Verizon, EchoStar, Ericsson and others push for more CBRS power

Some big 5G companies like Verizon, EchoStar and Ericsson want to increase the power of their transmissions in the 3.5GHz CBRS spectrum band. They argue doing so will make the band more useful by extending the geographic range of CBRS signals.

But higher power level limits could ruin the burgeoning cable and fixed wireless networks already operating in the band, according to a wide range of other companies.

"Higher base station power levels and increased in-band emissions would diminish CBRS from the innovation band it has become – and was intended to be – to just another swath of exclusive-use spectrum for macrocell deployments that would fit neatly into the portfolios of the largest mobile wireless carriers," according to the NCTA, a trade association that represents some big cable companies like Charter Communications and Comcast.

Both Comcast and Charter have pledged to eventually use their extensive CBRS spectrum holdings to build small-scale 5G networks in support of their mobile services.

Others agree that higher power levels in the CBRS band would wreak havoc on existing CBRS users.

Fixed wireless frustrations

"Raising the maximum power level would substantially increase mutual interference," wrote WISPA, a trade association representing some of the nation's smaller fixed wireless Internet providers, in comments to the FCC.

"Tarana is concerned that the contemplated proposals related to a significant increase in base station power levels would fundamentally alter the shared spectrum nature of the CBRS band," wrote Tarana Wireless, which has gained significant traction supplying hardware dedicated to fixed wireless networks across the globe.

Interestingly, Tarana disclosed that US operators have deployed over 90,000 Tarana radios in the CBRS band, "a number that is growing at an exponential rate," according to the company.

"Such [power level] changes, if adopted, would likely impact critical services currently deployed in the band and stunt the growth of many existing and planned CBRS deployments, undermining significant capital infrastructure investment to date," Tarana told the FCC. "More importantly, these changes would incentivize the deployment of lower capacity macrocellular network deployments, and smaller aggregate network investments by fewer participants."

Turn up the power

The FCC is currently considering a range of changes to communication in the CBRS band, including higher power limits.

According to Verizon, raising CBRS power limits "is a key opportunity to help providers use CBRS spectrum more effectively and efficiently, delivering better services, improving connectivity, and closing the digital divide."

Verizon is unique among big 5G network operators because it purchased $1.8 billion worth of CBRS licenses around the country in an FCC auction in 2020. AT&T and T-Mobile did not participate in that auction, but Dish Network's EchoStar did, as did Comcast, Charter and Cox Communications. Verizon, for its part, uses the CBRS band to augment its 5G network running in other spectrum bands, and it also uses the band for private 5G networks for customers such as the NFL.

In its filing, Verizon said its CBRS operations account for around 15% of the total number of CBRS broadcasting sites today. The operator said fixed wireless providers account for most of the remainder.

Ericsson and EchoStar also urged the FCC to raise power limits in the band. Ericsson and its Cradlepoint subsidiary sell radios for operations in the band – both for mobility and fixed wireless applications – while EchoStar and its Dish Network business use around $912 million worth of CBRS spectrum for private wireless networking services.

AT&T, meanwhile, provided details about its proposal to move existing CBRS spectrum users to a different portion of the 3GHz band via an incentive auction. AT&T used CBRS for its early fixed wireless offerings.

And T-Mobile told the FCC only that it needed to obtain more data about the topic before making a decision. T-Mobile uses CBRS for some of its private wireless networking offerings.

Interestingly, the OnGo Alliance – a trade group that has been supporting the commercial use of CBRS spectrum – sidestepped the topic. "OnGo Alliance is not advocating for or against higher-power outdoor use," the group wrote.

A broader debate on sharing

The CBRS spectrum band is unique in that it is shared between commercial companies like Verizon and federal users like the US Navy.

That kind of sharing is generally opposed by big 5G network operators. Broadly, they argue the FCC should continue to support exclusive spectrum licensing regimes, where only one company can use a chunk of spectrum at any one time.

However, a growing chorus of players – including the US Department of Defense (DoD) – argue that spectrum sharing ought to be the future of spectrum management in the US.

Some speculate that the incoming Trump administration – bolstered by Republicans in the House and Senate – might favor exclusive spectrum licensing regimes.

For example, Trump supporter Elon Musk has resisted calls for his SpaceX Starlink service to share spectrum with other companies. Further, legislation backed by Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, and John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, favors exclusive spectrum licensing. Thune is now reportedly a finalist to lead the GOP in the Senate, and Cruz just won re-election.