The FCC is working with two academic research centers – New York University’s NYU Wireless in New York University’s Tandon School of Engineering and University of Colorado, Boulder (CU Boulder) to test, debug and provide feedback on a new online portal designed to streamline and speed up research and development regarding emerging next-generation 5G broadband wireless technology. NYU Wireless founding director and NYU professor of electrical engineering Theodore (Ted) Rappaport said the FCC 5G R&D portal was likely the first of its kind in the world and would enable NYU Wireless researchers to carry out R&D at frequencies critical to 5G, as well as far beyond.
NYU Wireless was the first academic research center awarded an FCC experimental 5G R&D license via the FCC’s online 5G wireless R&D portal.
FCC 5G R&D Portal
The FCC 5G R&D portal promises to significantly reduce the administrative burden and time to obtain experimental 5G licenses for research groups across the U.S. Wait time for experimental license decisions is expected to be around 15 days in most cases, which would give researchers more time to focus on the scientific and engineering aspects of 5G R&D.
“We believe massively broadband mobile communications will eventually migrate to both lower and higher frequency ranges, and we are honored that the FCC chose NYU to be one of two academic institutions to test the portal for usability and accuracy to help pave the way for our wireless future,” Rappaport said in a press release.
“The efficiency and transparency of the new FCC experimental program portal will aid institutions like ours — as well as governmental spectrum holders and corporations— to accelerate experimentation of new systems and devices that will eventually become part of our interconnected world.
Rappaport singled out NYU electrical and computer engineering doctoral candidate Yunchiu Xing for praise. Xing worked closely with FCC staff to develop a best testing system for the new 5G licensing portal.
Xing helped the FCC test two websites as part and parcel of the FCC’s new platform: the Office of Engineering and Technology’s Experimental Licensing System and the Experiments Notification System.
Leading wireless carriers in the U.S. and around the world have been stepping up and accelerating efforts to complete a 5G industry standard and build on early stage testing to larger scale field trials and pilot tests.
In a recent interview, Strategy Analytics’ director of service provider analytics Sue Rudd pointed out that leading wireless carriers, including Verizon, are even considering using 5G to deliver high-bandwidth pay-TV service, as well as other fixed 5G applications.
