CWTA continues to push U.S. FCC to allocate entire 1710-1770 band for 3G

Canada’s wireless lobby is urging the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to consider allocating the entire 1710-1770 MHz and the 2110-2170 MHz frequency ranges for third-generation wireless services, following the release of a report indicating only a portion of the spectrum can be offered. In a report released July 22, the U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) indicates that, in its view, only three-quarters of the spectrum can be released to the commercial sector. "This study concludes that 90 MHz of this spectrum can be allocated for 3G services to meet the increasing demand for new services without disrupting communications systems critical to national security," the NTIA writes in the report. "This 90 MHz would come from the 1710-1755 MHz band and a matching 45 MHz from the 2110-2170 MHz band." The agency, which represents government users of spectrum, also notes that this spectrum would be in addition to existing resources in the specialized mobile radio, cellular and PCS bands. It also indicates that auctioning portions of the 700 MHz band will add to the pot in future. The NTIA recommends that the specific portions of the 1700 MHz and 2100 MHz in question will have to be vacated by government operations by 2008. Canada’s wireless industry isn’t satisfied by the report. It believes the best possible option for the Americas region for the implementation of third-generation wireless services is in the 1700 MHz band. "Canada and most other ITU (International Telecommunication Union) Region 2 countries are convinced that most of the new spectrum for advanced wireless services should be identified in the 1700 MHz frequency band," the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) writes in an August 8 submission to the FCC. "The CWTA would encourage the commission and the NTIA to make all spectrum in the band 1755-1770 MHz available. The Canadian wireless industry believes that to be useful, the spectrum allocated to 3G services must be contiguous. Piecemeal availability will not allow operators to achieve the potential of 3G." In preparing the report, the NTIA undertook a massive technical feasibility study of the bands in question and determined that government operations, including defence activities, will be able to vacate only portions of these two bands. Moving DOD operations from 1700 MHz band too complexIn its report, it stated that it couldn’t find suitable spectrum to which to relocate Department of Defense (DOD) operations in the 1755-1770 MHz range. The agency stated that this band isn’t viable for 3G for three reasons: a significant negative impact on DOD mobile radiocommunication systems would be experienced; 3G and DOD spectrum sharing wouldn’t be possible; and too much interference from DOD satellite systems with 3G base stations. "The NTIA concluded that general frequency sharing is not feasible in the 1755-1770 MHz band, given the hundreds of geographically dispersed incumbent systems operating in that band, national coverage requirements for 3G, and the separation distances required to prevent interference," it wrote regarding the spectrum sharing problem. It widely accepted that for the full implementation of third-generation wireless services, there will be a need for at least 160 MHz of new spectrum by 2010. While there is available spectrum for the majority of countries in the Americas, the United States remains the major roadblock to a general consensus due to its extensive defense operations. At the World Radiocommunication Conference in 2000, the ITU designated the 800 to 900 MHz, 1710-1885 MHz and 2500-2690 MHz bands for 3G (RoW June 13/00).

CWTA continues to push U.S. FCC to allocate entire 1710-1770 band for 3G

News | August 19, 2002

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