[SFDXA] ARLB028 FCC Orders Amateur Access to 3.5 GHz Band to "Sunset"

[Al S.]

Maybe the ARRL should agree to the decision and take the angle that the FCC
has provided compensation to all of the satellite operators (Viasat,
Hughes, Intelsat, etc) for clearing this band (to the tune of $US9B, which
is only 20-30% of what they expect to make when auctioning off the spectrum
to telecom operators). Perhaps allocating money to a scholarship fund for
ham's pursuing degrees in science activities would be nice. With the impact
of 5G and LEO satellite technologies, getting more US high school students
into the field would be a positive.

Regards,
Al
kj3q

On Thu, Oct 8, 2020 at 12:46 PM Bill <bmarx at bellsouth.net> wrote:

>
> SB QST @ ARL $ARLB028
> ARLB028 FCC Orders Amateur Access to 3.5 GHz Band to "Sunset"
>
> ZCZC AG28
> QST de W1AW ARRL Bulletin 28 ARLB028
> > From ARRL Headquarters
> Newington CT October 8, 2020
> To all radio amateurs
> SB QST ARL ARLB028
> ARLB028 FCC Orders Amateur Access to 3.5 GHz Band to "Sunset"
>
> Despite vigorous and continuing opposition from ARRL and others, the
> FCC has ordered the "sunsetting" of the 3.3 - 3.5-GHz amateur radio
> secondary spectrum allocation. The decision allows current amateur
> activity on the band to continue, "grandfathering" the amateur
> operations subject to a later decision. The FCC proposed two
> deadlines for amateur operations to cease on the band. The first
> would apply to the 3.4 - 3.5 GHz segment, the second to 3.3 - 3.4
> GHz. The FCC will establish the dates once it reviews additional
> comments.
>
> "We adopt our proposal from the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to
> remove the amateur allocation from the 3.3 - 3.5 GHz band," the FCC
> said in its R&O. "[W]e adopt changes to our rules today that provide
> for the sunset of the secondary amateur allocation in the band, but
> allow continued use of the band for amateur operations, pending
> resolution of the issues raised in the Further Notice."
>
> The Report and Order (R&O) and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
> in WT Docket No. 19-348 adopted on September 30 followed a 2019 FCC
> Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in which the FCC proposed
> re-allocating 3.45 - 3.55 GHz for "flexible-use service" and
> auctioning the desirable "mid-band" spectrum (generally defined as
> between 1 GHz and 6 GHz) to 5G providers. These and other recent
> spectrum-repurposing actions stem from the MOBILE NOW Act, enacted
> in 2018, in which Congress directed the Commission to make
> additional spectrum available to auction for mobile and fixed
> wireless broadband. The FCC action is consistent with worldwide
> allocations adopted by the ITU for these frequencies.
>
> The Report and Order can be found online in PDF format at,
> https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/1002214202488/FCC-20-138A1.pdf .
>
> In the run-up to the Commission's decision, ARRL met with the FCC's
> professional staff to explain its concerns and to answer questions.
> Subsequently, ARRL met with the wireless advisors to the FCC
> Chairman and two Commissioners. In those meetings, ARRL reiterated
> that continued secondary status for amateurs will not impair or
> devalue use of this spectrum by the primary licensees intending to
> provide 5G or other service. ARRL noted amateur radio's long history
> of successful coexistence with primary users of the 9 cm band,
> sharing this spectrum with the federal government users and
> secondary, non-federal occupants.
>
> ARRL pointed out that vital links in amateur television and amateur
> radio high-speed mesh networks using the band have been especially
> valuable during such emergency situations as the wildfires currently
> raging on the west coast. Deleting the amateur secondary allocation
> will result in lost opportunities for experimentation and public
> service with no public interest benefit to make up for that.
>
> ARRL argued that deleting the secondary allocation would waste the
> scarce spectrum resource, particularly in areas where commercial
> services often do not construct full facilities due to small
> populations. The FCC action means that amateur radio will lose
> access to the 3.5-GHz secondary allocation even where commercial
> operations do not exist. ARRL told the Commission that it should not
> intentionally allow this spectrum to be vacant and unused, wasting
> the public resource, when amateurs can use some portion of it in
> many geographic areas with no detriment to any other licensee, just
> as it has in the past. ARRL argues that amateur operations should be
> permitted until and unless an actual potential for interference
> exists.
>
> Deletion of the 3.3 - 3.5 GHz secondary amateur allocation will
> become effective on the effective date of the FCC's order, but
> amateur radio operation as of that date may continue while the FCC
> finalizes rules to license spectrum in the 3.45 - 3.55 GHz band and
> establishes deadlines for amateur operations to cease. The FCC
> proposed allowing amateur operation in the 3.3 - 3.4 GHz portion of
> the band to continue "pending further decisions about the future of
> this portion of the spectrum," the timing for which is unknown. The
> Commission proposed to mandate that operations cease in the 3.4 -
> 3.5 GHz portion when commercial licensing commences for the new 3.45
> - 3.55 GHz "5G" band, which is predicted to begin in the first half
> of 2022.
>
> "[W]e seek comment on whether it is in the public interest to sunset
> amateur use in the 3.3 - 3.55 GHz band in two separate phases, e.g.,
> first above 3.4 GHz, which is the focus of [the R&O] and later in
> that portion of the band below 3.4 GHz," the FCC said.
>
> ARRL expressed gratitude to the many members and organizations that
> joined ARRL in challenging the FCC throughout this nearly year-long
> proceeding. They included multiple radio clubs, weak signal
> enthusiasts, moonbounce participants, and the Amateur Radio
> Emergency Data Network (AREDN), the Amateur Television Network
> (ATN), AMSAT, and Open Research Institute (ORI).
>
> ARRL will continue its efforts to preserve secondary amateur radio
> access to 3.3 - 3.5 GHz. Members are invited to share comments by
> visiting http://www.arrl.org/3-GHz-Band .
>
> "We recognize that any loss of our privileges will most directly
> impact radio amateurs who use the frequencies to operate and
> innovate," said ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR. "Such instances
> only embolden ARRL's role to protect and advocate for the Amateur
> Radio Service and Amateur Satellite Service. There will be continued
> threats to our spectrum. So I urge all amateurs, now more than ever,
> to strengthen our hold by being ceaseless in our public service,
> experimenting, and discovery throughout the radio spectrum."
> NNNN
> /EX
> ______________________________________________________________
> South Florida DX Assoc. "SINCE 1974"
> SFDXA WebSite: http://www.SFDXA.com
> SFDXA Repeater 147.33+ 103.5 Tone
> To Post: mailto:SFDXA at mailman.qth.net
> To UNSUBSCRIBE/EDIT: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/sfdxa
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>