Sharing Urged in 42 GHz Band, Though Disagreements Emerge on Details

OTI is mentioned in a Communications Daily article about wireless carrier interest (or lack thereof) in comments in response to a June NPRM on potential sharing in the 42 GHz band of spectrum, with OTI and Public Knowledge advocating for a spectrum sharing framework premised on open access, licensing by rule, and automated database coordination.

Wireless carriers don't have much apparent interest in the 42 GHz band, to judge from comments posted Thursday in response to a June NPRM on potential sharing in the 42 GHz band. New America’s Open Technology Institute and Public Knowledge were enthusiastic about the possibilities.

The NPRM asks about three potential approaches in the band -- nationwide nonexclusive licensing, site-based licensing and technology-based licensing (see 2306080042). It also proposes to license the band in five 100 MHz channels.

“We continue to believe that in this millimeter wave band ... a framework premised on open access, licensing by rule, and automated database coordination will best serve the public interest,” said New America and PK. “Such a sharing framework will be especially beneficial if it can be used to coordinate local access for a diversity of users and use cases across both the 42 GHz and the Lower 37 GHz bands, thereby facilitating far greater flexibility and capacity,” they said. The group urged a similar approach in the lower 37 GHz band.

The public interest groups proposed sharing based on automated frequency coordination (AFC), which will soon be used in the 6 GHz band (see 2308250061), with a license-by-rule framework similar to the general authorized access tier of the citizens broadband radio service band. “It’s likely that one or more of the certified 6 GHz AFC systems could be adapted quickly to manage access and minimize interference in these bands, avoiding years of delay,” they said.