Federal Communications Commission DA 20-1086 DA 20-1086 Released: September 15, 2020 WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS BUREAU AND OFFICE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY ANNOUNCE THE APPROVAL AND REGISTRATION OF ADDITIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SENSING CAPABILITY SENSORS FOR THE 3.5 GHZ BAND GN Docket No. 15-319 With this Public Notice, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) and the Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) (collectively, WTB/OET) of the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) approve the updated or new Environmental Sensing Capability (ESC) sensor deployment and coverage plans (ESC Sensor Registrations) of three ESC operators -- CommScope Inc., CommScope in October 2018 announced that Google and CommScope had entered into a partnership to operate an ESC. Press Release, CommScope, CommScope and Google Team Up to Drive CBRS Forward (Oct. 18, 2018), https://www.commscope.com/NewsCenter/PressReleases/CommScope-and-Google-Team-Up-to-Drive-CBRS-Forward/. Google, and Key Bridge Wireless LLC (Key Bridge). CommScope, Google, and Key Bridge are approved ESC operators. Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and Office of Engineering and Technology Announce the Approval of Environmental Sensing Capabilities for the 3.5 GHz Band, Public Notice, DA 19-352, 34 FCC Rcd 2792 (WTB/OET Apr. 29, 2019) (2019 ESC Operator Approval Public Notice); Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and Office of Engineering and Technology Announce the Approval of an Additional Environmental Sensing Capability for the 3.5 GHz Band, Public Notice, DA 20-735, (WTB/OET July 14, 2020) (Key Bridge ESC Operator Approval Public Notice). All ESC operators submitted ESC Sensor Registrations to WTB/OET consistent with the process described in the ESC Sensor Registration Public Notice, as updated in the November 2019 ESC Sensor Registration Public Notice. See Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and Office of Engineering and Technology Establish Procedure for Registering Environmental Sensing Capability Sensors, GN Docket No. 15-319, Public Notice, 33 FCC Rcd 10016 (WTB/OET 2018) (ESC Sensor Registration Public Notice); Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and Office of Engineering and Technology Announce the Approval and Registration Of Additional Environmental Sensing Capability Sensors of ESC Operators for the 3.5 GHz Band, GN Docket No. 15-319, Public Notice, DA 19-1210, 34 FCC Rcd 11048, 11050 (WTB/OET Nov. 26, 2019) (November 2019 ESC Sensor Registration Public Notice). In some instances, ESC operators requested confidentiality when they submitted their ESC Sensor Registrations and filed a list of dynamic protection areas covered by its ESC sensors consistent with the filing instructions in the ESC Sensor Registration Public Notice. See Letter from H. Mark Gibson, Director, Regulatory Policy, CommScope, to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, FCC, GN Docket No. 15-319 (filed Aug. 13, 2020), https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filing/108182296517808 (CommScope and Google Updated Joint DPA List) (Pursuant to their joint partnership, CommScope and Google submitted a joint filing); Letter from Timothy L. Bransford, Counsel to Key Bridge Wireless LLC, to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, FCC, GN Docket No. 15-319 (filed June 23, 2020), https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filing/1062472579530 (Key Bridge DPA List). In other instances, no confidentiality was requested. See Letter from Jesse Caufield, CEO, Key Bridge Wireless LLC, to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, FCC, GN Docket No. 15-319 (filed Aug. 18, 2020), WTB/OET, in close consultation with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Department of Defense (DoD), have reviewed and approved the updated or new ESC Sensor Registrations, which sufficiently describe the proposed coverage for the dynamic protection areas (DPAs) DPAs are pre-defined protection areas that extend beyond the coastline or that enclose a protected terrestrial radar facility, which may be activated or deactivated as necessary to protect DoD radar systems. Promoting Investment in the 3550-3700 MHz Band, GN Docket No. 17-258, Order, 33 FCC Rcd 4987 (WTB/OET 2018). NTIA depicts the DPAs in Attachment A of a letter sent by Paige R. Atkins, NTIA, to Julius P. Knapp and Donald K. Stockdale Jr. of the FCC on May 17, 2018. This letter and the specific coordinates for the DPAs are available at https://www.ntia.doc.gov/fcc-filing/2015/ntia-letter-fcc-commercial-operations-3550-3650-mhz-band. listed below. Each ESC operator listed below is authorized to operate its ESC sensors consistent with the information—including sensor locations, configuration, and DPA coverage—submitted to, and approved by, WTB/OET. 2019 ESC Operator Approval Public Notice, 34 FCC Rcd at 2794 (citing ESC Sensor Registration Public Notice, 33 FCC Rcd at 10016); Key Bridge ESC Operator Approval Public Notice, DA 20-735. See also Amendment of the Commission's Rules with Regard to Commercial Operations in the 3550-3650 MHz Band, GN Docket No. 12-354, Report and Order and Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 30 FCC Rcd 3959 at 4070-71, para. 386 (2015 Report and Order and 2015 FNPRM, respectively). In addition, each certified ESC operator must operate in conjunction with at least one Spectrum Access System (SAS) that has been approved for commercial deployment by the Commission. 2019 ESC Operator Approval Public Notice, 34 FCC Rcd at 2794 (citing ESC Sensor Registration Public Notice, 33 FCC Rcd at 10016); Key Bridge ESC Operator Approval Public Notice, DA 20-735. See also 2015 Report and Order, 30 FCC Rcd at 4070-71, para. 386. Before providing commercial service for any given DPA, each ESC operator must file a notification in GN Docket No. 15-319, which must affirm that the approved sensors covering the DPA are constructed and operational and must list the approved SASs with which the ESC is communicating. ESC operator CommScope CommScope and Google jointly submitted their ESC sensor registration with the Commission pursuant to their partnership. In the event they cease their partnership, they must submit a filing with the Commission in GN Docket 15-319 detailing how the approved DPA site and their management responsibilities will be assigned. has satisfied the sensor coverage requirements for the following DPA: · Alameda. CommScope and Google Updated Joint DPA List. ESC operator Google has satisfied the sensor coverage requirements for the following DPA: · Alameda. Id. ESC operator Key Bridge has satisfied the sensor coverage requirements for the following DPAs: · East 16; · West DPAs 8, 9, 12, 13, This approval addresses only sensors providing primary coverage for the West 13 DPA. and 14; · Alameda; · Long Beach; and · San Diego Port. Key Bridge DPA List. Parties are permitted to update their ESC Sensor Registrations at any time in accordance with the process established in the ESC Sensor Registration Public Notice, and they must provide updates on an ongoing basis if any changes are made to the parameters of their approved ESC sensor deployments. WTB/OET will continue to approve ESC Sensor Registrations on a rolling basis as described in the ESC Sensor Registration Public Notice. ESC Sensor Registration Public Notice, 33 FCC Rcd at 10017. We remind ESC operators that, going forward, they must file ESC Sensor Registrations and any supplements with the Commission using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System. November 2019 ESC Sensor Registration Public Notice, 34 FCC Rcd at 11050; Key Bridge ESC Operator Approval Public Notice, DA 20-735. See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 24121 (1998). ESC operators may request confidential treatment of information contained in their filings consistent with Section 0.459 of the Commission’s rules. See 47 CFR § 0.459. All such filings should refer to GN Docket 15-319. These modified procedural requirements supersede those set forth in the ESC Sensor Registration Public Notice. ESC Sensor Registration Public Notice, 33 FCC Rcd at 10018. By the Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, and the Acting Chief, Office of Engineering and Technology. - FCC - 2