NTIA Report
Although Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) devices with Priority Access Licenses grew 17 percent per quarter in the last 21 months, four out of five active grants were General Authorized Access (GAA), according to analysis performed by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
The NTIA’s Institute for Telecommunication Sciences obtained operational data from the Spectrum Access Services administrators on a quarterly basis to quantify progress towards meeting goals. This report provides a presentation and analysis of the data acquired for the period from April 1, 2021, to January 1, 2023. Read more on reaction to the report below in today’s edition.
The total deployments in the CBRS band (3550–3700 MHz) grew 121 percent during the analysis period up to 128,351 active Citizens Broadband Radio Service Devices (CBSDs) covering a population of 232.3 million. More than 70 percent of all active CBSDs were deployed in rural census blocks on January 1, 2023.
The CBRS was authorized for shared commercial use in the U.S. in 2015 by the FCC through the joint effort with the Department of Defense, and the NTIA. In 2017, the FCC completed the rules for commercial use, which created Dynamic Protection Areas where commercial entrants could dynamically share the spectrum with protected incumbents, which include U.S. Navy radar and aircraft communications. Dynamic sharing is enabled by automated Spectrum Access Systems, which manage the operation of commercial entrants to protect incumbent users.
“The goals of CBRS were to facilitate growth in wireless broadband devices, provide cost-effective wireless broadband access for rural communities, enhance economic competitiveness by creating new jobs and new businesses, increase productivity, spur innovation, and improve public safety,” the NTIA wrote.
