On August 16, 2024, the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Declaratory Ruling on improving and expanding spectrum access in the Citizens Broadband Radio Service 3.5 GHz band (“CBRS band”). The NPRM will also contribute to the broader development of the National Spectrum Strategy and build on other government efforts to improve sharing in the CBRS band. In the NPRM, the FCC seeks comment on:
- Federal Coordination: The FCC seeks comment on modifications to the Federal protection and coordination scheme for the CBRS band, including whether the FCC should expand the use of a coordination portal to protect federal operations, update its rules to align protection measures with those in adjacent bands, consider modifying the Environmental Sensing Capability procedures to address potential effects on competition and the marketplace, or consider permitting Citizens Broadband Radio Service operations in offshore areas.
- Citizens Broadband Radio Service Device Information: The FCC seeks comment on whether to make changes to the FCC’s rules governing the breadth and scope of Citizens Broadband Radio Service Device (“CBSD”) information provided to Spectrum Access Systems (“SAS”) and CBSD information availability.
- Out of Band Emissions Limits: The FCC seeks comment on whether to align the CBRS base station out of band emission limits with those adopted in the 3.7 GHz service.
- Base Station and End User Device Power Levels: The FCC seeks comment on whether the FCC should add one or more classes of higher power CBSDs to the Citizens Broadband Radio Service and whether to align end user device power levels with 3GPP standards.
- SAS Connectivity and/or Outages: The FCC seeks comment on whether to modify the SAS connectivity requirements for certain circumstances or deployment types.
- Time Division Duplex Synchronization: The FCC seeks comment on whether to impose out-of-band coordination requirements on CBRS operators to encourage Time Division Duplex synchronization with the adjacent 3.7 GHz band.
- FSS Protection: The FCC seeks comment on whether to limit earth station protections to those specifically identified in the FCC’s 3.7 GHz Report and Order and whether to modify its rules to remove the protection requirements for earth stations in the 3.65-3.7 GHz band.
- Grandfathered Wireless Broadband Licensees: The FCC seeks comment on whether to sunset the grandfathered wireless licensee requirements as such operations were supposed to have ceased.
- Other Issues: The FCC seeks comment on whether to make other modifications, including modifying the current professional installation regime, whether to grant certain GAA users interference protection for indoor use within the user’s building, or whether to modify the GAA rules to promote greater GAA spectrum use.
In the Declaratory Ruling, the FCC clarifies that NTIA and DoD are not considered “the general public” for the purposes of the rule preventing SAS Administrators from disclosing specific CBSD registration information to the general public.
Comments will be due 30 days after the date of publication in the Federal Register.
Reply comments will be due 60 days after the date of publication in the Federal Register.
Please Contact Us if you have any questions.