DA 14-1023 July 18, 2014 THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION AND THE NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION: COORDINATION PROCEDURES IN THE 1695-1710 MHz AND 1755-1780 MHz BANDS GN Docket No. 13-185 INTRODUCTION In March 2014, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) adopted new rules that will make available significantly more spectrum for Advanced Wireless Services (AWS). The rules are a milestone in providing commercial access to new spectrum bands through a spectrum-sharing arrangement with incumbent federal users. As part of that arrangement, the Commission’s AWS-3 rules require successful coordination with Federal incumbents prior to operation in Protection Zones (also referred to here as coordination zones). By this the Public Notice Commission, through its Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) provide (i) information for potential bidders in the AWS-3 auction and (ii) guidance to the ultimate AWS-3 licensees and the affected Federal incumbents regarding coordination between Federal and non-Federal for shared use of the 1695-1710 MHz and 1755-1780 MHz bands. The joint nature of this reflects Public Notice intersecting jurisdictions of the Commission (commercial users) and NTIA (Federal users) in these bands. The proceeds as follows. In section II, we provide general background information about Public Notice Federal/non-Federal coordination in the AWS-3 bands in which Federal incumbents have spectrum assignments. In section III, we jointly refine certain AWS-3 Protection Zones, reducing them from nationwide scope to more specific geographic areas. Section IV provides information and guidance on the overall coordination process, as contemplated by the including informal pre-coordination discussions and the formal process of submitting coordination AWS-3 R&O, requests and receiving results from relevant agencies. Section V provides refined Protection Zones for AWS-3 licenses for which proximity to certain Federal satellite uplink stations could potentially cause harmful interference into AWS-3 licensee base stations along with a streamlined option for satisfying this coordination requirement.
DA 14-1023 July 18, 2014 THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION AND THE NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION: COORDINATION PROCEDURES IN THE 1695-1710 MHz AND 1755-1780 MHz BANDS GN Docket No. 13-185 INTRODUCTION In March 2014, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) adopted new rules that will make available significantly more spectrum for Advanced Wireless Services (AWS). The rules are a milestone in providing commercial access to new spectrum bands through a spectrum-sharing arrangement with incumbent federal users. As part of that arrangement, the Commission’s AWS-3 rules require successful coordination with Federal incumbents prior to operation in Protection Zones (also referred to here as coordination zones). By this Public Notice the Commission, through its Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) provide (i) information for potential bidders in the AWS-3 auction and (ii) guidance to the ultimate AWS-3 licensees and the affected Federal incumbents regarding coordination between Federal and non-Federal for shared use of the 1695-1710 MHz and 1755-1780 MHz bands. The joint nature of this Public Notice reflects intersecting jurisdictions of the Commission (commercial users) and NTIA (Federal users) in these bands. The Public Notice proceeds as follows. In section II, we provide general background information about Federal/non-Federal coordination in the AWS-3 bands in which Federal incumbents have spectrum assignments. In section III, we jointly refine certain AWS-3 Protection Zones, reducing them from nationwide scope to more specific geographic areas. Section IV provides information and guidance on the overall coordination process, as contemplated by the AWS-3 R&O, including informal pre-coordination discussions and the formal process of submitting coordination requests and receiving results from relevant agencies. Section V provides refined Protection Zones for AWS-3 licenses for which proximity to certain Federal satellite uplink stations could potentially cause harmful interference into AWS-3 licensee base stations along with a streamlined option for satisfying this coordination requirement.
DA-14-1023A1.docx