[NLRS] Legislative impact to spectrum

[Jon Platt]

Hello NLRS land
While refraining from political positions here, please see the information below regarding the recent legislative action, and as its result, the guidance on pending allocation of the UHF/microwave spectrum here in the USA (ie, FCC).   The attached information is from the ARRL who has been monitoring.   
Its the 1.3 to 10.5 GHz range that is under scrutiny with 3400 MHz protected for now.  The time frame for reallocation is stepped into 2, 4, and 8 year windows.  Under threat are the 2.3, 5.7 and10 GHz bands.  
Again, please keep the focus on what this may mean for us and please refrain from political discussions one way or the other, take those to the polls.
73, JonW0ZQ
There were no changes in the House to the spectrum provisions in the Reconciliation Bill as passed by the Senate on July 1.  A re-done summary below reflects that these provisions will become law with President Trump’s signature (which is a certainty) and can be relied upon in any public communication. 
A summary of the spectrum provisions relevant to Amateur Radio is below.

 
   
   
   - Spectrum totaling 800 megahertz must be auctioned for commercial wireless services within the next nine years.
   - The spectrum to be auctioned must come from the 1.3 to 10.5 GHz range.  
   - 500 megahertz must come from federal spectrum, while 300 megahertz must come from non-federal spectrum.
   - Excluded from auction or reallocation are 3.1-3.45 GHz (which includes the temporary secondary amateur band at 3.3-3.45 GHz) and 7.4-8.4 GHz.
   - Within two years (by mid-2027) the FCC must auction not less than 100 megahertz from the specific band of 3.98-4.2 GHz.
   - Within two years (by mid-2027) the NTIA must identify not less than 200 megahertz of federal spectrum for reallocation.
   - Within four years (by mid-2029) the FCC must auction not less than 200 additional megahertz of re-allocated spectrum.
   - Within four years (mid-2029) the NTIA must identify the remaining spectrum necessary to total 500 megahertz for reallocation of federal spectrum.
   - Within eight years (mid-2033) the FCC must auction enough former federal spectrum to total 500 megahertz; and
   - By September 30, 2034, the FCC must auction enough reallocated non-federal spectrum to total 300 megahertz (including the 100 megahertz from 3.98-4.2 GHz required to be auctioned by mid-2027).

 

With regard to Amateur spectrum, the bands that potentially could be subject to consideration for reallocation and auction are 13 cm (2300-2310 & 2390-2450 MHz); 5 cm (5650-5925 MHz), and 10.0-10.5 GHz (including the 10.45-10.5 GHz satellite subband).

 

To be noted is that during legislative discussions a number of federal bands were mentioned informally for consideration in various contexts, but insofar as I am aware none of the bands shared on a secondary basis with amateur radio were suggested for consideration for auction. However, additional spectrum for unlicensed “low-power indoor” (LPI) purposes, which is not auctioned nor addressed in this legislation, have included the 10.0-10.5 GHz band.  (Such proposals last year also included 3.1-3.45 GHz, but presumably this possibility is now foreclosed by protections for that band that are being enacted in this bill.)

 

Of course, the specific bands under consideration by NTIA, and also the FCC, could and probably will change as this process unfolds, and so the process must be closely monitored.

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