Dish disappointed by FCC spectrum proposal

Dish Network has responded to reports that the FCC may limit the use of its AWS-4 spectrum, which it plans to use for a mobile network. The company said reports suggest the FCC has circulated a proposed order on the 40 MHz of spectrum that introduces "serious limitations that impair its utility". While the FCC would grant full terrestrial rights for use of the spectrum, the proposal to lower power and emissions levels "could cripple our ability to enter the business", Dish said. 

As the order is not final until cleared by the entire commission, Dish urged the FCC to recognize the public interest of Dish rolling out a new network and broadband services. It said it would work with the FCC to maximize the use of the frequencies. 

The company pointed to opposition from Sprint as influencing the FCC's proposal. This would make Dish "disable 25 percent of its uplink spectrum and impair another 25 percent of that spectrum to accommodate possible future use of neighboring H Block spectrum by Sprint", Dish said. Sprint does not use the spectrum at the moment, and the FCC does not license H block spectrum. If the FCC does go ahead with its proposal, additional rules by the 3GPP and FCC would be needed to authorise use of the H block for mobile services and regulate interference with neighbouring frequencies, further delaying Dish's project, the company said.