FCC seeks public-safety input as it explores new approaches to spectrum policies

With radio-frequency spectrum a finite resource, the FCC is exploring new methods to assess and manage its use, as reflected in a policy statement and the launching of a proceeding to gather more information about the topic, according to an FCC official.

FCC Attorney Advisor Roberto Mussenden said FCC commissioners laid the groundwork for a new approach to non-federal spectrum with its spectrum-management principles that were released in April. One key concept in these principles is that FCC plans to consider more than traditional signal-transmission characteristics—namely, receiver performance—in formulating spectrum policies for the future.

“The main thing about this is: What is interference? How are we going to mitigate interference going forward?” Mussenden said during a session at the APCO 2023 event in Nashville earlier this month. we recognize that both receivers and transmitters bear responsibility. You can’t walk out with a receiver that has a horrible front end and then say, ‘Protect me.’”

“So, manufacturers will probably have to use these things called filters.”

Of course, most modern communications devices utilize filters to ensure that devices only receive communications signals that are appropriate. However, there have been multiple examples—notably, older GPS devices operating near satellite spectrum and airplane altimeters impacted by mid-band 5G deployments—that were designed at a time when there was little or no signal contention in a particular spectrum band, so manufacturers opted to use little or no filtering to make their devices more cost-effective.

This approach may have made economic sense decades ago, but the substandard receivers can create practical limitations on the most efficient use of spectrum—a reality underscored by the recent controversy that cause air-traffic schedules to be revamped for planes using older altimeters near mid-band 5G cell sites.

To inform such spectrum policies, the FCC is seeking data about the manner in which spectrum is used and managed, according to Mussenden. With this in mind, the FCC this month launched a technical inquiry to explore spectrum usage

“We officially recognize that spectrum is scarce, more people want to use it, and we have to manage it more efficiently,” Mussenden said. “And in addition to going ahead with the interference rules, [the FCC wants to know] how is it being used? Who is using it?

“We need the data and [need] to take advantage of some of these new data-collection technologies to determine how spectrum is being—answering the newspaper questions of ‘Who? What? When? Where? Why?’”

Mussenden appealed to the public-safety community to participate in the proceeding by sharing its unique perspectives about spectrum usage and management.

“[The FCC technical inquiry] recognizes that public safety is its own animal—it has different spectrum needs and different spectrum usage than others,” Mussenden said. “So, we need help in helping the commission define what is the appropriate metric to use for these parameters.

“We need the input from the stakeholders and the community to help us come up with the best possible rules. So, any information that you have or any suggestions that you have are always greatly appreciated.”

Comments in the proceeding are due on Oct. 3, and reply comments are due on Nov. 2, according to the FCC’s website.