Federal Communications Commission DA 20-438 DA 20-438 Released: April 21, 2020 WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS BUREAU AND OFFICE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY APPROVE SPECTRUM ACCESS SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR FEDERATED WIRELESS FOR FULL SCALE COMMERCIAL DEPLOYMENT IN THE 3650-3700 MHZ BAND IN AMERICAN SAMOA GN Docket No. 15-319 1. 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) certify Federated Wireless, Inc. (Federated Wireless) to operate as a Spectrum Access System (SAS) Administrator in the 3650-3700 MHz band in American Samoa. See 47 C.F.R. 96.63(e). 2. On January 27, 2020, WTB and OET approved four SAS Administrators, including Federated Wireless, for full scale commercial deployment in the 3550-3700 MHz band (3.5 GHz band). Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and Office of Engineering and Technology Approve Four Spectrum Access Administrators for Full Scale Commercial Deployment in the 3.5 GHz Band and Emphasize Licensee Compliance Obligations in the 3650-3700 MHz Band Under Part 96, Public Notice, 35 FCC Rcd 117 (2020 WTB/OET) (SAS Certification Public Notice) (contains procedural history of SAS approval process). Each SAS Administrator, including Federated Wireless, was certified to operate in the contiguous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Guam. Id., 35 FCC Rcd at 120, para. 5. In the January 27, 2020, Public Notice, WTB and OET noted that if “a SAS operator intends to operate in additional U.S. Territories and Possessions, it must submit a filing in GN Docket No. 15-319 detailing the additional territories that it plans to cover.” Id. Further, these “supplemental filings must include all information necessary for WTB/OET to make a determination regarding the SAS’s ability to provide service to each territory, including terrain maps and associated ESC sensor coverage information (where applicable).” Id. 3. On February 25, 2020, Federal Wireless filed its Notification to operate as a SAS Administrator across the entire 3.5 GHz band in American Samoa. Letter from Jennifer M. McCarthy, Vice President, Legal Advocacy, Federated Wireless, Inc., to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, FCC, GN Docket No. 15-319 (filed Feb. 25, 2020) (Notification). It requested confidential treatment for its Notification. Id. On March 24, 2020, Federated Wireless filed a Supplement to the Notification requesting authority to provide service in American Samoa in the 3650-3700 MHz portion of the 3.5 GHz band, which is not used by federal incumbents, pending a determination whether a Dynamic Protection Area is necessary to protect federal incumbent operations in the 3550-3650 MHz portion of the band in American Samoa. Letter from Jennifer M. McCarthy, Vice President, Legal Advocacy, Federated Wireless, Inc., to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, FCC, GN Docket No. 15-319 (filed Mar. 24, 2020) (Supplement). Federated Wireless maintains that a “[g]rant of this request will enable access to valuable CBRS spectrum at the earliest opportunity, to the benefit of businesses and consumers in American Samoa.” Id. Federated Wireless further states that it will comply with all obligations set forth in the SAS Certification Public Notice and the Part 96 rules. Id. 4. WTB/OET, in consultation with the Department of Defense (DoD) and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), reviewed the information contained in Federated Wireless’s Notification, Supplement, SAS proposal, and supplemental filings in GN Docket No. 15-319. Based on that review, we approve Federated Wireless for commercial operation in the 3650-3700 MHz band in American Samoa for a five-year term subject to ongoing compliance with the Commission’s rules and instructions, as described in the SAS Certification Public Notice. SAS Certification Public Notice, 35 FCC Rcd at 118-120, para. 5. Our action today is taken without prejudice to Federated Wireless’s pending request to serve the remainder of the 3.5 GHz band, i.e., 3550-3650 MHz, in American Samoa. By the Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, and the Acting Chief, Office of Engineering and Technology. -FCC- 2