REVIEW 2 major objections 2 minor 41 references
Spectrum Sharing Across Terrestrial and Non-Terrestrial Services in the FR3 Upper Midband
T0 review · 2 major / 2 minor · reviewed 2026-06-27 · grok-4.3
Pith's one-line read Spatial distribution of 6G base stations can control interference levels to satellites in the 7-24 GHz FR3 band.
desk verdict Ray-tracing in a Boston 3D model shows sidelobes and NLoS paths can add noticeably to aggregate RFI toward satellites in FR3, with gNB placement as a controllable factor. read the letter →
The pith
A machine-rendered reading of the paper's core claim, the machinery that carries it, and where it could break.
The reading
What carries the argument
Large-scale 3D ray-tracing simulation that aggregates interference from multiple gNBs toward satellites at varying elevation angles, incorporating obstruction, clutter, diffraction, and reflections.
What would settle it
Field measurements of actual RFI at satellite receivers from gNBs deployed in Boston or a comparable city, taken at multiple elevation angles and compared directly to the ray-tracing predictions.
Extended reading notes
Core claim
Our model, based on realistic obstruction, clutter, diffraction, and reflections, shows that sidelobes and Non-Line-of-Sight (NLoS) paths can significantly contribute to RFI. Besides directionality, the spatial distribution of gNBs also plays a key role in defining the RFI levels, suggesting that a careful design and operation of terrestrial deployments can create coexistence opportunities.
Load-bearing premise
The 3D model of Boston together with the chosen ray-tracing parameters and antenna patterns accurately represent real propagation and aggregate interference toward satellites at varying elevation angles.
Editorial extensions
If this is right
- Sidelobes and NLoS paths can significantly contribute to RFI toward satellites.
- The spatial distribution of gNBs plays a key role in determining aggregate RFI levels.
- Careful design and operation of terrestrial deployments can create coexistence opportunities with satellite incumbents.
Reading between the lines
- Spectrum regulators could incorporate gNB placement guidelines when allocating FR3 spectrum for 6G.
- Similar ray-tracing models might be applied to assess interference with other FR3 incumbents such as radio astronomy or remote sensing.
- Operators could integrate satellite position data into network planning tools to adjust gNB density or orientation for reduced interference.
Editorial analysis
A structured set of objections, weighed in public.
Referee Report
Summary. The paper presents a ray-tracing simulation study of aggregate radio frequency interference (RFI) from tens of terrestrial 6G gNBs toward satellites at varying elevation angles in the FR3 upper midband (7-24 GHz). Using a large-scale 3D model of Boston together with an open-source ray tracer that incorporates obstruction, clutter, diffraction, and reflections, the authors conclude that sidelobes and non-line-of-sight (NLoS) paths contribute meaningfully to RFI levels and that the spatial distribution of gNBs is a key factor, thereby identifying opportunities for coexistence through careful terrestrial deployment design.
Significance. If the modeled propagation and antenna patterns hold, the work supplies concrete, geometry-aware evidence that directionality and NLoS mechanisms matter for FR3 spectrum sharing and that gNB placement can be leveraged to reduce satellite interference. The use of an open-source ray-tracing engine and a city-scale 3D model constitutes a reproducible methodological contribution that could inform both 6G system design and regulatory coexistence studies.
major comments (2)
- [Model description paragraph] Model description (abstract and § on simulation setup): The central claim that sidelobes and NLoS paths “can significantly contribute to RFI” rests on a single forward simulation whose fidelity is not validated against measurements, nor subjected to sensitivity analysis on clutter loss, diffraction coefficients, or reflection parameters. Without such checks, the reported contribution magnitudes cannot be treated as robust.
- [Results on RFI levels] Results section (RFI aggregation): No quantitative description is given of how individual ray paths are summed into aggregate RFI (e.g., coherent vs. incoherent addition, power-control assumptions, or elevation-dependent satellite antenna patterns), nor are confidence intervals or parameter ranges reported. This omission directly affects the claim that spatial distribution “plays a key role.”
minor comments (2)
- [Introduction] The abstract and introduction would benefit from explicit citations to prior urban ray-tracing studies in the 7-24 GHz range to situate the novelty of the Boston model.
- [Figures] Figure captions should state the exact antenna pattern model (e.g., 3GPP TR 38.901) and the number of gNBs used in each scenario.
Simulated Author's Rebuttal
We thank the referee for the constructive feedback on our ray-tracing simulation study of RFI from terrestrial gNBs to satellites in the FR3 band. We address each major comment below and will revise the manuscript accordingly where feasible.
read point-by-point responses
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Referee: [Model description paragraph] Model description (abstract and § on simulation setup): The central claim that sidelobes and NLoS paths “can significantly contribute to RFI” rests on a single forward simulation whose fidelity is not validated against measurements, nor subjected to sensitivity analysis on clutter loss, diffraction coefficients, or reflection parameters. Without such checks, the reported contribution magnitudes cannot be treated as robust.
Authors: We agree that sensitivity analysis would strengthen the robustness of the results. In the revised manuscript we will add a dedicated subsection performing sensitivity analysis on clutter loss, diffraction coefficients, and reflection parameters and will report the resulting variation in aggregate RFI. Regarding measurement validation, this remains a purely simulation-based study that employs an open-source ray tracer with standard propagation models; city-scale FR3 measurements for the Boston geometry are not available to the authors. We will explicitly note this limitation and the reliance on established models in the revised text. revision: partial
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Referee: [Results on RFI levels] Results section (RFI aggregation): No quantitative description is given of how individual ray paths are summed into aggregate RFI (e.g., coherent vs. incoherent addition, power-control assumptions, or elevation-dependent satellite antenna patterns), nor are confidence intervals or parameter ranges reported. This omission directly affects the claim that spatial distribution “plays a key role.”
Authors: We will expand the simulation-setup section to provide a quantitative description of the RFI aggregation procedure, explicitly stating the use of incoherent power summation, the power-control assumptions employed, and the elevation-dependent satellite antenna pattern model. We will also report results across parameter ranges to support the claim that spatial distribution plays a key role. revision: yes
- Direct empirical validation against field measurements for the specific large-scale Boston 3D model at FR3 frequencies is not feasible, as such data do not exist and cannot be collected within the scope of this work.
Circularity Check
No significant circularity
full rationale
The paper is a forward simulation study that applies an open-source ray-tracing engine to an external 3D model of Boston geometry together with stated parameters for obstruction, clutter, diffraction, and reflections. No equations, fitted parameters, or self-citations reduce the reported RFI levels to quantities defined by the same model; the outcomes are generated from independent inputs. This matches the default case of a self-contained simulation against external benchmarks, warranting score 0.
Assumptions & free parameters
Cite this review
Pith. "Pith review of Spectrum Sharing Across Terrestrial and Non-Terrestrial Services in the FR3 Upper Midband." pith.science (2026). https://pith.science/paper/CT2GCCO5
@misc{pith2026260613511,
author = {Pith},
title = {Pith review of: Spectrum Sharing Across Terrestrial and Non-Terrestrial Services in the FR3 Upper Midband},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://pith.science/paper/CT2GCCO5}},
note = {Machine review of arXiv:2606.13511}
}
read the original abstract
The frequency bands between 7 and 24 GHz, also known as upper midband or Frequency Range (FR) 3, are being considered as an enabler of 6th Generation (6G) mobile networks. This portion of the spectrum exhibits different propagation characteristics compared to frequencies above 24 GHz, while also offering the potential to provide larger bandwidth allocations for mobile systems than those available in the sub-6 GHz range. 6G technology and spectrum policy, however, will need to guarantee coexistence with the incumbents that already use these frequency bands, which include a variety of services, from radiolocation to satellite-based communications, remote sensing, and radioastronomy. In this paper, we consider the challenge of coexistence between 6G terrestrial systems and satellite incumbents in different portions of the FR3 bands. Using a large-scale 3D model of a terrestrial deployment in the city of Boston and an open-source ray tracing solution, we evaluate the level of Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) that tens of terrestrial Next Generation Node Bs (gNBs) generate toward satellites at different elevation angles. Our model, based on realistic obstruction, clutter, diffraction, and reflections, shows that sidelobes and Non-Line-of-Sight (NLoS) paths can significantly contribute to RFI. Besides directionality, the spatial distribution of gNBs also plays a key role in defining the RFI levels, suggesting that a careful design and operation of terrestrial deployments can create coexistence opportunities.
Figures
Figures from the paper (2 more)
Reference graph
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