Dish Network Chairman Charlie Ergen and other top executives from the company met with FCC staff to push for action on 5G in the 12 GHz band. “The 12 GHz band represents 500 megahertz of spectrum that is well-suited for terrestrial, two-way 5G use cases, while still protecting satellite operations,” said a filing posted Monday in docket 19-348: “Given that the enormous benefits of allowing 5G terrestrial operations in the 12 GHz band can be realized without interfering with existing operations, the Commission should act expeditiously to unlock the power of 5G-ready spectrum in this band.” The Dish officials also asked the FCC to increase authorized power levels in the citizens broadband radio service band. Dish met with staff from the Wireless and International bureaus and Office of Engineering & Technology. The FCC has faced continuing pressure to act on the 12 GHz band from the 5G for 12 GHz Coalition (see 2203210056). Ergen thinks the 12 GHz band is "the ideal frequency" for fixed wireless, he said on a quarterly earnings call Friday (see 2205070001).

The C-band Relocation Payment Clearinghouse paid out $2.39 billion by the end of March to satellite operators in Phase I accelerated relocation payments, it told the FCC in a docket 18-122 quarterly report Monday. It said it continues to accept and review claims for lump sum payments and claims for C-band relocation cost reimbursements. It said it had received 1,191 claims totaling $1.87 billion by March 31, including 1,058 earth station operator lump sum claims for $184 million and 129 satellite operator claims for $1.69 billion. It said 794 approved claims for $55.5 million were sent to the overlay licensees for lump sum payments and relocation cost reimbursements. It said it approved 69% of lump sum claims received by March 31.

The News Media Alliance and MPA-The Association of Magazine Media are combining into a single organization called the News/Media Alliance, said a joint release Friday. The arrangement is expected to be completed this summer, subject to regulatory approval,” the release said. The trade groups are both 501(c)(6) nonprofits and need regulatory approval from state authorities, Chavern told us. News Media Alliance is one of the primary organizations involved in the push for the Journalism Competition Protection Act (see 2204200049). "The two organizations have overlapping missions and advocate on many of the same issues,” the release said. David Chavern, current News Media Alliance CEO, will be CEO of the new entity. MPA CEO Rita Cohen “will work with the newly merged organization,” the release said.

The FCC is racking up expressions of interest in participating in wireless emergency alert tests in combination with the agency. The FCC released a public notice last month seeking partnerships with local emergency agencies to gather data on how WEA is performing at the local level (see 2204210050). A national WEA test showed the “need for localized WEA testing to confirm WEA’s performance at the local level and to generate data on WEA’s geotargeting performance,” said an April 21 notice by the FCC Public Safety Bureau. The FCC sought “testing partners that represent the diverse environments where WEAs are sent (i.e., dense urban, urban, suburban and rural areas).” So far, more than 20 have filed in docket 22-160, from diverse markets. The Maricopa County, Arizona, Department of Emergency Management Friday became one of the first large county entities to offer to work with the FCC. The county, which includes Phoenix, “conducts annual siren tests around a commercial nuclear power plant and has included WEA in the past several years,” it said: Maricopa “coordinates volunteers annually for these tests and will be able to utilize these volunteers and other municipal participants for this test.” The county said it conducted a WEA test in 2019 “with substantial press and public outreach and will continue to provide public awareness campaigns on the use of WEA and this upcoming test.” Monroe County Emergency Management offered the ability to test in an area that starts in the mainland of Florida and extends through the entire Florida Keys. Idaho offered to involve the entire state in a test. “Our city is a very diverse urban locality (53 square miles) and home to the world's largest naval station,” said the Norfolk, Virginia, Department of Emergency Preparedness and Response: “The diversity and demographics of the city will provide a unique platform to ensure all citizens can be contacted during emergency notifications.” The Ingham County, Michigan, Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management said it’s interested in participating in the testing. “This would be countywide and include the City of Lansing and Michigan State University,” the county said. Ingram said it also has an agreement with Eaton County for a two-county test.

Changing FCC rules for land mobile sharing of the T band would worsen existing interference problems between TV stations and T-band operators, so the agency should make clear that broadcasters won't bear sole responsibility for mitigating the inevitable interference, NAB representatives told Media, Wireless and Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau staffers in a filing Monday (RM-11915). The Land Mobile Communications Council petitioned the FCC to modify its Part 90 rules on sharing of TV channels 14-20 with the band (see 2202100041).

COVID-19 lockdowns in Shanghai and the war in Ukraine demonstrate “that the world needs more resilient and more geographically balanced semiconductor manufacturing,” said Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger on an earnings call Thursday for fiscal Q1 ended April 2. The chip shortage cost the U.S. economy $240 billion last year, “and we expect the industry will continue to see challenges until at least 2024 in areas like foundry capacity and tool availability,” he said.

The newly reconstituted NTIA Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee will hold its first meeting May 26, industry officials said. Members haven’t been told what issues will be addressed this time around. NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson is to speak at what's expected to be a largely organizational meeting, scheduled for 1-3 p.m. EDT. NTIA rechartered the committee with a new roster of members released in February (see 2202140045). CSMAC has been in existence since the George W. Bush administration and grew out of a 2004 presidential memorandum on Spectrum Management for the 21st Century. But in recent years, it has been hampered by a lack of political leadership at NTIA (see 2201190062). The committee had its last meeting a year ago (see 2104080060). NTIA didn't comment Thursday.

FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks’ Chief of Staff William Davenport will leave the FCC at the end of April, said a news release Wednesday. Starks’ media adviser, Austin Bonner, will be acting chief of staff. “For over three years, Bill has led my office’s efforts to improve the equity, security, and sustainability of our nation’s communications sector,” said Starks in the release. “He will be deeply missed.” Davenport didn’t comment on his future plans. Wireless Bureau Associate Division Chief Georgios Leris will be Starks’ acting wireless adviser through the May open meeting, when Harris Wiltshire partner Shiva Goel will become the permanent aide, the release said.

The FCC’s Technological Advisory Council will meet June 9, starting at 10 a.m., the FCC said Tuesday. Meetings remain virtual. This is the second meeting since the group was reconstituted with a focus on preparing for 6G (see 2202280059).

Global revenue in the semiconductor devices market will likely reach $620 billion by the end of 2022, up 11.5% from 2021, reported Frost & Sullivan Monday. Several drivers will accelerate growth in “all verticals,” including the increased deployment of 5G, rising adoption of 5G smartphones, increasing electronics content in automotive, migration to electric vehicles and the proliferation of IoT devices in smart homes, it said. Growth will be “especially strong” in the automotive sector, said analyst Prabhu Karunakaran.