As the highly anticipated advanced wireless spectrum auction nears, infrastructure vendors are positioning themselves to reap profits from the auction’s aftermath.
Both Radio Frequency Systems and Andrew Corp.’s Comsearch subsidiary said they have developed tools to help carriers, enterprises and government agencies plan and implement spectrum before and after the auction.
Chris Hardy, vice president and general manager of Comsearch, said that Comsearch is working with CTIA to develop a cost-sharing solution for those affected by the auction. He said situations are sure to arise that require negotiating between carriers to determine which companies will pay for relocations when the need arises.
Comsearch says it can provide information about the incumbent microwave systems in a given geographic area and the frequency blocks impacted the most from operations that are currently using the 1710-1755 MHz and 2110-2150 MHz spectrum bands. The tool then determines which systems likely would need to be relocated so that the spectrum can be used without interference on the AWS bands, and estimates the cost and impact of moving the systems off the AWS bands.
Nokia Corp.’s Services group is among companies with a suite of consultancy services to help auction participants create business cases for the AWS spectrum brand. Services include site engineering consulting.
Various users are operating in parts of the AWS spectrum; military users have to be moved off the 1710-1755 MHz band and non-federal wireless users off the 2110-2155 MHz band. The auction is expected to raise enough money to pay for the relocations of Department of Defense operations, but many relocation issues have yet to be resolved by the FCC, so unoccupied chunks of the spectrum are likely to be particularly attractive.
RFS’ Microwave Marketing Manager Asad Zoberi said he doesn’t expect any major delays because carriers have expressed a need for spectrum in key markets, and government agencies have already included proceeds from the auction into their budgets.
Asad also explained when new users acquire a license for spectrum, incumbents will have to find new solutions for their backhaul needs.
“There are lots of avenues that can be taken. Some may deploy fiber, some may deploy T1 solutions. Government agencies operating in the 1.7 GHz band may try to relocate, go into 1750-1850 band, and that opportunity could make use of existing antenna systems,” Asad said. “For carriers and enterprises operating in the 2.1 GHz band, things are more involved.”
No matter how complicated, Zoberi said non-public-safety players are required by the Federal Communications Commission to move quickly following the auction, and some should be prepared for a period of sharing that could begin one month after the auction. Government agencies, including public-safety organizations, are required to relocate completely within 3 years, Zoberi said.
“Frequency coordination companies will provide analysis about transitional sharing,” Zoberi said. “Some companies have already made plans, but some are still not sure what they’re going to do. The point is, there will be a lot of relocations. Currently, there are more than 900 government links and about 5700 commercial point-to-point links. Companies are trying to figure out how to provide their services, how to make it a little easier.”
Zoberi said carriers and government agencies alike want to move forward after the auction without any problems.
“They want smooth transitions, they want to work and cooperate with all the licensees, making sure that they move into spectrum without any interference,” Zoberi noted. “They have sensitive data. Think about the Department of Defense-they have protected systems, they don’t share any information about those systems. It’s critical that there’s not any interference after the auction takes place.”
