overall
framework jointly agreed upon by the FCC and NTIA.  At the same time, the FCC will
announce the start-date for a new procedure adopted today for mitigating
interference among non-Federal Government links.  Under that procedure, each link
will be registered in a database to be managed by one or more third-party database
managers, and entitled to interference protection based on the date of
registration.

The FCC is also permitting unlicensed, indoor use of the 92.0-94.0 GHz and
94.1-95.0 GHz bands by non-Federal Government users, to be governed by Part 15 of
the FCC’s rules and based on existing regulations for the 57-64 GHz band.  The FCC
will not permit unlicensed use of the 71-76 GHz and 81-86 GHZ bands at this time.

Action by the Commission, October 16, 2003, by Report and Order (FCC 03-248).
Chairman Powell, Commissioners Abernathy, Copps, Martin, and Adelstein, with
separate statements issued by Chairman Powell, Commissioners Copps, Martin, and
Adelstein.

FCC Contact:  Jennifer Burton, (202) 418-0680, email: [email-masked].

WT Docket No. 02-146

 http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-239368A1.doc

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