On August 17, Japan Communications Inc. (JCI) requested a Special Temporary Authority (STA) from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to commence trials of Citizen's Band Radio Service (CBRS) base station equipment and terminal devices in preparation for commercial service. Receipt of JCI's application was confirmed on August 22.
US Market interest in CBRS spectrum is extremely high as shown by the list of major US corporations that are currently engaged in trials. JCI's application joins applications from companies including Google, Comcast, Microsoft, Intel, Boeing and AT&T. JCI will conduct trials at four locations in the State of Colorado and will test both indoor and outdoor applications for the technology. JCI is concurrently preparing a commercial trial with its one of the major US customers as soon as this band is opened for service.
With the final decision on CBRS rules expected shortly, it is clear CBRS is the boldest approach to opening broad participation in LTE in the world today. Under CBRS, a total of 150MHz of spectrum from 3,550MHz-3,700MHz will be opened for three license categories - General Access, Priority Access and Incumbent Access. Spectrum usage will be managed dynamically at the base station via database services called Spectrum Allocation Services. General access providers will be able to use any open spectrum across the full 150MHz band. For priority access, seven licenses of 10MHz each will be issued.
JCI has just recently concluded “open-air” testing in Ireland, courtesy of a test license granted by the Irish Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) for both the Japanese uLTE spectrum as well as 20 MHz of CBRS band. It appears that JCI is the sole Global player, to our knowledge, seeking to provide a trans continental service with end-to-end secure global network. To reinforce this strategy, JCI tests used a common terminal device and base station and terminal hardware/software (EPC) platform.
New access structures such as u-LTE and CBRS will fundamentally change the nature of mobile telecommunications globally by breaking the carrier's monopoly on mobile network build-out. This will create new opportunity for the new MVNO industry growing in Japan to provide innovative wireless solutions to support Japan’s leadership in the IoT market.
About Japan Communications Inc.
Japan Communications Inc. (JCI) was established on May 24, 1996 as the company to fulfill the objective of the Ministry of Communications and Internal Affairs (MIC) that next-generation Internet, driven by mobile communications, should form the foundation of Japan’s future economic growth. JCI’s business model later became to be called MVNO. In March 2009, JCI achieved interconnection with NTT docomo under MIC’s policies to liberalize the mobile market. This interconnection meant that consumers could purchase mobile connectivity (SIMs) from sources other than the mobile carriers for the first time and led to the creation of the “kakuyasu SIM” market. Now it is time for companies from all industries, not just cellular companies, to embed mobile connectivity in to their devices. As the MVNO pioneer and the world’s first mobile solutions enabler, we are using our strong technological vision and know-how in implementation to build the next generation platforms required to support the next phase of global economic growth, which will originate in Japan. Offices are located in Tokyo, Japan, Denver (Colorado) and Ponte Vedra (Florida) in the United States, and Dublin, Ireland. JCI is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. (Securities Code: 9424). As JCI's Corporate governance policy, outside directors comprise the majority of the Board of Director and all outside directors are independent directors.
