AT&T Likely to Get 2.3 GHz

AT&T Likely to Get 2.3 GHz

Posted by Sam Churchill on September 27th, 2012

The FCC will likely approve AT&T’s plan to use WCS spectrum during the next open meeting scheduled for October 17, 2012, the FCC said today. AT&T wants to offer mobile broadband service on 20MHz of 2.3 GHz spectrum it purchased in August along with spectrum holding company NextWave Wireless.

According to AT&T’s FCC filing, the carrier would acquire between 5 and 30 MHz of WCS spectrum from NextWave Wireless in 476 cellular market areas, achieving a maximum of 30 MHz WCS spectrum. AT&T wants between 10 and 25 MHz of WCS spectrum from Comcast in 149 markets and 10 MHz of WCS spectrum from Horizon Wi-Com in 132 markets. Currently AT&T owns 12 MHz on average of WCS across the country.

Currently there is 30 MHz of WCS spectrum broken into two 5×5 MHz paired channels (the A and B Block) and two 5 MHz unpaired channels (the C and D Block). The C and D Blocks are next to the spectrum used by Sirius XM. Under the proposal from AT&T and Sirius XM, AT&T would not use the C and D Block spectrum for mobile service in exchange for more liberal rules on the A and B Block spectrum, thus allowing AT&T to deploy FDD-LTE service in that band.
In June, AT&T and Sirius/XM offered a series of proposals to allow mobile broadband on the spectrum and minimize interference. XM uses satellite repeaters at 2.3 GHz, which can be thousands of watts. The adjoining 2.3 GHz WCS frequency would be effectively swamped in urban areas.
In May 2010, the agency approved initial rules to allow mobile broadband providers to offer services on 25MHz of the adjoining WCS band. That vote opened the door to eventual mobile broadband uses on that portion of the spectrum, in addition to fixed wireless services, which had previously been permitted.
The Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service (SDARS) is used by Sirius, which uses 12.5 MHz of the S band between 2320 and 2332.5 MHz and XM, which uses 12.5 MHz between 2332.5 to 2345.0 MHz.
XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite radio use different kinds of satellite coverage.
Sirius uses a highly elliptical orbit with three satellite, but only two of them broadcast at any given time. Because they can be seen at a higher angle on the horizon, the need for terrestrial repeaters is lessened.
XM has traditionally used geosynchronous satellites, which result in reception problems in canyons or cities. Consequently, XM developed satellite “repeaters” on rooftops in metropolitan areas, providing improved reception. But the satellite repeaters put out thousands of watts and would swamp nearby WCS basestations.
The agreement between Sirius/XM and AT&T would place a 5 MHz guardband between satellite radio and the 2.3 GHz broadband service.
AT&T thinks it will take around four and a half years to make repurposed 2.3 GHz Wireless Communication Service (WCS) spectrum usable for LTE services. The 2.3 GHz band is often used for 4G (LTE) service in other countries, such as China and India. AT&T did ask the FCC to extend the existing build-out requirements for WCS spectrum holders.
The new FCC proposal would allow mobile broadband on 20MHz of the total 30MHz in the WCS spectrum, according to Tammy Sun, an FCC spokeswoman.
AT&T recently acquiring NextWave for $600 million, with additional WCS spectrum deals planned with Comcast and Horizon Wi-Com. But the spectrum footprint is a long way from nationwide.
“Today’s action is part of Chairman Julius Genachowski’s continued efforts to remove regulatory barriers that limit the flexible use of spectrum, which is one way he has led the Commission towards helping address the continued ‘spectrum crunch,” said the FCC in a statement.