Operating out of General Access

We got a couple AP’s that operating outside the General Access and it gives us the “listen before talk” in the radio configs. How and why are these operating on those frequencies? What is the benefit of doing things correctly and loading into the SAS. I keep asking my buddy who has more knowledge than I do as to why were doing this but I can’t get a straight answer.

If you’re seeing listen before talk messages aka LBT messages, it means that your AP’s region is set to North America/United States, and are still operating under the old part 90 rules. At this point nearly all NN/part 90 licenses have expired and these AP’s should have been transitioned over to CBRS back in the spring of 2020. By continuing to operate in this state you may be in violation of FCC rules.

So sit back and wait to get fined I assume. I keep trying to explain this but no one listens.

With the old NN/part 90 rules, there was really no moderation by the FCC and it would have been pretty difficult to get in trouble. With the new CBRS rules, and more frequent use by large cel carriers and priority access license aka PAL users, there’s a much higher likelihood of the FCC taking action if someone reports you.

I appreciate the info. The Pals are accounted for but no one is operating so idk…

The last NN licence doesn’t expire until 02/19/2026

There are very few of those licenses left and there are strict requirements for using them:

“7. Grandfathered Wireless Broadband Licensees. As a Cambium customer, if you already have a 3650-3700 MHz license issued under the FCC’s existing Part 90, subpart Z rules, you will be afforded limited interference protection in certain circumstances. For any fixed and base station that you registered with the license in the FCC’s Universal Licensing System on or before April 17, 2015, so long as those registrations are constructed, in service and fully compliant with the FCC’s Part 90 subpart Z rules by April 17, 2016, they will be afforded protection from CBRS transmissions (a “Grandfathered Wireless Protection Zone”). The protection will be based on criteria that the FCC will adopt after seeking public comment, and the operator will be required to register their frequency usage with approved SAS administrators. Depending on the circumstances, this protection will last until the license expires or until April 17, 2020. Separately, existing licensees as of April 17, 2015 may add new portable or mobile stations and/or add new subscriber units that operate at certain power limits provided that they can positively receive and decode an enabling signal from a base station. Additionally, after April 17, 2015, licensees may register new sites and continue to expand their network and will be afforded protection from harmful interference by CBRS within the licensee’s Grandfathered Wireless Protection Zone for fixed, base, mobile and portable stations. Sites registered outside of these zones will not be entitled to such interference protection. Once the new rules are adopted, commercial terrestrial wireless operations will continue to be allowed provided that they comply with the General Authorized Access (GAA) rules.”

Cambium has an excellent transition FAQ that you can check out HERE.

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