The Wireless
Innovation Forum (WInnForum) today congratulates member
organizations CommScope (NASDAQ: COMM), Federated Wireless and Google
(NASDAQ: GOOGL) for FCC approval of Environmental Sensing Capabilities
(ESCs) for use in the 3.5 GHz band. The ESCs will be used to detect the
presence of federal incumbent radar transmissions and communicate that
information to one or more certified SASs. The FCC announced the
approval in a Public Notice on Monday.
“This certification is a significant milestone for the industry and
clears the way for both national expansion of our ESC network and
initial commercial deployment of CBRS,” said Kurt Schaubach, CTO,
Federated Wireless. “We truly appreciate the close collaboration and
support we have had from the WinnForum and the FCC, and look forward to
continuing to build on our work together as we accelerate development
and deployment of shared spectrum services.”
Per the Public Notice (https://www.fcc.gov/document/wtboet-approve-environmental-sensing-capabilities-escs-35-ghz),
“The Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS), NTIA’s research and
development arm, began testing the ESCs submitted by CommScope,
Federated, and Google on October 29, 2018. After ITS completed its
laboratory testing, it drafted ESC laboratory test reports, which
CommScope, Federated, and Google submitted for the Commission’s review.1
WTB/OET, in coordination with NTIA and DoD, have reviewed these reports
in detail. Based on the information contained therein, we approve the
ESCs of CommScope, Federated, and Google for commercial operation
subject to the ongoing compliance obligations in our rules and set forth
herein.”
“We congratulate ITS, DoD, and FCC for their stewardship of the ESC
certification program,” said Dr. Preston Marshall, Engineering Director,
Wireless Services, at Google. “Spectrum Access Systems will be certified
soon, and our ESCs will allow us to offer the benefits of CBRS to the
significant population of the U.S. that lives near the coasts, while
fully protecting our federal incumbent partners in the band.”
“FCC approval of CBRS ESC equipment and systems brings us one step
closer to initial commercial deployment and ultimately, full commercial
deployment,” added Mike Guerin, Vice President of Integrated Solutions,
CommScope. “We look forward to working with customers and federal
agencies to ensure success.”
Spectrum Access Systems (SASs) and ESCs are essential components
necessary for operations in the 3.5 GHz band. SASs will serve as
advanced, highly automated frequency coordinators across the band,
protecting higher tier users from harmful interference from lower tier
users and optimizing frequency use.
The ESCs will consist of networks of sensors that will detect the
presence of signals from federal shipborne radar systems in the band and
communicate that information to one or more SASs to facilitate
protection of federal incumbents. An ESC network deployment requires
dozens of sensor nodes, which will be deployed by ESC Operators
incrementally.
WInnForum supports the development and advancement of spectrum sharing
technologies based on the three-tier architecture detailed in 3.5 GHz
CBRS rules defined by the FCC. The Forum announced the completion of the
full set of baseline standards required for WInnForum certification of
CBRS equipment in 2018 (http://bit.ly/CBRSBaselineSpec).
This watershed event allowed the finalization of CBRS products for
official testing and set the stage for the rollout of commercial CBRS
networks. More about the WInnForum and its CBRS standards building can
be found here: https://cbrs.wirelessinnovation.org.
About the Wireless Innovation Forum
Established in 1996, The Wireless Innovation Forum (SDR Forum Version
2.0) is a non-profit mutual benefit corporation dedicated to advocating
for spectrum innovation, and advancing radio technologies that support
essential or critical communications worldwide. Members bring a broad
base of experience in Software Defined Radio (SDR), Cognitive Radio (CR)
and Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) technologies in diverse markets and at
all levels of the wireless value chain to address emerging wireless
communications requirements. To learn more about The Wireless Innovation
Forum, its meetings and membership benefits, visit www.WirelessInnovation.org.
Forum projects are supported by platinum sponsors Motorola
Solutions, Leonardo
and Thales.
1See Performance Certification Results for a 3.5 GHz
Environmental Sensing Capability (ESC) Sensor Provided for Testing by
Google LLC and CommScope, Inc., GN Docket No. 15-319 (filed Mar. 7,
2019) (submitted by CommScope); Performance Certification Results for a
3.5 GHz Environmental Sensing Capability Sensor Provided for Testing by
Federated Wireless, GN Docket No. 15-319 (filed Mar. 13, 2019);
Performance Certification Results for a 3.5 GHz Environmental Sensing
Capability Sensor Provided for Testing by Google LLC and CommScope, Inc,
GN Docket No. 15-319 (filed Mar. 7, 2019).
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