Spectrum Management Activities at the FCC

1
Spectrum Management Activities at the FCCs
Office of Engineering and Technology

• Julius Knapp, Chief
• Office of Engineering and Technology
• National Spectrum
• Management Association
• May 16, 2012

Note The views expressed in this presentation
are those of the author and may not necessarily
represent the views of the Federal Communications
Commission
2
Chairmans Mobile Action Plan (Spectrum
Components)

• 1. Core Opportunities
• Removing barriers
• Auction 65 MHz
• Expand 5 GHz Wi-Fi

• 2. New Tools
• Incentive Auctions
• White Spaces

• 3. Next Frontiers
• Sharing
• Small Cells
• Receivers

• Build on strong foundations (Spectrum Act,
  National Broadband Plan, Presidents Executive
  Memo)
• Near-term actions for all three tracks

3
TV White SpaceWhat Weve Done

• Jan. 26, 2011, the Commissions Office of
  Engineering and Technology issued an Order in ET
  Docket 04-186, DA 11-131 that conditionally
  designated TVWS Data Base Administrators
  Comsearch, Frequency Finder Inc., Google Inc., KB
  Enterprises LLC and LS Telcom, Key Bridge Global
  LLC, Neustar Inc., Spectrum Bridge Inc.,
  Telcordia Technologies, and WSdb later added
  Microsoft
• March May 2011 held 3 public workshops plus
  additional meetings dialogue Extensive info
  at http//transition.fcc.gov/oet/whitespace/
• Sept. 14, 2011 Announced 1st TVWS data base test
  - Spectrum Bridge
• Dec. 2, 2011 Announced 2nd TVWS data base test
  - Telcordia
• Dec. 22, 2011 Approved first data base
  administrator - Spectrum Bridge
• Dec. 22, 2011 Approved first TVWS device Koos
  Technical Services, Inc. (KTS)
• Jan. 26, 2012 First commercial deployment -
  Wilmington, NC
• March 26, 2012 Approved second data base
  administrator Telcordia
• April 19, 2012 Approved second device
  Adaptrum authorized deployment in Nottaway, VA

4
TV White SpaceWhat We Are Doing

• Accepting processing applications for equipment
  certification
• Continuing process to approve data base
  administrators
• Establishing wireless microphone registration
  process
• Waivers to register certain TV receive sites in
  data base

5
Benefits of TV White Space

• Prime spectrum
• Great propagation coverage
• High amounts in much of the USA
• Close to spectrum used by commercial wireless
  services - - potential synergy
• New IEEE 802.22 standard
• IEEE SA Emerging Technology of the Year Award
• Broadband wireless access over a large area up to
  100 km
• Up to 29 Mbps per TV channel
• Can increase data rate through use of multiple
  channels
• Wi-Fi TV White Space is not an either-or
  proposition
• Each may suit particular needs
• Wi-Fi has greater bandwidth but usage density is
  increasing
• When combined consumers users could see
  significant benefits

6
Potential Applications
Provides a new opportunity for innovation and
delivery of service, with potential for both
research and commercial applications Spectrum is
open to everyone and is available now

• M2M
• Smart Grid
• Health Care
• Education
• Data traffic off-load

• Broadband (generally)
• Rural broadband
• Video Monitoring, surveillance, distribution
• State Local Governments

Potential uses limited only by the imagination
7
TV Broadcast Incentive Auctions

• Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of
  2012 (Spectrum Act) provides for TV incentive
  auction
• Incentive auction would share auction proceeds
  with the current occupant to motivate voluntary
  relocation of incumbents
• Broadcaster participation in incentive auction is
  voluntary
• In exchange for a share of auction proceeds a
  broadcaster could
• Contribute one or more 6 MHz channels
• Choose to move from U to V
• Share a channel with another broadcaster
• Or choose not to participate
• FCC actions
• Formed Incentive Auctions Task force Co-chairs
  Ruth Milkman and Gary Epstein
• Order on channel sharing adopted at April 27
  agenda meeting
• Notice of proposed rule making planned by this
  fall

8
The FCC Would Need to Realign the Spectrum After
the Auction
Adjacent Channel Interference

• FCC would realign the spectrum into blocks to
  maximize efficiency and value
• Without realignment, interference between
  television and wireless operations would increase
• The FCC would work with industry to minimize any
  interference or coverage impacts of realignment,
  as we did for the DTV transition
• Stations keep current channel numbers
• Moves to a lower band would be voluntary based
  on broadcaster reserve price
• Spectrum Act provides funding to relocate
  operations in TV channel 37 if necessary

TV
TV
TV
TV
BB
BB
Without Realignment Reduced Broadband Bandwidth
Adjacent Channel Interference
BB
TV
TV
TV
TV
84 MHz
With Realignment Accommodates Increased
Broadband Bandwidth
37
14
51
470 MHz
614 MHz
608 MHz
698 MHz
9
Impact on TV White Space

• FCC will need to create band plan
• Spectrum Act
• FCC may implement band plans with guard bands
• Guard bands shall be no larger than is
  technically reasonable to prevent harmful
  interference between licensed services outside
  the guard bands
• May permit use of guard bands for unlicensed
• Unlicensed use shall rely on a data base or
  subsequent methodology as determined by the
  Commission
• Benefit - - contiguous band available everywhere
• There will be white space size of guard bands
  remaining TVWS TBD through rule making

10
Sharing with Radars at 5 GHzIx Issues
Spectrum Expansion

• Sharing based on Dynamic Frequency Selection
  (DFS)
• Devices listen and perform processing to
  detect radars
• Spectrum Act requires study of expanded
  unlicensed _at_ 5 GHz
• Related to IEEE 802.11ac standard under
  development

Device detects radar and moves to an unoccupied
channel
50 mW Indoor Use Only
250 mW
1 W
250 mW
DFS
DFS
Spectrum Act Study w/in 8 mos. for indoor use
Spectrum Act Study 5825 5950 MHz w/in 18 months
Existing
Existing
Existing
Recent Expansion
5825
5250
5350
5725
5470
5150
Frequency (MHz)
11
NTIA Report on 1755 1850 MHz

• NTIA recently released report on potential for
  reallocation of federal spectrum at 1755 1850
  MHz for wireless broadband
• Numerous challenges - - cost, complexity, time
• Strong support for increased sharing
• T-Mobile recently filed for an experimental
  license on behalf of CTIA to perform sharing
  tests
• NTIA to convene work group under Commerce
  Spectrum Management Advisory Committee
• FCC will participate in work group

• Federal Incumbent Systems
• Fixed Point-to Point Microwave
• Military Tactical Radio relay
• Air Combat Training System
• Precision Guided Munitions
• Tracking, Telemetry Commanding
• Aeronautical Mobile Telemetry
• Video Surveillance
• Unmanned Aerial Systems
• Other Systems

12
Small Cells at 3550 3650 MHz

• Small cells can reduce traffic on wide-area
  networks - provide coverage and capacity where
  needed
• Example Wi-Fi offload
• Today, re-connect at each AP
• Soon, seamless connectivity
• FCC Technological Advisory Council recommended
  federal fast-track band 3550 3650 MHz for small
  cells
• This band had little interest for wide-area
  networks due to high frequency exclusion zones
  

• Several approaches are possible for small cells
  and other uses in this spectrum
• Proceeding later this year

13
MSS S-Band Proposal

• Notice of Proposed Rule Making - March 2012
• Proposes to relax rules to facilitate increased
  terrestrial use of S-band MSS spectrum at 2000
  2020 MHz (Earth-to-space) and 2180 2200 MHz
  (space-to-Earth)
• Notice of Inquiry invites comment on potential
  band realignment to create opportunities to
  expand PCS
• Comments due this Thursday

• Figure 1 Existing 2 GHz Band Plan

• Figure 2 Proposed AWS-4 Band Plan

14
Receiver Performance

• Increasing focus on receiver performance as
  limiter to spectrum access efficiency
• FCC conducted workshop on March 12 13, 2012
• Various policy approaches suggested
• FCC Technological Advisory Council (TAC) is
  studying the issue looking towards making FCC
  recommendations

15
Medical Body Area Networks (MBANS)

• MBANS are very short-range networks consisting of
  multiple body-worn sensors (eg, on a patients
  chest, back, arms, etc.) and a nearby hub
  station
• Sensors take readings of key patient-specific
  information (eg, temperature, pulse, blood
  glucose level, etc.)
• Antennas embedded in sensors make it possible to
  wirelessly transmit data to body-worn or closely
  located hub devices
• Hub devices may process data locally and/or
  transmit it wirelessly for centralized
  processing, display, and storage
• MBANS can reduce infection risk, increase
  patient mobility improve caregiver
  effectiveness
• FCC issued Notice of Proposed Rule Making for
  MBANS to share 2360 2400 MHz w aeronautical
  telemetry
• Industry has submitted jointly agreed proposed
  rules
• FCC plans to consider at May 24, 2012 agenda
  meeting

16
Experimental Licensing Notice of Proposed Rule
Making (ET Docket No. 10-236)

• Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) seeks to
  promote research and development of new radio
  technologies, devices, and applications.
• Proposed to create a new type of Program License,
  which would give qualified entities broad
  authority to conduct a program of research
  without the need for approval of each experiment.
  
•  
• Proposed three types of Program Licenses
• Research license would allow universities,
  laboratories, and other qualified research
  institutions to conduct experiments over a wide
  variety of frequencies and other operating
  parameters, without the need for individual
  authorization or reauthorization for each
  individual experiment.
• Geographic innovation zones generally
  relatively remote locations - where researchers
  could conduct a wide range of experiments under
  certain general conditions.
• Medical institutions to innovate and develop new
  devices that can save lives, have a significant
  impact on reducing medical costs, and provide new
  treatment options for our wounded service men and
  women.
•  
• Proposed ways to streamline and clarify the
  existing rules such as expanding opportunities
  for researchers and manufacturers to conduct
  market trials

16
17
FCC Notice of Inquiry on Dynamic Spectrum Access
(ET Docket 10-237)

• Notice of Inquiry (NOI) considers how dynamic
  access radios and techniques can provide a more
  intensive and efficient use of spectrum
• Seeks comment on the current state of the art and
  how FCC can promote these technologies - -
  test-beds or modifying its spectrum management
  practices and policies
• Covers both licensed services and unlicensed
  devices
• What spectrum bands would be most suitable?
• Asks whether TV White Space model might be used
  for other bands
• Asks whether and how to incorporate spectrum
  sensing for other bands
• Asks whether FCC provisions for secondary market
  arrangements could be enhanced to increase use by
  dynamic access radios
• Asks how to improve FCC Spectrum Dashboard for
  DSA

17
18
Conclusion
Thank You