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Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration Highlighted in Report to the FCC by the Wireless Innovation Forum
[September 20, 2018]

Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration Highlighted in Report to the FCC by the Wireless Innovation Forum


The Wireless Innovation Forum (WInnForum) Spectrum (News - Alert) Sharing Committee highlighted the group's unique industry collaboration approach used to achieve the initial ten Baseline Standards for CBRS band in a report submitted to the FCC (News - Alert) recently pursuant to the Public Notice for Comments on the Spectrum Pipeline Act of 2015 (https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-18-841A1.pdf).

As summarized in the report, in 2014, the WInnForum created a Spectrum Sharing Committee focused on implementing the U.S. Federal Communications Commission's regulations for three-tiered spectrum sharing in the 3550-3700 MHz band known as Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS).The Committee currently has broad participation from 63 organizational stakeholders including wireless operators, Spectrum Access System developers, equipment manufacturers, satellite operators, Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs), utilities, the U.S. government, and others.

"The members of the WInnForum again commend the FCC on the multi-stakeholder process they adopted for this proceeding," said Claude Belisle of NordiaSoft and President of the WInnForum. "The WInnForum believes this process has been very successful in supporting the 2015 rule changes, as evidenced through achievements in four key areas: stakeholder participation, standards development, certifications, and support for the evolution of technical regulations."

Participation in the multi-stakeholder process has included some 6 organizations and 336 participants. In February 2018 WInnForum announced the completion of the ten standards comprising the baseline specifications for commercial operations within the CBRS band. This watershed event has led to the finalization of CBRS products already in various levels of testing and set the stage for the rollout of commercial CBRS networks. Stakeholder organizations have invested more than 1,345 hours in standards development meetings. This accounts for more than 30,000 person-hours.



To support the CBRS ecosystem, WInnForum also established policies for registering air interfaces and measurement types to be used in CBRS. Per the WInnForum filing: "The members of the WInnForum believe the multi-stakeholder process encouraged by the Commission relating to standards for the multi-tiered use of frequencies between 3550 and 3650 MHz has been of high value for both government and industry organizations in developing the standardization framework necessary to support the introduction of new, shared-spectrum services. The WInnForum has a long history of establishing and leading successful multi-stakeholder groups composed of commercial and defense equipment vendors, database providers, network operators, academia and government agencies. Accordingly, WInnForum has been able to ensure full participation among all participants and establish a broad and inclusive framework for collaboration leading to the availability of the CBRS Standards."

The Ten Baseline Standards and more information about the Forum's CBRS activity can be seen at: https://cbrs.wirelessinnovation.org.


About the Wireless Innovation (News - Alert) Forum

Established in 1996, The Wireless Innovation Forum (SDR Forum Version 2.0) is a non-profit mutual benefit corporation dedicated to advocating for spectrum innovation, and advancing radio technologies that support essential or critical communications worldwide. Members bring a broad base of experience in Software Defined Radio (SDR), Cognitive Radio (CR) and Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) technologies in diverse markets and at all levels of the wireless value chain to address emerging wireless communications requirements. To learn more about The Wireless Innovation Forum, its meetings and membership benefits, visit www.WirelessInnovation.org. Forum projects are supported by platinum sponsors Motorola Solutions, Leonardo and Thales.


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