
Citizens' Broadband Radio Service
Mobile network operators, cable network operators, fixed wireless providers, neutral host providers and even private companies are all expected to be buyers of CBRS small cells, depending on how the spectrum auctions play out.
There are several major areas on which the Federal Communications Commission is asking for comment:
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Geographic size of the Priority Access License (PAL) leases
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Term length of the PALs
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Renewability of the PALs.
Whatever the FCC decides on these above issues will not only affect the potential auction prices, but may also impact (to a greater or lesser extent) what types of entities (carriers, private businesses, school districts, etc.) are able to enter the auction and have a hope of winning licenses.
The latest CBRS market study from iGR Research provides an explanation of how the CBRS licensing scheme works and how the technical elements of the new band work. In addition, iGR provides a forecast from 2017 to 2022 of the total number of CBRS nodes expected to be deployed in the U.S. The forecasted number of nodes is categorized by Outdoor WISP, Outdoor nonWISP, Inside Commercial, and Inside Residential.