The fixed broadband wireless industry got a surprise when the FCC added mobility support to its spectrum allocation ruling for its 2.5 to 2.7 GHz ITFS/MMDS bandwidth. Whether the industry uses the gift is still in question.

Most had expected the FCC to protect instructional television fixed service (ITFS) and multichannel multipoint distribution service (MMDS) spectrum from 3G cellular providers. But “flexible use” support for mobile services came “almost out of the blue,” said John Schwartz, president of the Instructional Telecommunications Foundation and a representative of The National ITFS Association.

It left the industry wondering anew where its future lies: with fixed, portable or mobile services.

“We do have an evolution to make now, but it's not going to be based on a government eviction from the frequency,” Schwartz said.

3G providers could buy spectrum from existing bandwidth license holders, or existing providers could migrate to more mobile approaches.

“It gives you some new service possibilities, especially with portability,” agreed Leo Cyr, president and chief operating officer of Clearwire Technologies, which serves ITFS licensees.

But the spectrum is not optimal for mobility, warned Paul Struhsaker, chief technology officer of Raze Technologies, a vendor that is promoting voice and data services via “portable” fixed wireless technologies.

The ITFS/MMDS spectrum is particularly weak when it comes to penetrating trees, buildings and similar obstacles, Struhsaker said. He prefers a “nomadic” mobility approach that feeds data to devices like laptop computers at 2 to 4 Mb/s, but is unsuitable for highly mobile situations such as riding in motor vehicles.

“You're not going to be mobile and looking at data at the same time anyway,” Struhsaker said.

Some will try, though. NextNet Wireless has demonstrated technology through which users receive high-speed data in moving cars.

“This ruling really plays into our hands,” said Charles Riggle, NextNet's vice president of marketing and business development. “We're uniquely positioned to take advantage.”

The rulemaking also could change the way existing fixed-wireless deployments proceed. Sprint and WorldCom, the largest MMDS spectrum shareholders, praised the FCC but wouldn't expand on how flexible use might affect their plans. Sprint has said that it is committed to using MMDS for high-speed data services and that it already has enough spectrum elsewhere for 3G services. WorldCom said it would continue to expand from five to 13 markets this year.

Peter Jarich, director of Global Broadband Research for The Strategis Group, begged to differ. “It doesn't look like they're committed to fixed.” In fact, Jarich said, “everyone wonders if they're [both] going to stick with their MMDS fixed wireless plans or move to deploy 3G.”

Last year was “a tremendous struggle and difficulty,” added Andrew Kreig, president of the Wireless Communications Association. “A lot of companies have been very seriously hurt and may not make it through.”

If they do, it might be with more “flexible” business plans.