Wi-Fi Alliance representatives said 6 GHz deployments are going well but urged that the FCC address requests for waiver to permit automatic frequency coordination systems to take building entry loss into account “for a specific type of 'composite’ standard-power device that, by design, is restricted to operate only indoors.” The representatives met with aides to the five commissioners. In March, the Office of Engineering and Technology sought comment on the waiver. The 6 GHz standard-power device “ecosystem,” operating under AFC control, “is rapidly expanding and is already delivering connectivity benefits,” a filing posted Friday in docket 23-107 said. “We emphasized that the relief sought in these requests for waiver would expand the 6 GHz standard-power device capabilities to deliver connectivity benefits without raising the interference potential,” the alliance said.

The Alabama First Responders Wireless Commission (AFRWC) became the latest group opposing a Public Safety Spectrum Alliance push to give FirstNet access to the 4.9 GHz band. “The AFRWC appreciates the PSSA's efforts to preserve the 4.9 GHz band for public safety use but does not support the award of a nationwide license to the FirstNet Authority,” a filing posted Friday in docket 07-100 said. It said Alabama has 28 licenses that the FCC issued for public safety use. “AFRWC understands the Commission's goal for the 4.9 GHz band is to retain local control, use the band more, and preserve its public safety nature.”

The FCC extended through the end of the year an arrangement with NTIA, DOD and the Navy allowing citizens broadband radio service users to operate in the 3550-3650 MHz band in Hawaii before environmental sensing capability sensors are locally deployed. “After that time, federal operations near Hawaii will be protected by certified ESCs,” a Wednesday order said.

CTIA weighed in on the broadband data collection (BDC) process (see 2402200073), seeking tweaks to a proposed order, declaratory ruling and Further NPRM, in calls with staff for all five FCC commissioners. Expand the FNPRM “to encourage more robust stakeholder engagement on the processes and evidence used to restore fixed broadband locations to the map,” CTIA urged in a filing posted Thursday in docket 19-195. The group “encouraged the Commission not to adopt changes to the BDC process that could unnecessarily and disproportionately burden all fixed wireless providers, undermining the goal of technology neutrality.” There is “no basis in the record for imposing additional requirements that target one technology,” CTIA said. While not a focus of the item on circulation, CTIA "has suggested improvements to the mobile challenge process to help prepare for an expected increase in challenges related to the 5G Fund," the filing said.

CTIA reminded the FCC that a July 8 deadline for carriers to implement new rules protecting consumers from SIM swapping and port-out fraud is fast approaching and urged the commission to act on its request for a temporary waiver (see 2401090026). Commissioners approved the rules 5-0 in November (see 2311150042). CTIA representatives met virtually with aides to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. Representatives of AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon and UScellular joined them, a filing posted Thursday in docket 21-341 said. “Although providers have been attempting to expedite implementation as much as possible the rules are complex and require several interconnected technical changes and process updates that necessitate sufficient time to implement the comprehensive compliance solutions that will benefit consumers,” CTIA said. CTIA also joined NCTA and the Competitive Carriers Association on a petition seeking expedited action. “The robust record in this proceeding makes this clear: since before the Commission adopted the Order, the Petitioners, their member companies, and other stakeholders throughout industry consistently emphasized the complexity of this undertaking and urged that ample time is needed to complete that effort,” the petition said.

The FCC Wireless Bureau on Wednesday granted a single license in the 900 MHz broadband segment to PDV Spectrum. The license covers Marshall County, Alabama. The FCC approved an order in 2020 reallocating a 6 MHz swath in the band for broadband, while maintaining 4 MHz for narrowband operations (see 2005130057).

The Coalition for Emergency Response and Critical Infrastructure (CERCI) this week launched another attack against giving FirstNet effective control of the 4.9 GHz band. AT&T disputed CERCI’s arguments. At the FCC, CERCI filed a recent Commerce Department Office of Inspector General report, which it said found “FirstNet failed in its oversight of AT&T’s compliance with device connection targets for public safety users.” The report said the FirstNet Authority “does not have reasonable assurance that the data AT&T is reporting is accurate and reliable to support the primary program objectives of public safety adoption and use of the network.” That claim points to “a serious failure of FirstNet to meet one of its fundamental responsibilities,” a Tuesday filing in docket 07-100 said. Jim Bugel, AT&T president-FirstNet, said in a statement, “Audits and reviews like these are a routine part of government oversight designed to provide independent perspective on federal entities’ operations.” He added, “No other wireless network is subject to this robust level of scrutiny and accountability, and no other wireless network has delivered more for public safety.” AT&T welcomes the oversight, Bugel said.

Ericsson increased by about 300 million its projections for 5G subscribers in 2029, to 5.6 billion, based in part on a revised outlook for Africa. “We continue to see a robust uptake of 5G subscriptions worldwide, anticipating the addition of nearly 600 million new 5G subscriptions in 2024,” the report said. But Ericsson warned of the need for continued deployments of 5G stand-alone networks, beyond deployments by about 50 providers so far, and “additional densification of mid-band sites.” The report said mid-band so far has been driven by “extensive deployments” in India and North America. “Although 5G population coverage is growing, 5G mid-band is only deployed in around 25 percent of all sites globally outside of mainland China,” the report said: 5G mid-band offers “a sweet spot between both coverage and capacity, while improving user experience.”

CTIA and other organizations encouraged the FCC to collaborate as it seeks protection for survivors of domestic violence from abusers who may misuse connected car services. Reply comments were posted Tuesday in docket 22-238 (see 2405240067). The record "demonstrates a shared commitment among commenters to work with the commission to better protect survivors," CTIA said. "An approach that widens the scope of the proceeding" would force the commission to focus on "legal authority questions that ultimately divert from the shared and vital goal of helping survivors," the group said. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation warned that the Safe Connections Act doesn't allow the FCC to regulate original equipment manufacturers' privacy and data collection practices. The alliance warned that new regulations would "create compliance challenges while fomenting consumer confusion." The group also cited statutory and logistical hurdles to accommodating line separation requests for connected car services, noting they use only one phone number. The FCC should "promote access and utility of supportive services to survivors," said Electronic Privacy Information Center, Clinic to End Tech Abuse, National Network to End Domestic Violence and Public Knowledge in joint comments. The groups urged the FCC to continue working with stakeholders to "develop an anti-abusable framework for connected devices."

Apple representatives met with an aide to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on the company’s support for a geofenced variable power (GVP) device class in the 6 GHz band (see 2404290035). Apple noted its agreement with commenters “who explained how flexible power levels enabled by adoption of the GVP proposal will greatly improve reliability, performance, and consumer benefits of portable unlicensed devices without creating a significant risk of harmful interference to incumbent licensees,” a filing posted Tuesday in docket 18-295 said. Apple representatives also joined with executives from Broadcom, Google, Meta Platforms and Qualcomm in a meeting with staff from the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology. They discussed the strong momentum behind Wi-Fi deployment in the 6 GHz band. In 2024, manufacturers expect to ship 147.2 million Wi-Fi 6E access points, 23.12 million Wi-Fi 7 APs, 576.2 million Wi-Fi 6E devices and 231.4 million Wi-Fi 7 devices, the companies said. Both Wi-Fi standards use 6 GHz spectrum. “The Commission has fostered a robust Wi-Fi ecosystem that steadily grows year after year -- as evidenced by the strong demand for Wi-Fi access points,” they said.