Source: https://www.fcc.gov/document/report-congress-concerning-microwave-application-rejection-rate
Timestamp: 2015-10-10 03:49:40
Document Index: 288118852

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 6412', '§ 301', '§ 101', '§ 6412', 'art 101', '§ 6412', '§ 6412', 'art 101', 'art 101', '§ 153', '§ 101', 'arts 1', 'art 101', 'art 101', 'art 101', 'art 101', 'art 101', 'art 74', 'art 101', '§101', 'art 78']

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Report to Congress Concerning Microwave Application Rejection Rate
DA 12-1880 Before the
Deployment of 11 GHz, 18 GHz, and 23 GHz )
WT Docket No. 12-156
Microwave Bands – Report Pursuant to Section )
6412 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job )
We issue this Report in accordance with the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (Spectrum Act), which requires the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) to submit to Congress a report on the “rejection rate” for common carrier microwave applications in certain frequency bands.1 The Commission licenses the operation of microwave stations pursuant to its authority under the Communications Act of 1934, as amended,2 and has done so for most of its history.3 Microwave services are licensed on frequencies above 890 MHz.4 A microwave link is a communications circuit between two points.5 Most links transmit and receive signals, and thus require a pair of frequencies.6 2.
Section 6412 of the Spectrum Act directs the Commission to prepare a report on the “rejection rate” for common carrier microwave applications in three frequency bands: 10,700-11,700 MHz (the 11 GHz Band); 17,700-19,700 MHz (the 18 GHz Band); and 21,200-23,600 MHz (the 23 GHz Band).7 The Spectrum Act specifies that “the term ‘rejection rate’ means the number and percent of applications (whether made to the Commission or to a third-party coordinator) for common carrier use of spectrum that were not granted because of lack of availability of such spectrum or interference concerns 1 Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, Pub. L. No. 112-96, 126 Stat. 156 (2012), § 6412. The report must be submitted no later than nine months after enactment of the Spectrum Act. Id.
2 See, e.g., 47 U.S.C. § 301. 3 For background, see Allocation of Frequencies in the Bands Above 890 Mc., Docket No. 11866, Report and Order, 27 FCC 359 (1959).
4 See 47 C.F.R. § 101.3.5 Id.6 Id.7 Spectrum Act, §§ 6412(a), (c). A copy of the full text of Section 6412 of the Spectrum Act is attached as an Appendix to this report.
DA 12-1880 of existing licensees.”8 The Spectrum Act also directs the Comptroller General of the United States to prepare a separate report on whether market forces provide adequate incentive for the efficient use of those spectrum bands and ensure that the Federal Government receives maximum revenue for such spectrum through competitive bidding.9 3.
On June 20, 2012, the Commission’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (Bureau) released a Public Notice seeking relevant information from the public.10 We received comments in response to the Comment Public Notice from firms that offer frequency coordination services, licensees, and prospective applicants in the 11, 18, and 23 GHz bands.11 This Report, which is based on analysis of the Commission’s own records as well as input from parties that responded to the Comment Public Notice, is intended to fulfill the Commission’s obligations under Section 6412 of the Spectrum Act.
For the purposes of this Report, the two microwave services of primary interest are the Common Carrier Fixed Point-to-Point Microwave Service12 and the Private Operational Fixed Point-to-Point Microwave Service.13 A common carrier is any person engaged as a common carrier for hire in interstate or foreign communication by wire or radio.14 In contrast, the Private Operational Fixed Point-to-Point Microwave Service is designed for the exclusive use of the licensee or other eligible entities.15 While these two services were previously licensed on separate frequency bands, they now share the same frequency bands, largely to accommodate incumbent fixed microwave licensees who have been relocated from the 2 GHz band.16 In 1996, the Commission consolidated its rules for most microwave point-to-point and point-to-multipoint services into a new Part 101 of the Commission’s Rules.17 Prior to that time, common carrier and private fixed operational microwave services were licensed under separate rule parts.18 8 Id., § 6412(d).9 Id., § 6412(b).10 See Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Seeks Information From The Public For Report To Congress On Microwave Bands, WT Docket No. 12-156, Public Notice, 27 FCC Rcd 7062 (WTB 2012) (Comment Public Notice).
11 See infra Part IV.B.2.12 See 47 C.F.R. Part 101, Subpart I.13 See 47 C.F.R. Part 101, Subpart H.14 See 47 U.S.C. § 153(10).15 See 47 C.F.R. § 101.3.16 See, e.g., Redevelopment of the Spectrum to Encourage Innovation in the Use of New Telecommunications Technologies, ET Docket No. 92-9, Second Report and Order, 8 FCC Rcd 6495 (1993). While the Spectrum Act seeks information on the rejection rate of common carrier microwave services, this report also includes information relating to private services because they share the frequency bands in question and the frequency coordination process is the same for both services.
17 Reorganization and Revision of Parts 1, 2, 21, and 94 of the Rules to Establish a New Part 101 Governing Terrestrial Microwave Fixed Radio Services, WT Docket No. 94-148, Report and Order, 11 FCC Rcd 13449 (1996). Two specialized microwave services in particular – the Broadcast Auxiliary Service (BAS) and the Cable TV Relay Service (CARS) – have not been consolidated into Part 101.
18 Id. at 13451 ¶ 2.
DA 12-1880 5.
Common carrier and private fixed microwave stations operate in a number of frequency bands. As illustrated in the following chart, such stations often share frequency bands with other specialized point-to-point services such as Broadcast Auxiliary Service (BAS) and Cable TV Relay Service (CARS):
Frequencies Available to TV Broadcast Auxiliary, CARS & Part 101 Fixed Services
That Are Not Auctioned and Have 12 MHz or More Maximum Authorized Bandwidth
(Bands that are the subject of this Report are identified in bold)
Common Private Carrier TV Maximum Operational Local TV Cable TV Fixed Broadcast Authorized Fixed Point-
(Part 101, (Part 101, (Part 74, (Part 101, (§§101.109 Subparts C Subparts C Subpart (Part 78)
Subpart J)
& 74.602)
2450-2500 MHz
6425-6525 MHz
6525-6875 MHz