Multiple Proposals for Satellite Spectrum Sharing With 5G En Route
The joint AT&T/EchoStar plan for sharing satellite spectrum with 5G applications won't be the final word because other sharing proposals are in the works, said industry officials and wireless and satellite companies. But the wireless industry could have an easier time finding consensus than satellite operators, industry officials said in interviews this week. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler criticized the industry for "intransigence" at the World Radiocommunication Conference last month on studying spectrum sharing with 5G (see 1603090057).
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Satellite and wireless industry officials said the AT&T/EchoStar proposal (see 1604070059) is a start. The two companies agree; AT&T said in a statement: "This framework proposal intends to begin a dialog between the satellite and mobile services on how to make the most intensive and productive use of valuable spectrum resources in a manner that does not unduly restrict the development of either service."
EchoStar said similar in response to criticisms by other satellite companies such as O3b and ViaSat (see 1604130046). EchoStar Vice President-Regulatory Affairs Jennifer Manner told us the two companies are continuing technical discussions, with the focus on items it identified in its joint proposal as still open, on safe harbor and coordination guidelines. She also said the company doesn't see the 28 GHz/37-41 GHz proposal as precedent for other satellite bands being shared.
The EchoStar sharing agreement involves "not ... some new-fangled technology with an acronym" but came from discussions about interference concerns, said AT&T Assistant Vice President-Federal Regulatory Stacey Black in a blog post Thursday. "We found that we not only shared common business goals and interests, but that our network architectures were a lot more compatible than once believed," she said. "We also learned that it is not necessary for earth stations to be in densely populated urban centers, where mobile broadband is used the most," all of which helped guide "a reasonable set of coordination guidelines and parameters." Meanwhile, she said, the coordination framework "proposes that FCC rules should require mobile broadband operators to respond to coordination requests from satellite operators and enter into negotiations in good faith. We believe this common sense approach -- which has been used in the wireless industry for decades -- can be implemented much faster and will have a more predictable outcome than some new Dynamic Frequency Allocation Shared Spectrum Algorithm that has yet to be invented much less tested or deployed."
Some satellite and wireless representatives began talking early this year, with the AT&T/EchoStar proposal an outcome of that, a satellite industry official told us. Since different satellite operators use spectrum differently, one goal of the joint proposal is to see how much of it is acceptable to other satellite companies, the official said. Undoubtedly, not all satellite companies will agree with all elements and some companies likely will come up with alternate proposals, perhaps in conjunction with other wireless players, the satellite official said.
One area sure to raise satellite industry disagreements is treatment of earth stations in urban areas, since some companies might want co-primary status there with 5G small cells, the satellite official said. O3b in its filing said a complete regulatory framework needs to cover terrestrial interference with satellite receivers and a route for co-primary, site-licensed fixed satellite service earth stations in the 28 GHz band.
Officials at one wireless company told us the joint proposal includes elements that can be built upon over time, such as defining urban areas that could be primary for terrestrial services and the coordination requirements. But the AT&T/EchoStar proposal falls short in the number of urban areas and the way they're defined, and the lack of details on sharing conditions, they said. The wireless officials also said the 37-40 GHz aspects of the AT&T/EchoStar proposal contain many technical details that need to be fleshed out, which could be challenging since that satellite downlink spectrum inherently is more difficult to contain.
The wireless executives said the satellite industry, given the different satellite configurations and technologies and the business cases they may want to pursue, could have a tougher time aligning. They also said Wheeler has said the agency plans to act on the spectrum frontiers proceeding this summer, but the agency might agree to give more time if satellite/wireless discussions are heading toward a resolution or proposal by then.
Numerous satellite and wireless companies told us they still are studying the AT&T/EchoStar proposal. SES Senior Vice President-Global Regulatory & Governmental Strategy Gerry Oberst emailed that the company "supports the concept in principle and generally believes that satellite and terrestrial operators can find a solution that will allow both to use the bands in the immediate future and to support additional growth. SES expects satellite to be part of the 5G solution, as we have stated publicly." The company also is working on its own sharing proposal, he said. ViaSat in its filing said it's doing likewise.
One satellite company executive told us the FCC put a priority on spectrum for 5G sharing, so the focus must be on accommodating that goal. "You have to engage," the executive said. "Your job is to convince the FCC ... not your competitors or future users in the band ... that you're right."