The global wireless industry saw “continued strong wireless cellular expansion” in Q2, with growth in the IoT powering the trend, 5G Americas said Tuesday. Global IoT subscriptions stand at 3.4 billion, with 6.7 billion smartphone subscriptions, the group said, based in part on data from Omdia. Global forecasts suggest IoT subscriptions will reach 5.2 billion by 2029, with smartphone subscriptions at 8.2 billion, 5G Americas said. “The market is realizing 5G networks are more than just smartphones,” noted Viet Nguyen, the group's vice president-PR and technology: “Enterprise and business cases are emerging that showcase 5G’s versatility across a range of uses, utilizing [IoT]-connected devices like sensors, cameras, and many more solutions in both public and private 5G networks.”

The 7/8 GHz band will be a key band for 6G in the U.S., Veena Rawat, senior spectrum adviser to GSMA, predicted at the 6G Symposium on Tuesday (see 2409240032). An examination of additional bands for international mobile telecommunications was approved as an agenda item for the World Radiocommunication Conference in 2027, and 7/8 GHz is on the list, noted Rawat, who chaired the WRC in 2003. The reason for that agenda item is "the need for additional spectrum for 6G has been established,” she said. The 7/8 GHz band is “complex,” with government users, fixed satellites, meteorological satellites and other users. “Fixed you can work with,” she said, adding U.S. government users include DOD, NOAA and the FAA. Studies of 7/8 GHz are underway ahead of the WRC, Rawat said. “You need to know what your newcomer is, what are the characteristics of [the user], what are the parameters.” She added, “That’s the discussion we are having right now.” The studies will focus on protection of incumbents, not 6G, and the conditions under which the band can be shared, she said. Another band ITU is considering, with less promise, is 14.8-15.35 GHz, she said. “It’s good to discuss 14 GHz … but it’s kind of upper mid-band.” Rawat noted that the 600 MHz is being used for 5G worldwide, though not in the Americas, except in Mexico and Brazil. 7/8 GHz is among the bands the national spectrum strategy is studying and has been a top focus of carriers (see 2403120056). However you look at it, 7-24 GHz is “busy” in the U.S., said Tommaso Melodia, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Northeastern University. There is fixed wireless and fixed satellite, radiolocation services, radio astronomy and earth-exploration satellites use “and some of these services have pretty strict interference requirements,” he said. Open radio access networks and the ability to “observe” the network and use algorithmic controls will "potentially be an enabler for spectrum sharing.” ORAN can also enable sharing of information “between different systems, between even different technologies” and use increased data “to make decisions.”

The FCC’s Broadband Data Task Force will host a webinar on Oct. 24, 3 p.m. EDT, to provide guidance about how to challenge the mobile coverage data reflected in the national broadband map. “Challenges submitted by consumers and other stakeholders play an important role in the FCC’s ongoing effort to provide accurate and precise information regarding mobile service availability across the country,” said a Tuesday notice. The FCC will also host several virtual office hours sessions later this fall to answer questions about the challenge process and on submitting bulk mobile challenges, the FCC said.

CTIA asked on Tuesday for an additional 10 days to finalize an application to serve as a cybersecurity labeling administrator (CLA) under the FCC’s voluntary cyber-trust mark program (see 2409100052). Applications are due Oct. 1. “Given the number and complexity of demonstrations, commitments, and certifications that the Bureau asks applicants to make, it will be a significant challenge to prepare a comprehensive and complete application in the 20 days allotted by the Public Notice,” said a filing in docket 23-239. The notice “acknowledges this reality” and notes that “applicants requiring additional time may … request an extension of time for up to 10 additional calendar days to complete their applications,” CTIA said.

T-Mobile said on Tuesday Ookla rated its Metro offering as the nation’s fastest prepaid provider. “With median download speeds at 217 Mbps, everything from mobile gaming, downloading 4K content, video calls and so much more are going to be faster than ever,” T-Mobile said.

Citing solid financial results, Goldman Sachs rated the three major U.S. wireless carriers as "buys" and picked AT&T as its top choice. "We believe investors are bullish on [AT&T] given solid commentary throughout the quarter with no apparent shift in management tone,” Goldman Sachs said Monday: “We think expectations are modestly elevated given the constructive wireless backdrop, offset by likely lower consumer broadband expectations given the union strike impact.”

The FCC should complete its review of T-Mobile’s proposed buy of UScellular within the commission’s informal 180-day shot clock and finalize a decision on the deal (see 2409160029), Free State Foundation Director-Policy Studies Seth Cooper blogged Monday. “Delays in merger reviews can accelerate subscriber losses in small providers and have other harmful impacts,” he said. If approved, the deal would likely "produce pro-competitive results,” Cooper wrote: “On its face, the proposed combination does not appear to pose any significant competitive harm.”

CTIA filed at the FCC results of its recent annual survey, which showed rapid wireless industry growth. “In 2023, wireless data traffic reached an extraordinary 100.1 trillion megabytes, marking the biggest year-over-year increase in history and nearly double the data used just a few years ago,” said a filing posted Monday in docket 24-119. As of the end of last year, “nearly 40% of wireless connections are 5G, and more than 330 million Americans are covered by one or more 5G networks,” CTIA said: 5G networks provide “a platform for other services and industries, including competitive and affordable 5G home broadband, which accounted for 95% of all new fixed broadband subscriptions over the past two years, underscoring 5G’s role in helping to close the digital divide and expand consumer choice.”

Top executives at Anterix spoke with aides to FCC Commissioner Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on the broad support they see for a proposed rulemaking authorizing 5/5 MHz broadband deployments in the 900 MHz band (see 2405210041). In 2020, the FCC authorized 3/3 MHz broadband in the spectrum (see 2005130057). “The FCC decision to create a 900 MHz broadband segment has already enabled utilities across the nation, including rural areas, to design, deploy, and operate private broadband networks tailored to their highly demanding specifications,” said a filing posted Monday in docket 24-99. “These networks are supported by an ecosystem of more than a hundred equipment vendors and other suppliers, an ecosystem launched in response to the FCC’s action and essential for addressing the nation’s need for a reliable, efficient, secure electric grid," Anterix said.

Led by the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition, four public interest groups filed a petition at the FCC asking for changes in a July order that lets schools and libraries use E-rate support for off-premises Wi-Fi hot spots and wireless internet services (see 2407180024). The petition reflects several changes SHLB sought before the order was approved 3-2 (see 2407170035). “The Commission should allow E-Rate funding to support cost-effective options that are functionally equivalent to commercially available mobile wireless services and Wi-Fi hotspots within the established pre-discount budget,” said the petition, posted Friday in docket 21-31: “E-Rate support should also be available for the purchase of hotspots on a standalone basis if an applicant already has access to the service needed to use the hotspots, and for wireless service that could be used with an applicant’s existing non-hotspot Wi-Fi-enabled equipment.” Also signing the petition were the Open Technology Institute at New America, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society and the Consortium for School Networking. Maurine and Matthew Molak filed a legal challenge to the order in the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The FCC told the court the case isn’t ripe for review since the agency hasn’t addressed petitions for reconsideration and the order isn’t final (see 2409130063). Commissioner Brendan Carr has questioned whether the order would survive a legal challenge.