Utilities continue to face spectrum challenges, UTC panelists say
Another alternative is a 900 MHz proposal being made by pdvWireless, in cooperation with the Enterprise Wireless Alliance (EWA). Under the proposal—the subject of an FCC proceeding announced today—pdvWireless would pay for the realignment of narrowband spectrum it acquired last year from Sprint into a contiguous 3×3 MHz swath that could support a broadband technology like LTE.
Although pdvWireless officials have been outspoken in stating that utilities and other critical-infrastructure entities would receive priority access on its network, reaction to the broadband proposal has received a lukewarm response within the utility sector, which has expressed concerns about the rebanding proposal on their existing narrowband systems.
But Lockard said his utility clients have found pdvWireless official to be “very willing to talk with you and very willing to engage” in conversations that would limit the amount of disruption that a utility would have if the pdvWireless broadband plan is approved.
“I am excited about [the pdvWireless proposal], because … there’s nobody [else] talking about a 3x3that critical infrastructure gets access to,” Lockard said. “The pdv folks that I talk to talk about priority access for critical infrastructure.
“My counsel is to approach them, tell them what you’re planning to do, and see if there’s a way they can work with you.”
Like many other panelists, Lockard said he believes utilities will have to utilizes solutions in multiple bands in the near term.
“There are opportunities out there,” he said. “We haven’t found a single spectrum band that we were able to get and use that solved all of the customer’s problems. Generally a customer has spectrum in a number of these bands.”