Tuesday, March 2, 2021
The next-generation of wireless technologies – known as 5G – is here. Not only is it expected to offer network speeds that are up to 100 times faster than 4G LTE and reduce latency to nearly zero, it will allow networks to handle 100 times the number of connected devices, revolutionizing business and consumer connectivity and enabling the “Internet of Things.” Leading policymakers – federal regulators and legislators – are making it a top priority to ensure that the wireless industry has the tools it needs to maintain U.S. leadership in commercial 5G deployments. This blog provides monthly updates on FCC actions and Congressional efforts to win the race to 5G.
Wednesday, January 6, 2021
The next-generation of wireless technologies – known as 5G – is here. Not only is it expected to offer network speeds that are up to 100 times faster than 4G LTE and reduce latency to nearly zero, it will allow networks to handle 100 times the number of connected devices, revolutionizing business and consumer connectivity and enabling the “Internet of Things.” Leading policymakers – federal regulators and legislators – are making it a top priority to ensure that the wireless industry has the tools it needs to maintain U.S. leadership in commercial 5G deployments. This blog provides monthly updates on FCC actions and Congressional efforts to win the race to 5G.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is the US Commerce Department agency that helps to manage the spectrum holdings of federal users ranging from NASA to the US Department of Defense (DoD). And the agency just announced it will begin implementing Incumbent Informing Capability (IIC) technology for 5G spectrum. NTIA s Office of Spectrum Management has established an IIC Project Team to work with DoD in the exploration of this capability, wrote Charles Cooper, associate administrator of the NTIA s Office of Spectrum Management, in a post to the agency s website. This new approach could standardize the spectrum sharing model and be incorporated in other bands that support such scheduling. This should decrease the amount of time needed to repurpose additional bands, because engineering and policy requirements are already defined and could be simply replicated.
As 2020 comes to a close, the Ligado Networks LLC’s (Ligado) mobile satellite services (MSS) project remains at a standstill. While actions in the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) proceedings in the case have stagnated, Congressional action, funds and filings have flowed.
Dawn Zoldi
Now a new administration will take the helm. As we ring in 2021, what might become of Ligado’s deployment of a low-power terrestrial nationwide network in the L-Band that some continue to say will interfere with mission-critical Global Positioning System (GPS)?
Congress: A Resolution to Resolve
In early December, the Senate Committee on Armed Services, in reporting out the fiscal year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), sent a strong message on Ligado: stand down until the “harmful interference” issue is resolved. At issue: the Ligado-proposed and FCC-approved criteria of harmful interference to determine how select receivers are impacted versus the Department of Transportati