The National Association of State 911 Administrators warned the FCC that moving to next-generation 911 will be complicated, in comments on an NPRM commissioners approved 4-0 in June (see 2306080043). The National Emergency Number Association said the FCC is on the right track with the NPRM. Comments were due at the FCC Wednesday in docket 21-479. The notice followed a NASNA petition seeking a rulemaking or notice of inquiry to fully implement NG911 (see 2110190066 and 2201200043).
Leaders of the 5G for 12 GHz Coalition hope for FCC action by year-end on rules to allow fixed-wireless use of the lower 12 GHz band. Comments were due Wednesday on a Further NPRM, which commissioners approved 4-0 in May, examining fixed-wireless and unlicensed use of 12.2-12.7 GHz spectrum (see 2305180052). That FNPRM was part of a complicated series of items addressing the 12 and 13 GHz bands.
NTIA announced the first three winners under the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund, a $1.5 billion federal fund aimed at spurring the growth of open radio access networks and advanced spectrum sharing. NTIA unveiled the grants Tuesday at Northeastern University in Boston, one of the recipients.
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel appears to be teeing up an order on revised rules for the 6 GHz band for one of the commissioners' open meetings before the World Radiocommunication Conference, which starts Nov. 20 in Dubai. The WRC includes an agenda item on whether to identify the upper 700 MHz of the band for international mobile telecommunications, which the U.S. opposes, and the order would lay down a strong U.S. marker in favor of unlicensed use of the band, Wi-Fi advocates told us.
FCC commissioners approved a notice of inquiry on the use of AI and other technologies in managing how spectrum is used and an order providing an up-to-$75 monthly broadband benefit, through the affordable connectivity program, for subscribers living in qualifying high-cost areas, both 4-0 Thursday.
The FCC’s draft notice of inquiry on understanding nonfederal spectrum use “through new data sources, technologies and methods” appears to be generating little official reaction from the wireless industry. Only one party filed comments on the draft in a new docket, 23-232 -- the Institute for the Wireless IoT at Northeastern University. No one reported meetings at the FCC about the draft. Some experts said it's unclear what the NOI will accomplish. Commissioners are expected to approve the item at their Thursday meeting, officials said.
The CEOs of the major U.S. tower companies in recent calls with analysts all acknowledged a general slowdown in Q2 on carrier deployment of 5G. SBA on Monday became the last of the big three to report earnings.
DOJ and the FCC on Monday defended the commission’s order last year further clamping down on gear from Chinese companies, preventing the sale of yet-to-be authorized equipment in the U.S. (see 2211230065). Dahua USA and Hikvision USA challenged the order, which implements the 2021 Secure Equipment Act, questioning whether the FCC exceeded its legal authority (docket 23-1032). The case is in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Oral argument isn't scheduled.
Allocating the 6 GHz band for unlicensed use can help cut overall energy use relative to using carrier networks, argues a new study by WIK, released by the Wi-Fi Alliance Monday. European nations are considering whether to follow the U.S. lead and allocate the full 6 GHz band for Wi-Fi, and a key decision on the spectrum is expected at the World Radiocommunication Conference, which starts Nov. 20 in Dubai.
T-Mobile would be interested in any spectrum Dish Network offers for sale, CEO Mike Sievert said during a Q2 earnings call Thursday (see 2307270064): “You know we've never met spectrum we didn't like.” One thing that distinguishes T-Mobile is “when we get our hands on spectrum, we put it to work right away,” he said. “You see that in how we're deploying so ambitiously the 2.5 GHz” acquired as part of the Sprint buy, he said. “We're always on the hunt for other ways to add capacity to our network because it allows us to do amazing things like not only continue to take share and grow and meet ever rising needs of customers on their smartphones” but also expand fixed wireless access, Sievert said. T-Mobile remains on track to have as many as 8 million home internet customers by 2025, using excess spectrum capacity, he said. T-Mobile agrees to provide fixed-wireless only in areas with extra capacity, which currently means it’s available to about 50 million U.S. homes, Sievert said. Ulf Ewaldsson, president-technology, said T-Mobile remains well situated on spectrum. “We have lots of room to move ahead,” he said: “We have today 255 MHz of spectrum that is dedicated to 5G on our mid-band, and you have to remember that our low-band is all dedicated to 5G.” Other carriers are sharing spectrum between LTE and 5G, “and we're not -- we're dedicating spectrum,” Ewaldsson said. T-Mobile is deploying high-band, but in markets with “extraordinary” capacity needs, including Manhattan and Los Angeles, he said. Callie Field, president of T-Mobile Business Group, said the provider is expanding its business portfolio, adding a major global asset management firm and a “leading global bank” as new accounts in Q2. Some multiunit national retailers are replacing their wireline connections with 5G from T-Mobile, and hospitals and schools have also been seeking alternatives for campus-wide connections, she said. “The structural unattractiveness of the wireless industry has weighed on T-Mobile’s shares just as it has on AT&T’s and Verizon’s,” MoffettNathanson’s Craig Moffett told investors: “The only remedy will be for T-Mobile to, well, just keep putting up the numbers and buying back stock. They did both in Q2. Eventually, reticent buyers will have no choice. It’s just that it may still take some time. As ever, we’re still believers in the T-Mobile story.”