Federal Communications Commission	DA 19-142

										
Before the
Federal Communications Commission
Washington, D.C. 20554


In the Matter of

Unlicensed Use of the 6 GHz Band

Expanding Flexible Use in Mid-Band Spectrum Between 3.7 and 24 GHz 

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ET Docket No. 18-295

GN Docket No. 17-183 
 




ORDER

Adopted:  March 4, 2019	Released:  March 4, 2019

By the Chief, Office of Engineering and Technology:
1.	On February 26, 2019, the Ultra Wide Band (UWB) Alliance filed a request for an extension of the reply comment period to an October 24, 2018 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in the above-captioned proceeding. Request for Extension of Reply Comment Deadline by The Ultra Wide Band (UWB) Alliance, ET Docket No. 18-295, (filed Feb. 26, 2019) (UWB Request).
  For the reasons set forth below, we deny the motion.
2.	Comments on the NPRM were due on February 15, 2019 and reply comments are due by March 18. Unlicensed Use of the 6 GHz Band, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 83 Fed. Reg. 64506 (Dec. 17, 2018).
  The petitioner requests that the reply comment period be extended an additional 14 days, to April 1, 2019.  The petitioner cites lengthy and technical analysis contained in many comments, states that “the public interest supports allowing parties a meaningful opportunity to review and respond to these analyses,” Id. at 2.
 and asserts that the present thirty-day reply period “does not permit that type of consideration, particularly by membership-based organizations such as the UWB Alliance.”  It further states that an extension of time would “permit the development of a more complete record in this proceeding,” which will give the Commission “a better basis on which to consider how to proceed” with its proposals. UWB Request at 1.  See also id. at 2 (further stating that an extension will place the Commission “in a substantially more informed position to decide on how to best proceed.”)
  
3.	It is the policy of the Commission that extensions of time are not routinely granted. 47 CFR § 1.46(a).
  In managing proceedings, the Commission must balance the need to obtain the necessary information in the record with the benefit of reaching a decision in a timely manner.  We note that Commission proceedings involving spectrum use can be expected to contain lengthy or detailed filings of a technical nature, and this proceeding is consistent with that model.  Given the nature of the record developed to this point in this proceeding, we find nothing sufficiently unique or unusual that would warrant delaying the reply comment cycle.  
 4.	Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that, pursuant to sections 4(i), 4(j), 5(c), and 303(r) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. §§ 154(i), 154(j), 155(c), and 303(r), and section 1.46 of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR § 1.46, the Motion for Extension of Time filed by the Ultra Wide Band (UWB) Alliance on February 26, 2019, IS DENIED.
5.	This action is taken under delegated authority pursuant to sections 0.31 and 0.241 of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR §§ 0.31, 0.241.

						FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION




						Julius Knapp
						Chief
Office of Engineering and Technology 
          

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