The Wireless ISP Association wants a pilot program as a next step in response to the FCC’s August notice of inquiry on understanding nonfederal spectrum use. The pilot should “study occupancy in a small number of bands with different characteristics, such as an exclusively licensed band, a Part 101 point-to-point band and a band in which multiple use cases are present,” WISPA said: “These bands should be reviewed to determine whether and to what extent they are ‘occupied’ or ‘fully occupied,’ taking into account geography, frequency and time and the particular licensing structure.” Among other comments filed this week in docket 23-232 (see 2310040056), the Aerospace and Flight Test Radio Coordinating Council reminded the commission of the importance of aeronautical mobile telemetry (AMT). “Bottom line, interference-free access to adequate and ‘always ready’ flight test spectrum in the AMT bands is a fundamental element of all flight tests,” the council said: “There is no Plan B if spectrum is unavailable for a flight test when it is scheduled.” For alarm radios “and other quasi-safety operations (as well as public safety operations) in the Part 90 spectrum, crowding the channels with the maximum amount of user traffic should not be the Commission’s spectrum management goal,” said the Alarm Industry Communications Committee. Any measurement approach “should be tailored to the Commission’s intended use of the data” and “avoid over or undervaluing a particular service or technology,” said NCTA. “The Commission should measure how much total data is carried by all users of a particular service in a particular spectrum range -- and should do so in a way that recognizes differences between technologies rather that designing a measurement system with one technology or service in mind,” the group said. “There is no one-size-fits-all in calculating spectrum utilization,” the Enterprise Wireless Alliance said. EWA noted most of its members rely on frequency-specific spectrum licensed under Parts 90 and 101 of FCC rule. “These are narrowband, non-contiguous frequencies with very limited bandwidth,” the group said: “Unlike systems authorized for broad swathes of spectrum over large geographic areas, these private internal systems are held accountable for each frequency and site authorized. Their license data is captured in the Universal Licensing System, which, when functioning, offers as detailed a description of utilization of this spectrum as any alternative system could provide.”

Qualcomm, one of the first companies to open a portal for public tests of its 6 GHz automated frequency coordination system (see 2308300018), filed at the FCC a report on lab tests of its system. “The Report describes each test performed using WinnForum’s Test Harness,” said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 21-352.

The average mobile phone user in the U.S. receives 14 spam calls a month, voice security company Hiya said Thursday. “The big takeaway is that one-fourth of all unknown phone calls analyzed by Hiya were unwanted,” the company said. Among top spam calls are Amazon impersonators who “say they suspect an unauthorized purchase, or that the credit card linked to the account needs to be updated,” Hiya reported. Other common scams involve insurance, Medicare and credit card fraud, the company said.

Wireless competition is heating up, with the three biggest U.S. carriers announcing the pending availability of the Google Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel Watch 2 phones Wednesday. All offered free or reduced-priced phones to new and existing customers. New Google handsets “are coming to Verizon and we’ve got the best deals to help you to make the move to America’s most reliable 5G network or upgrade your phone right now,” Verizon said. “Only T-Mobile customers can get faster speeds on the new Pixel smartphones with T-Mobile's 5G standalone four-carrier aggregation, paired with value-packed plans,” T-Mobile said. “We’ve got your back,” AT&T said: “Everyone gets our best deals on the new Google Pixel series, whether you’re a new or existing customer, upgrading, or adding a new line.”

Mint Mobile appealed a decision by the Better Business Bureau's National Advertising Division that the provider should discontinue or modify the claim that its unlimited plan is “now just $15/mo.,” NAD said Wednesday. AT&T had brought the challenge, which was appealed to the bureau’s National Advertising Review Board. Mint argues that since it only offers “wireless service plans in three-, six-, and twelve-month increments” consumers understand that the offer wasn’t made “in perpetuity, or of longer duration similar to introductory pricing offered by other wireless carriers,” NAD said. NAD said “the challenged advertising does not adequately disclose that the $15 monthly service is a promotional offer for only three months of service.”

The Wireless Broadband Alliance notified the FCC it’s opening a portal for public tests of its 6 GHz automated frequency coordination system (see 2308300018). The portal will be available Tuesday through Nov. 24, said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 21-352.

National Emergency Number Association representatives said the group’s i3 standard and an ATIS standard for IP multimedia subsystems are “complementary, and not competing, specifications and systems implementing them are expected to be fully interoperable,” in a meeting with an aide to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. NENA said the largest barriers to next-gen 911 deployment are “with business and policy, and not with standards or technology,” said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 21-479. ”A significant barrier to interoperability is the lack of a network connection between systems,” NENA said: “In the i3 standard this is addressed with an expectation that secure, standards-based traffic can take place between far away systems over the internet. It would also be possible that a nationwide backbone connecting all systems could be implemented.”

The FCC Wireless Bureau approved an application by Intelligent Transportation & Monitoring Wireless to transfer parts of an automated maritime telecommunications system (AMTS) license to PTC-220, a consortium of the nation’s Class I freight railroads, for the deployment of positive train control and other rail safety. One party filed an objection, which wasn’t timely, the bureau said Tuesday. “We emphasize that the waiver relief we grant today will only apply to use of the AMTS spectrum to deploy PTC and related rail safety systems in the defined rail corridors in AMTS Region 1 … thereby limiting the area of potential interference,” the bureau said. The license covers the northern Atlantic region.

A new paper by the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance (DSA) urges regulators worldwide to take advantage of dynamic spectrum management systems (DSMS), like one being deployed in the U.S. in the 6 GHz band, and makes recommendations for faster adoption of sharing. “Regulators in a number of countries have authorized automated and even dynamic frequency coordination databases to manage assignments in shared bands,” the paper argues: “These dynamic spectrum management systems have proven they can protect incumbent operations, including military and public safety systems, from harmful interference.” Regulators should “work towards a dynamic shared access approach in any underutilized band (e.g., 6 GHz, 3.8-4.2 GHz) where coordinated sharing is appropriate and practical to implement,” DSA recommends. They should adopt clear rules “but not prescribe particular technologies or standards for DSMS,” the paper advises. Using a representative multistakeholder process “to develop and assist in implementing the DSMS can help to conserve agency resources and leverage industry expertise,” it said. Regulators should consider the adoption of best practices from industry or used elsewhere “particularly when that can speed time to market and promote harmonization regionally or globally,” the report says. Regulators should also “consider the benefits of certifying a private sector entity to manage the DSMS -- or, if demand justifies it, multiple and competing DSMS providers -- but always in strict adherence to agency rules.” Michael Calabrese, director of the Wireless Future Program at New America, wrote the report.

CommScope agreed to sell its Home Networks Business to France’s Vantiva. CommScope said Tuesday it had been seeking a buyer since April 2021 and “determined that Vantiva is the best partner for this business.” CommScope gets in return a 25% stake in Vantiva and “earnout” of up to $100 million based on Vantiva earnings. “For the past 2 years, we have methodically and thoughtfully considered the strategic alternatives for our Home Networks business which would provide the highest value for our shareholders and the best partner to support our customers,” said CommScope CEO Chuck Treadway: “Our Home Networks business is currently in a challenging environment, and by combining these two businesses we believe it provides the best opportunity for future success.”