ICYMI: Commissioner Anna Gomez, Other Industry Leaders Speak on the Importance of Dynamic Spectrum Sharing 

In case you missed it – Speaking at the 13th Americas Spectrum Management Conference, Federal Communications Commissioner Anna Gomez shared not-to-be-missed insights on the success of spectrum sharing and the importance of the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) as a model for meeting America’s future wireless needs. 

“The CBRS sharing framework inspired new users such as mobile network operators, WISPs, cable operators, utilities, private network operators, and educational institutions to seize this opportunity for connectivity… CBRS has demonstrated that shared spectrum schemes are not only possible, but successful, and can scale up to incorporate developments, protect incumbents, create more access, and encourage new market entrants,” explained Commissioner Gomez.

Commissioner Gomez also discussed the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) recent Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on further updates to CBRS. Her comments reinforce why CBRS innovators oppose higher power levels in the 3.5 GHz band, which would compromise the ability of the FCC to “continue to protect federal operations and create more spectrum access for broadband.”Read her full remarks here.

• The Commissioner’s sentiments were shared by spectrum sharing experts at a Broadband Breakfast webinar on democratizing spectrum access. Speaking alongside Mary L. Brown (Executive Director of WifiForward) and Dr. Monisha Ghosh (Professor of Electrical Engineering at the University of Notre Dame), Dean Bubley (Founder & Director of Disruptive Analysis) called on the U.S. to “take its leadership role in evangelizing the idea of spectrum sharing and take it around the world. This is the way to essentially improve wireless for all of humanity.”
• In related news yesterday, wireless leaders spoke out against AT&T’s ridiculous pitch for the FCC to renege on existing CBRS licenses and re-auction the band for the exclusive benefit of the Big 3, shared during the Mobile World Congress:

• “The fact of the matter is, you can’t just pick up one band and dump it into another band and expect it to work.” – Richard Bernhardt, VP of Spectrum and Industry at WISPA
• “[AT&T’s proposal] is a red herring premised on wishing away the U.S. Navy’s need to continue using CBRS spectrum.” – Michael Calabrese, Director of the Wireless Future Project at New America’s Open Technology Institute
• “We’ve recently exceeded 400,000 devices deployed in the CBRS band, demonstrating the system’s robust performance and the strong demand for spectrum in this range.” – Iyad Tarazi, CEO of Federated Wireless
• “AT&T’s proposal to relocate users in the CBRS band makes little sense, unless viewed as a deliberate attempt to undermine confidence among enterprises deploying private networks.” – Dean Bubley, Founder & Director of Disruptive Analysis