FCC staff has announced the two-stage review process for 3.5 GHz Environmental Sensing Capability (ESC) operators to complete before receiving final FCC certification and approval. The first wave of ESC operators completed the first stage of the review process on February 21, 2018 when FCC staff conditionally approved first wave ESC operator proposals. Now these ESC operators must deploy approved sensors covering Dynamic Protection Areas (DPAs) and secure approval of their coverage plan before deploying as a certified ESC. DPAs are pre-defined protection areas that extend beyond the coastline or enclose a protected terrestrial radar facility to protect Department of Defense (DoD) radar systems. ESC Sensor Registrations may be submitted at any time starting October 16, 2018. FCC staff, in close coordination with NTIA and the Department of Defense, will review and approve ESC Sensor Registrations on a rolling basis.
