The Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) has adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that seeks comment on whether mobile services can coexist with existing operations within the 12.2-12.7 GHz Band without causing harmful interference. Spectrum in the 12 GHz band is currently licensed to Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) operators, such as DISH Network and DirecTV, non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite systems and fixed service providers. These existing operators currently operate on a co-primary basis to limit harmful interference.
The Commission seeks comment on whether there are options that would make it possible for mobile services to coexist with the existing 12 GHz band operators, such as assigning flexible use rights and sharing mechanisms. The NPRM also seeks comment on whether the potential benefits of expanding spectrum use for mobile services outweigh the potential harm to 12 GHz band operations.
