The FCC Hearing Aid Compatibility Task Force recommended what the group says is a path to 100% compatibility for wireless handsets. The group started work in 2020 (see 2002070027). “Consumer advocates and industry representatives worked hand-in-hand for years to offer the FCC a path forward to 100% handset compatibility, per our charter,” said James Craig, task force chair and manager-accessibility standards at Apple, Friday. “We are confident that the recommendations outlined in this report will help ensure the best outcome for all Americans, especially those with hearing loss who rely on this technology," Craig said. Industry groups also applauded the report. “Wireless offers opportunity and connectivity to Americans of all abilities, needs and situations,” said CTIA President Meredith Baker: “This report is the result of years of strong collaboration between the accessibility community and the wireless industry that promotes innovation, reflects marketplace developments and will benefit consumers with hearing loss.” Groups participating include the Competitive Carriers Association, CTIA, the Hearing Loss Association of America, the National Association of the Deaf, Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and the Telecommunications Industry Association. The report recommends a revised definition of HAC to say a compatible handset “(a) has an internal means for compatibility (b) that meets established technical standards for hearing aid coupling or compatibility, and (c) is usable.” The FCC should also “consider, along with a more flexible definition of HAC, factors such as ease-of-use, reliability, industry adoption, and consumer use and adoption when evaluating what technical standards meet the above proposed HAC definition,” the report said. For the short-term, the task force recommends “a limited, interim waiver of current transition to the 2019 ANSI Standard that allows wireless handsets to meet a modified volume control test that ensures increased amplification for hearing device users until the TIA 5050 standard has been revised and adopted into the FCC’s rules.” It asks the commission to “adjust the deployment benchmarks for manufacturers (four years from the effective date of an FCC order based on this report) and for service providers (five years from the effective date of an FCC order).” The FCC should also “incorporate” into its rules “an adjusted volume control testing method that accomplishes the goal of increased amplification (i.e., need articulated by user advocates) with an updated testing methodology that better reflects modern wireless handset technologies and operation.”
Inmate calling services providers and advocacy organizations disagreed whether the FCC should establish rules to better facilitate refunds of inactive accounts, in comments posted Friday in docket 12-375 (see 2211140038). Some groups sought additional information from ICS providers after the third mandatory data collection, and urged better access to telecom relay services for incarcerated individuals with disabilities.
Former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, now a Brookings Institution visiting fellow, and David Simpson, FCC Public Safety Bureau chief under Wheeler, called for a more focus on the risks posed by 5G, during a Brookings in-person and virtual event Thursday. The two released a paper earlier this week on making 5G more secure. They were joined by Joyce Corell, senior technology adviser to the White House cyber director, who said the administration is working to get on top of 5G security.
The FCC’s Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council approved three working group reports Thursday on making networks more secure, including open radio access networks, at its final meeting of the year. CSRIC approved two other reports in September (see 2209210074). The meeting was supposed to be partially in-person, for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the FCC made it virtual because of an expected ice storm.
Among other comments on the 12.7 GHz band (see 2212130047), Qualcomm characterized the band as a “good contender for clearing” for exclusive-use licenses. “The 12.7 GHz Band is ideal for the deployment of the latest 6G technological advances and can offer ubiquitous coverage, low latency and high capacity,” Qualcomm said in docket 22-352: “Even though the RF propagation characteristics of the band result in greater signal losses when compared to lower mid-band spectrum, technology advances for 6G, including the Giga [multiple-input and multiple-output] antenna design, will overcome the greater signal losses at 12.7 GHz Band and allow for mobile coverage areas akin to those available today in the lower mid-band spectrum range, by taking advantage of the higher directionality of beams and advanced Giga MIMO antennas.” Ericsson supported exclusive-use licensing and said the notice of inquiry starts to position the FCC to look at other bands for 6G. “Although the 12.7 GHz band is beyond the mid-band range and poses challenges for deploying coverage with deep in-building penetration in comparison with spectrum at lower bands, it can serve an important role for 6G,” Ericsson said: “Capacity-driven 6G use cases require large spectrum bandwidth which typically is easier to find the higher the frequency. On the other hand, the higher the frequency, the lower the coverage will be. As a result, we will need a mix of bands, including more spectrum that supports today’s 5G networks in the lower ranges.” Nokia also stressed the continuing need for exclusive-use spectrum. “It is imperative that the U.S. makes a significant part of the 7-16 GHz spectrum available for licensed mobile broadband use,” Nokia said. Nokia suggested the FCC relocate fixed point-to-point links and mobile users in the band, while satellite users should be able to coexist with 6G. The company proposed a protection zone around NASA’s Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex. CTA said “the 12.7 GHz band may be an ideal candidate for high-speed, low-latency, bandwidth-intensive applications, including augmented reality, virtual reality, telesurgery, and robotics.” The Rural Wireless Association said it's critical the band be licensed at the county level rather than through much larger partial economic area licenses. “Using PEAs would effectively prevent [the band] from being used to serve rural areas as only large carriers will have the resources to serve PEAs and such carriers do not have the economic incentive to build out in a timely manner to the most rural portions of these areas,” RWA said: “Using county-sized license areas would promote an equitable distribution of mid-band licenses and promote the rapid deployment of 5G products and services to rural areas.”
The federal government is struggling to keep up with the changing world of drones, said Rob Chamberlin, principal at Elevate Government Affairs, during an Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) webinar Wednesday. Hoffman said more attention than ever has been focused on drones because of all the things they can do like deliver drugs remotely and fight fires, and their prominence in news, including in the war in Ukraine.
Former FCC Chief Technology Officer Monisha Ghosh warned Tuesday hat high-band spectrum isn’t living up to the hype. One of the biggest 6G challenges is “where does the new spectrum come from,” she said during the Fierce Wireless 6G Evolution Summit: “Every G has required new spectrum because the G’s are not backward compatible.”
Industry companies and groups disagreed sharply on the best way for the FCC to open the 12.7 GHz band for other users, and whether it should be offered for exclusive-use licenses or be the next big sharing band. Band incumbents urged caution. Comments were due Monday and posted Tuesday in docket 22-352. The FCC approved a notice of inquiry in October on what others call the 13 GHz band (see 2210270046).
Consumer groups want the FCC to strengthen protections against unwanted robotexts, they said in reply comments posted Monday in docket 21-402. State attorneys general, filing as a group, also urged the FCC to clamp down on robotexts. In initial comments, most said the FCC shouldn’t impose new rules on text messaging similar to those in place for robocalls (see 2211140030).
Carriers raised concerns in response to an FCC Further NPRM proposing to extend USF support to eligible mobile and fixed carriers in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, approved by commissioners 4-0 in October (see 2210270046). The proposals fall short of meeting ongoing needs, commenters told the agency, posted Monday in docket 18-143.