The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC or Commission) Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB or Bureau) has issued a
Memorandum Opinion and Order granting the Department of Hawaiian Homelands’ (DHHL) petition for a waiver making it an eligible entity for the 2.5 GHz Rural Tribal Priority Window (Priority Window). The rules for the Priority Window allow only federally recognized Tribes to be eligible to apply for the available spectrum. As Hawai’i does not have any federally recognized Tribes, Hawaiian Tribal entities would be unable to apply for this spectrum. But, the Bureau decided that based upon the fact that the Hawaiian Home Lands are explicitly included in the rules as a type of eligible entity, it would be inequitable to wholly exclude Tribal lands in Hawai’i from this available spectrum. The Bureau thought it was appropriate to make DHHL the eligible entity as they are tasked with granting licenses and easements in the Hawaiian Home Lands.
