FCC Opens 2 GHz Sat Spectrum for Terrestrial Use

By Doug Lung
published

The FCC announced the adoption of the AWS-4 Order and H Block NPRM but the actual Order was released with it, so details are limited. The FCC announcement said this would free up 40 MHz of underutilized satellite spectrum for land-based mobile broadband. This spectrum includes portions of the 2 GHz band--1990-2025 MHz--that was originally allocated for broadcast auxiliary services, primarily live news. Dish Networks holds licenses for the 2 GHz mobile satellite service spectrum, and it appears this Order will allow them to use 30 MHz of this spectrum for terrestrial wireless.

The 5 MHz of 2 GHz spectrum at 2020-2025 MHz, immediately adjacent to the current 2 GHz ENG band, the “J-Block” described in the FCC's 2 GHz AWS/MSS NPRM and Notice of Inquiry (FCC 12-32) wasn't mentioned in Tuesday's FCC News Release.

Doug Lung
Doug Lung

Doug Lung is one of America's foremost authorities on broadcast RF technology. As vice president of Broadcast Technology for NBCUniversal Local, H. Douglas Lung leads NBC and Telemundo-owned stations’ RF and transmission affairs, including microwave, radars, satellite uplinks, and FCC technical filings. Beginning his career in 1976 at KSCI in Los Angeles, Lung has nearly 50 years of experience in broadcast television engineering. Beginning in 1985, he led the engineering department for what was to become the Telemundo network and station group, assisting in the design, construction and installation of the company’s broadcast and cable facilities. Other projects include work on the launch of Hawaii’s first UHF TV station, the rollout and testing of the ATSC mobile-handheld standard, and software development related to the incentive auction TV spectrum repack.
A longtime columnist for TV Technology, Doug is also a regular contributor to IEEE Broadcast Technology. He is the recipient of the 2023 NAB Television Engineering Award. He also received a Tech Leadership Award from TV Tech publisher Future plc in 2021 and is a member of the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society and the Society of Broadcast Engineers.