The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved the commercial deployment of Citizen’s Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) in the 3.5 GHz band in the U.S. It is an extremely important milestone in utilizing dynamic spectrum access for next-generation technologies.
CBRS is the most advanced commercially available technology in dynamic spectrum sharing and is essential for enabling the most efficient and intensive commercial use of the 3.5 GHz mid-band spectrum that is critical for 5G. The use of dynamic sharing technology in CBRS increases spectrum efficiency and maximizes spectrum access by enabling a wide variety of users and innovative use cases while protecting governmental and other incumbent users of the band.
Martha Suarez, President of Dynamic Spectrum Alliance (DSA) is excited to see the full commercial deployment of CBRS become a reality after many years of the DSA advocating for this technology. This development will go a long way to making more efficient use of spectrum for next-generation technologies like 5G and fostering investment and wireless innovation.’
Using a three-tiered system, the CBRS framework creates abundant spectrum for 5G and innovative use cases. The Spectrum Access System (SAS) enables this abundance by assigning priority levels to different tiers of spectrum users, from Incumbents - top-priority governmental and commercial licensees - to Priority Access License (PAL), and General Authorized Access (GAA) users, a tier generally available to any commercial entity. Using database and location identification technologies, the SAS protects incumbent services whilst managing and deconflicting PAL and GAA access, which enables large and small entities to achieve greater network deployment and connect the unconnected.
DSA members, including CommScope, Google, and Federated Wireless, have worked towards CBRS commercialization for years and are now fully FCC-certified SAS providers. The DSA is a strong advocate for developments such as these which contribute to the fair and effective utilization of the spectrum. Not only will this impact urban areas of the US by easing spectrum constraints and meeting the expectations of 5G, but it will also revolutionize accessibility in rural and underserved locations.
Having explored CBRS development in previous years, the 2020 DSA Global Summit (Paris, France, 2-4 June) will celebrate and discuss what CBRS commercial deployment will mean for the future of telecommunications. The Dynamic Spectrum Alliance is a global organization advocating for laws and regulations that will lead to more efficient and effective spectrum utilization. The DSA’s membership spans multinationals, small- and medium-sized enterprises, and academic, research, and other organizations from around the world, all working to create innovative solutions that will increase the amount of available spectrum to the benefit of consumers and businesses alike.
