An interview with Richard Bernhardt, Vice President, Spectrum and Industry, WISPA, on how CBRS is reshaping the wireless internet landscape
Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) has significantly transformed the competitive landscape for fixed wireless providers, particularly for Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs). In this exclusive interview, Richard Bernhardt shares insights on CBRS’s impact, technical challenges, and its role in bridging the digital divide.
The Rise of Fixed Wireless Access
Q: How has Fixed Wireless Access evolved as a broadband solution?
Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) has emerged as a crucial technology in the broadband landscape, particularly for reaching areas where traditional fiber or cable infrastructure is impractical or cost-prohibitive. “Fixed wireless providers, especially WISPs, have been pioneers in bringing broadband to underserved communities,” Bernhardt explains. “What started as a niche solution has evolved into a mainstream technology capable of delivering fiber-like speeds.”
The evolution of FWA has been marked by continuous technological advancement. From its early days using unlicensed spectrum to today’s sophisticated multi-band solutions, FWA providers have consistently pushed the boundaries of what’s possible with wireless technology. This evolution has been particularly important for smaller providers who need cost-effective ways to serve their communities.
“One of the most significant changes we’ve seen is in the quality and reliability of service that FWA can provide,” notes Bernhardt. “The old perception that wireless means unreliable or lower quality simply doesn’t hold true anymore. Modern FWA networks can deliver performance that rivals fiber in many cases.”
Bernhardt was asked how he sees CBRS coexisting with emerging technologies like millimeter wave. He sees complementary roles for different technologies. While millimeter wave offers higher data throughput, it requires stricter line-of-sight conditions and can be affected by environmental factors. The future likely lies in carrier aggregation, where multiple technologies work together to provide greater network efficiency.
The CBRS Revolution
Q: How has the introduction of CBRS changed the competitive landscape for fixed wireless providers, particularly for smaller WISPs?
“CBRS has been a long time coming and has changed the landscape quite significantly,” Bernhardt explains. “It offers many of the benefits of licensed spectrum in a quasi-unlicensed environment, through both Generally Authorized Access (GAA) and Priority Access License (PAL) options.”
One of the most significant changes came through Auction 105 (the 2020 FCC auction of the CBRS 3.5 GHz band), where smaller providers could participate in spectrum auctions – something previously dominated by large companies. “These were county-based licenses as opposed to Partial Economic Areas (PEAs), which could be the size of states,” Bernhardt notes. “This allowed smaller and medium-sized operators to participate, which was very different than before.”
CBRS 2.0: A Game-Changing Update
Q: How has the arrival of CBRS 2.0 impacted the WISP industry?
The impact has been substantial, thanks to collaboration with NTIA and the Navy. “They eased up on the protection areas, reducing uncertainty in the band,” Bernhardt explains. “As FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel noted, this opened up access for up to 72 million additional Americans.”
Key improvements include:
- Higher certainty of operation for devices under 6 meters height above ground in DPA zones
- Extended heartbeat response times from 5 minutes to up to 24 hours
- Improved propagation modeling analysis
- Better network reliability during SAS downtimes
Adoption and Technical Challenges
According to recent data, there are now over 400,000 CBRS devices deployed across the United States. While specific adoption rates are challenging to quantify, the growth has been substantial.
Q: What technical challenges do providers face when deploying CBRS-based fixed wireless networks?
The primary challenge is that “there’s a learning curve about what it means to be in a shared band,” said Bernhardt. “Unless they’d worked in TV white space, they probably hadn’t had any experience with a shared band,” Bernhardt noted. Operators must learn:
- How to request spectrum grants
- Understanding frequency availability
- Managing competition with PAL holders when operating in GAA
- Navigating the priority hierarchy between incumbents, PALs, and GAA users
Social Impact and the Digital Divide
WISPs have historically played a crucial role in serving underserved communities. “WISPs have always been out there for the little guy,” Bernhardt emphasizes. “They go where no one else will go.”
Many WISPs actually begin as community initiatives rather than traditional businesses. “Many WISPs get their start not so much because they want to create a business, but because there’s a need for internet service where they live,” explains Bernhardt. “Someone will start something with their next-door neighbor, and before long, they have hundreds of people participating.”
Funding Initiatives and Industry Impact
The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, represents a significant opportunity for broadband deployment. However, Bernhardt notes some concerns about the program’s initial preference for fiber deployments over wireless solutions.
“Wireless can be just as reliable as fiber, and it can provide just as good throughput in many cases,” Bernhardt argues. “We have to get over the stigma that just because it isn’t in a wire or cable or fiber, that it’s not good and reliable.”
CBRS vs. Wi-Fi: Complementary Technologies
One common question is how CBRS differs from Wi-Fi. Rather than competing technologies, Bernhardt sees them as complementary solutions. “You can use CBRS to bring the signal into a building and then circulate by Wi-Fi inside the building,” he explains. This flexibility allows for more diverse deployment options than were previously available.
Private Networks and Disaster Recovery
CBRS has opened new possibilities for private networks, allowing organizations to create isolated, secure, and customizable networks. Additionally, its wireless nature makes it particularly valuable for disaster recovery scenarios.
“When there is a disaster, it can be brought back up very quickly,” Bernhardt notes, citing recent examples from Puerto Rico. “With wireless systems, including CBRS, they’re able to put up temporary towers and be back up and running rapidly. Try and do that with fiber – it can take a very long time and be very costly.”
Looking Ahead: The Evolution of Fixed Wireless Access
As the telecommunications landscape continues to evolve, Fixed Wireless Access is emerging as a cornerstone of modern connectivity solutions, with CBRS playing a pivotal role in its transformation. The technology stack for FWA providers has expanded dramatically – from traditional unlicensed spectrum to sophisticated options like CBRS and millimeter wave, each bringing unique advantages.
CBRS, in particular, represents a new chapter in FWA’s evolution, flattening access to high-quality spectrum while pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in wireless connectivity. Its success in enabling smaller providers to compete effectively and serve underserved communities demonstrates how technological innovation can drive meaningful social impact.
The future of FWA looks increasingly dynamic, with providers leveraging multiple technologies to create robust, resilient networks. As carrier aggregation becomes more sophisticated and new spectrum options emerge, FWA providers will be able to offer increasingly competitive services. The success of CBRS 2.0 and growing adoption rates suggest that this hybrid approach – combining different wireless technologies and spectrum options – will define the next generation of broadband service delivery, especially in areas where traditional fiber deployment faces physical or economic challenges.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length while maintaining the substance of the conversation.
