Roadmap to Successful Part 96 Migration for Wireless Internet

Roadmap to Successful Part 96 Migration for Wireless Internet Service Providers 3-Stage Upgrade to Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) Introduction The commercialization of Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) in January 2020 has not only opened up new wireless spectrum for sharing, it has also enabled the rapid innovation and expansion of wireless communication technologies.

CBRS gives Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs) the ability to expand coverage and capacity, enter new markets, and deploy LTE-grade wireless services at price points comparable to Wi-Fi. With CBRS, WISPs ﬁnally have a high-speed, low-cost solution for serving customers in outlying communities and growing revenue through new high-performance wireless services.

To capitalize on these beneﬁts, many WISPs must migrate their operations from the existing Part 90 service (3650-3700 MHz) to CBRS Part 96 (3550-3700 MHz) before the October 2020 deadline, or risk losing access to the spectrum altogether.

Naval Radars

Tier 1 Incumbents Fixed Satallite Service

WISP

Tier 2

Priority PAL Access Licenses

Tier 3

General GAA Authorized Access

3550 3600 3650 3700

Part 90

Part 96

Figure 1 shows Part 90 channels that were opened up for Part 96 sharing.

Fortunately, migrating to Part 96 is neither as costly, nor as difficult, as other wireless infrastructure upgrades. Due to the low-cost deployment model offered by spectrum sharing, WISPs are able to quickly realize ROI from their infrastructure investments. Meanwhile, CBRS deployment partners like Federated Wireless are available to help WISPs efficiently navigate the migration process and build new competitive advantages faster.

This white paper aims to help you navigate the migration process and give you a clear roadmap to successfully deploying new CBRS services.

Copyright© 2020 Federated Wireless 1 The Business Case for Part 96 Migration The American Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) industry is projected to serve up to eight million subscribers in 2021. This necessitates upgrades in terms of operations (the type of spectrum deployed) and solutions (high-speed Internet coverage for use cases like video surveillance and energy management).

We have condensed the current situation for WISPs—and the advantages you can reap by migrating to CBRS—into the ﬁgure below.

Current Situation Among WISPs Ideal Situation Among WISPs

Operations Operations • Part 90 • Part 96 • Narrow band (50 MHz) • Broader band (150 MHz) • Congested airwaves • Seamless data traffic offloading

Problems with Part 90 Migrating Problems with Part 90 from Part 90 • Unable to withstand COVID-19 to Part 96 • Easily handle sudden connectivity connectivity surges demands • Digital divide between rural and • Cost-effectively serve urban areas unconnected rural areas using higher transmit power limits • Customers are left unsatisﬁed with poor wireless service • Improve performance, customer satisfaction, retention, and • Increased competition from new Average Revenue Per Unit (ARPU) entrants and bundled services using up to 3x the current available bandwidth • Strengthen competitive differentiation and expand service offerings

Figure 2 shows that migrating to Part 96 within the stipulated deadline grants positive short-term and long-term impacts. The Technical Considerations for Part 96 Migration From a network architecture perspective, not very much is different between Part 90 operations and CBRS operations. CPEs (customer premise equipment) are still deployed on customer premises and provide network access through a base station.

General principles of radio frequency (RF) planning and design still apply in CBRS. The same tools you use to model the propagation and pathloss of your Part 90 sites apply to CBRS. Therefore, it does not require new tools to plan your CBRS equipment.

The differences between Part 90 and CBRS operations lie in the infrastructure required to share spectrum. Spectrum must be obtained using a Spectrum Access System (SAS). A SAS is designed to conform to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Part 96 rules, and compliance to the rules and associated standards is certiﬁed by the FCC as well. The SAS is a cloud-based service accessible via a URL from any endpoint that has access to the Internet.

1 The Carmel Group. (2017). Ready for Takeoff: The BWA Industry Report 2017. Carmel: The Carmel Group. Retrieved from https://www.carmelgroup.com/: https://carmelgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/TCG_2017_BWA_Full_Report.pdf

Copyright© 2020 Federated Wireless 2 Part 96 Migration Made Easy Given its many beneﬁts, migrating to CBRS is an easy decision for most WISPs. Yet, it comes at a time when WISPs face the additional challenges raised by Covid-19, along with tight budgets and a short transition period.

At Federated Wireless, our goal is to help WISPs like you capitalize on new shared spectrum opportunities as easily as possible. We have formulated a 3-stage roadmap and a high-level checklist to help you mitigate migration issues and effortlessly navigate the upgrade process.

The roadmap is separated into three stages (Pre-Migration, Migration, and Post-Migration), and each stage is supported by important components that must be addressed for a smooth transition.

Stage 1: Pre-Migration Check License Status Check when your Part 90 license expires at https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/systems-utilities/universal-licensing-system. Also check when your protection of Part 90 equipment ends. For most, protection of Grandfathered Wireless Broadband Licensee (GWBL) Operations based on the FCC Part 90 rules will expire in October 2020.

This rule will apply if you are a GWBL and your Part 90 license was issued after January 8, 2013 or is set to expire in or before October 2020. On the other hand, if your Part 90 license was issued before January 8, 2013, protection of your equipment from harmful Citizens Broadband Radio Service Devices (CBSDs) interference will end when your license ends.

If you have not registered your operations with the Universal Licensing System (ULS), you cannot register them now to automatically get GWBL rights.

Test Equipment Once you’ve selected a CBRS radio vendor, test and certify all your equipment against factors like the ability to connect to a SAS, power limitations, RF operating range, and out-of-band emissions to ensure that they comply with Part 96 rules. Understand your equipment manufacturer’s current and future support of CBRS. In some cases, a software update of your current equipment will allow you to migrate to CBRS.

Look for a migration solution partner that performs interoperability testing and certiﬁcation with base station/access point/eNodeB and CPE vendors. We have over 40 radio partners who are pre-integrated with our SAS. You can see the full partner list at federatedwireless.com/partners/.

Understand Technical Landscape Part 96 migration will be smoother with a thorough understanding of its rules and regulations. Check out resources for CBRS from WInnForum standards page and CBRS Alliance websites. This will enable you to create the technical landscape most suitable for your operations.

Our CTO and Operations teams at Federated Wireless are experienced at navigating the migration process and have resources available to help. We also have a support portal and active community available with answers to questions at myfederated.federatedwireless.com.

Get Certiﬁed Professional Installer (CPI) Training Training ensures that your team is ready to design, deliver, and manage your organization’s CBRS network. Good migration solution partners provide training for important aspects of CBRS like architecture, regulatory compliance, and CPI requirements.

The certification process is important as it ensures the integrity of equipment installation, thereby making an efficient use of the spectrum. We offer CPI training so that your team members can certify your outdoor CBRS radios as required by Part 96 rules. You can find more details at federatedwireless.com/certified-professional-installer/

Copyright© 2020 Federated Wireless 3 Stage 2: Migration Activate SAS Subscription A SAS subscription authorizes your CBRS radios to connect and operate on CBRS spectrum under full compliance with Part 96 rules. While you can choose your SAS provider independently, you can also partner with one through your radio vendors. At Federated Wireless, we charge a competitively priced monthly subscription fee per wireless link for access to CBRS spectrum services. Using that access, register your CBRS radio to your SAS account.

Choose a SAS provider with an active Environment Sensing Capability (ESC) network available to ensure dynamic interference protection from incumbent CBRS users, especially in coastal areas. The Federated Wireless Spectrum Controller combines SAS and ESC functionality in one solution and is available today. We provide an easy sign-up process to subscribe to our SAS myfederated.federatedwireless.com/customerregistration

Map Out Deployment Locations Within your operating location, consider whether one or more Priority Access Licenses (PALs) are required to deliver wireless broadband service to your end users. In many rural areas, General Authorized Access will be sufficient to offer robust service. In more dense areas, you may want to supplement your service with PALs for combined stable operations.

Since CBRS is based on a “use it or share it” principle, every WISP will have enough spectrum to support future deployments.

Create a Service Interruption Contingency Plan Spectrum migration might cause service disruptions (e.g., slow or no connection) to your customers. Create a contingency plan to ensure that your customers have the connectivity they need throughout the migration process.

Federated Wireless can help you set up scripts for your network environment that allow you to smoothly upgrade your network.

Stage 3: Post-Migration Test CBRS Network Elements Examine how migrating to CBRS changes the way you operate in terms of tools and processes. You may need to test and alter existing ﬁrewall and Network Address Translation (NAT) policies for best operations. CBRS equipment and SAS have gone through extensive FCC certiﬁcation trials, so you do not have to conduct more interoperability tests. If you do, focus your testing efforts on systems unique to your environment.

Ensure that all your network monitoring mechanisms are working well, and the Internet connectivity between CPE and the SAS, as well as between your radios and the SAS, is maintained. If you are operating in a coastal area, the SAS is required to suspend operation of speciﬁc channels sometimes to protect naval radar operation. Such interruptions may occur but can be mitigated by requesting grants for other channels in the band in order to continue service.

Federated Wireless operates and monitors your network 24x7. You may want to deploy additional alarm mechanisms to monitor your channels of operation and the status of operation of your radios.

Update Service Plan and Pricing Determine how you will bill and charge customers for CBRS service.

With 100 MHz of additional spectrum available, CBRS allows you to offer higher speeds and innovative services to customers willing to pay a premium over a standard service.

Copyright© 2020 Federated Wireless 4 Part 90 to Part 96 Migration Checklist Keep in mind that each migration process is unique and the order in which you address these items may ultimately vary depending on the speciﬁcs on your deployment.

Stage 1: Pre-Migration Getting your ﬁxed wireless operations ready for migration

Consider getting CPI training for your team so that they can certify that your outdoor CBRS radios comply with Part 96 rules.

Check Part 90 license status at https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/systems-utilities/universal-licensing-system

Test equipment to ensure that it complies with Part 96 rules. If not, replace your equipment.

Understand Part 96 rules before building the technical landscape most suitable for your operations.

Stage 2: Migration Transitioning the bulk of your operations to CBRS

Create a contingency plan that can alleviate the effects of service disruption while you are migrating to Part 96.

Activate your SAS subscription. This will enable your CBRS radios to connect and operate on CBRS spectrum.

Map out deployment locations based on both GAA and PAL; consider supplementing your GAA with PAL in dense environments.

Stage 3: Post-Migration Making sure that your newly migrated operations are functioning well

Test CBRS network elements (e.g. ﬁrewall, NAT policies, monitoring mechanisms) to ensure smooth operations.

Update your ﬁxed wireless solutions based on expanded CBRS capability and determine how you will charge your customers.

Copyright© 2020 Federated Wireless 5 Conclusion Citizens Broadband Radio Service is poised to increase spectral efficiency, support the rapid growth of wireless data, and become the basis for more exciting communication technologies. With the right CBRS solution partner, you and your customers will beneﬁt from a successful Part 96 migration.

At Federated Wireless, we are the partner of choice for all things CBRS. We are an industry pioneer with deep standards knowledge and a robust Spectrum Controller (SAS) platform with an integrated, standards-based ESC sensor network.

About Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) How is CBRS different from other bands? What information about my operation will be shared with the SAS platform? The unique differentiator of CBRS is that 150 MHz of the spectrum is shared among the three-tiered The operations information that the SAS needs to dynamically manage the spectrum include CBSD-ID, users through the SAS and ESC. This spectrum sharing mechanism is expected to be replicated in other antenna characteristics (e.g. height and location), EIRP capability, and potential interference levels. User bands in the future to support rising communication needs. data and other personally identiﬁable information (PII) like customer names will not be collected and shared. What happens when I do not upgrade to CBRS by October 17, 2020? For those who have existing GWBL licenses that expire on October 17, 2020, your use of the 3650-3700 band will no longer be protected. You will ultimately lose access to the spectrum, and your customers will lose access to their Internet services.

Can I extend the migration deadline beyond October 17, 2020? Yes, you can request for a deadline extension from the FCC by specifying the technical obstacles that halted your migration process.

What are the different CBSDs available for CBRS? There are two categories of equipment for CBRS which are Category A CBSDs and Category B CBSDs. The former is lower powered (maximum 1 Watt) that must be installed indoors at or below six-meter Height Above Average Terrain (HAAT). The latter is high powered (maximum 50 Watt), can only be operated outdoors (no height limit), and must be installed by a CPI. In addition, any Category A device that is installed above the height limit and/or unable to geolocate requires CPI.

How is CBRS different from my current network? From a network architecture perspective (e.g. RF planning and design, propagation and pathloss tools, CPEs), not very much is different between Part 90 and CBRS operations. The unique differentiator lies in the infrastructure used to obtain and share spectrum (SAS/ESC).

About the Spectrum Access System (SAS) What is the SAS? It is an automated frequency moderator that dynamically manages spectrum and interference between the three tiers of access:

• Tier 1 : Incumbent users such as the federal government, ﬁxed satellite service (FSS), and GWBLs who are protected until their current licenses expire. Incumbents have the highest priority and receive full protection against interference from Tier 2 and 3 users.

• Tier 2 : Priority Access License (PAL) users are those who have acquired spectrum in a speciﬁc county through auction. They must protect and accept interference from Tier 1 users but receive protection against Tier 3 users.

• Tier 3 : General Authorized Access (GAA) users are licensed-by-rule and have access to the full spectrum when not in use by the users from the ﬁrst two tiers. They must protect Tier 1 and 2 users from interference and accept interference from them.

What is Environmental Sensing Capability (ESC)? It is a sensor network that detects radar activity from the Department of Defense (DoD) and transmits that information to the SAS for dynamic shared spectrum management. Today Federated Wireless provides the only nationwide ESC network, giving full access to 150 MHz of spectrum in most locations.

The Federated Wireless Spectrum Controller (SAS/ESC) is a cloud-based service accessible via a URL from any endpoint that has access to the Internet.

Copyright© 2020 Federated Wireless 7 What information about my operation will be shared with the SAS platform? The operations information that the SAS needs to dynamically manage the spectrum include CBSD-ID, antenna characteristics (e.g. height and location), EIRP capability, and potential interference levels. User data and other personally identiﬁable information (PII) like customer names will not be collected and shared.

About Federated Wireless Who is Federated Wireless? Founded in 2012, Federated Wireless has long led the industry in development of shared spectrum CBRS capabilities. The company took a lead role in the formation of the CBRS Alliance, was the ﬁrst to complete a wide range of trials with its Spectrum Controller, and deployed the industry’s ﬁrst nationwide ESC network.

Why should I choose Federated Wireless over others as my SAS operator? Federated Wireless has an open, neutral approach to CBRS deployments and is committed to making each deployment successful. When you choose Federated Wireless, you will have access to a complete ecosystem of partners, a powerful SAS/ESC platform, and a dedicated 24/7 support portal. Federated Wireless also offers an online training course that can help you become a CPI in accordance with FCC rules.

What is the SAS? It is an automated frequency moderator that dynamically manages spectrum and interference between the three tiers of access:

The Federated Wireless Spectrum Controller (SAS/ESC) is a cloud-based service accessible via a URL from any endpoint that has access to the Internet.