Interoperability and the
Thorny Issue of Interference

Posted by: Bob Quinn on May 6, 2013 at 10:15 am

Every three months or so, the FCC’s 700 MHz Interoperability Docket finds its way into the Washington media.  Given the recent announcement of both new and interim FCC Chairpersons and their coming agendas, I expect the issue to continue to get coverage, so let’s recap the issue and status in that proceeding.

When the FCC created the lower 700 MHz Band Plan, it placed mobile broadband A, B and C Block spectrum adjacent to spectrum used for broadcast television, most significantly, Channel 51 stations.  This created substantial interference issues (as well as build out issues due to exclusion zones created around Channel 51 license areas), particularly for A Block license holders, due to the presence of high powered broadcast signals in nearby spectrum. 

At auction, markets being what they are, those disadvantages impacted the value of the A Block spectrum, which was sold at a significant discount to other available spectrum.  While many regional and smaller competitors purchased A Block licenses, AT&T avoided the A Block and instead purchased licenses at auction and in the secondary market in the B and C bands.  Almost immediately after the auction ended, however, the purchasers of the A Block licenses began arguing that any handset used by AT&T to receive B or C Block signals should also be capable of operating on the A Block as well, making all of the spectrum bands “interoperable” – thus the name for our proceeding.  Those carriers asserted that handset manufacturers would never make devices just for them, and that the only way they would be able to obtain the latest and greatest technology would be if they could piggy-back on AT&T’s supposedly greater purchasing power.

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AT&T’s Letter on Mobile Spectrum Holdings and Incentive Auctions

Posted by: AT&T Blog Team on April 25, 2013 at 3:03 pm

Today, Wayne Watts, AT&T Senior Executive Vice President and General Counsel, responded to the U.S. Department of Justice’s April 11 submission to the FCC “that features the extraordinary suggestion that the Commission should tailor its spectrum aggregation rules to help two specific providers, Sprint and T-Mobile.”   In a letter to FCC Chairman Genachowski and Commissioners McDowell, Clyburn, Rosenworcel and Pai, Mr. Watts expressed “AT&T’s strong disagreement with the Department’s views.” 

The full letter may be accessed here.

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AT&T’s Response to Comments Made
Today by Sprint’s CEO, Dan Hesse

Posted by: AT&T Blog Team on April 18, 2013 at 4:39 pm

Today, press reports indicate that Dan Hesse, CEO of Sprint, suggested the FCC should write rules that favor Sprint in the broadcast TV spectrum incentive auctionAttribute the following to Jim Cicconi, AT&T Senior Executive Vice President of External and Legislative Affairs:

“It never ceases to amaze me how some executives can go to Wall Street and brag about their unique and massive spectrum position, then come to Washington and claim the exact opposite.  And then demand the government allocate spectrum to them rather than auction it in an open bidding process as Congress directed.  Particularly when that company has failed to even bid in previous auctions of lower band spectrum.  This is nonsense, and would simply lead to a failed auction as anyone with sense understands.  Moreover, it’s not the government’s job to give to any company advantages it’s been unable to win from consumers in a free market.”

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