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FCC Will Auction 5G-ready 3.7-4.2GHz and mmWave Spectrum (venturebeat.com)

Posted by msmash on from the up-next dept.

Jeremy Horwitz, writing for VentureBeat: Speaking at the Mobile World Congress today in Barcelona, Spain, U.S. FCC chairman Ajit Pai today announced that the commission is prepared to quickly make 5G-ready wireless spectrum available in two critically important ranges: Mid-frequency, including both 3.5GHz and 3.7-4.2GHz ranges, and high-frequency, including 24GHz and 28GHz millimeter wave (mmWave) ranges. Pai suggested that the FCC is ready to auction the spectrum in the near future, but requires Congressional cooperation by May 13 to make the 24GHz and 28GHz allocations happen.

7 of 64 comments (clear)

  1. Whenever this guy tries to hurry something up by enjar · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'm wondering how I'm getting screwed.

    1. Re:Whenever this guy tries to hurry something up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Instead of being opened for use, like the wifi bands, it is being auctioned to monopolists who will mostly sit on it to keep prices high. That is how you are getting screwed.

    2. Re:Whenever this guy tries to hurry something up by kelemvor4 · · Score: 3, Informative

      I'm a ham radio operator making extensive use of the 3.4-3.5 GHz (9cm)band. This story is useless without defining 3.5 GHz better.

      If it's 3550-3700, that's not the ham band and we're ok. But what band is it? 3.5 is lots of things to lots of people.

      Our link across Tampa Bay

      Details haven't been posted yet. They should turn up here: http://wireless.fcc.gov/auctio...

    3. Re:Whenever this guy tries to hurry something up by sims+2 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Well IIUC this is related to the satellite spectrum that tmobile requested the fcc quickly auction off before the two new LEO constellations go into operation.

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  2. Re:Why net neutrality is a non issue by Nutria · · Score: 3, Informative

    You're comparing apples (aka "raw speed") with zephyrs (access to specific web sites at that raw speed without paying specifically for reasonable access that web site).

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    "I don't know, therefore Aliens" Wafflebox1
  3. Less Auctions - More Unlicensed by Deathlizard · · Score: 4, Informative

    If the FCC was really serious about getting WISP's off the ground, They would ditch these auctions that tend to go to the highest bidder and sit unused and open the Spectrum to unlicensed, WISP only, long range use.

    Most WISP's out there today are using the 2.4 and 5GHz bands because their unlicensed, unfortunately their also used for WiFi traffic as well. These wreak havoc with WISP equipment especially in dense populations, and it's only getting worse as cable companies started packing 5GHz WiFi in their modems that broadcast 80MHZ of spectrum regardless if wireless is being used or not.

    A clear, WISP Equipment only, spectrum block would not only help out smaller wireless ISP's with their Point to Multi point deployments, but also give business other options of connectivity between buildings besides fiber runs, since most point to point microwave setups are built around Point to Multi-point Wireless Spectrum allocation.

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    In Soviet Russia, Trojan exploits YOU!
  4. C Band (3.7-4.2 GHz) Satellite Interference by Junior+Samples · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It's very likely that this decision will cause interference with C Band satellite signals which down-link in the 3.7 - 4.2 GHz band. These satellites provide video feeds to television stations and cable systems world wide. Strong ground based signals in the same band will overload the low noise LNBF on C Band satellite TVRO dishes.

    This is very disturbing since I recently pulled the plug on cable and rely heavily on Free To Air (FTA) video feeds from C Band domestic satellites in the USA. https://www.lyngsat.com/freetv...