Verizon announced Tuesday it’s cutting rates for new subscribers, from $35 per line for four lines, to $30. "Welcome Unlimited opens the door for more people to switch to the network more Americans rely on, at a highly-competitive price," said Manon Brouillette, CEO of Verizon Consumer Group. Customers must enroll in auto pay, and pay taxes and fees. “Verizon is using the new pricing for better subscriber growth, an area where it is clearly struggling despite its 5G ad campaign and investment in C-Band spectrum,” Lightshed’s Walter Piecyk told investors: “Verizon hopes these lower prices will help attract and retain price conscious consumers, at a time when the inflationary pressures on consumers might be magnified by an economic recession. Last week we argued that Verizon and its peers should also be looking at cost cutting opportunities given the macro environment.” Piecyk pegged the likely cost at $60 million per year, which he said means Verizon would have to add 65,000 subscribers to break even.

Verizon asked for reconsideration of an FCC order saying it failed to adequately respond to a complaint about the company’s premium voicemail service. The Enforcement Bureau proposed a $100,000 fine last week (see 2207080042). “The Order is an adverse ruling against Verizon stemming from a complaint by an individual Verizon customer who had trouble using a Verizon service,” said a Tuesday petition: “Verizon never wants that to occur with any of its customers, and the issue regrettably took longer to address than Verizon would have liked. But that does not mean that Verizon violated any statute or Commission rule.”

The FCC Wireless Bureau and Office of Engineering and Technology approved Amdocs, Federated Wireless, Google, Key Bridge and Sony as spectrum access system (SAS) administrators to support spectrum manager leasing for priority access licenses in the citizens broadband radio service band, in a Tuesday order. All have been approved as SAS administrators but needed separate clearance to support PAL leasing, the order said.

NCTA supported an NFL request for a waiver of rules for the citizens broadband radio service allowing the league to continue operating a coach-to-coach communications systems in the event of a localized internet outage in stadiums during games. Any relief granted “should continue to be narrowly tailored to the NFL’s specific and unique circumstances to avoid creating a de facto exemption from the Spectrum Access System connectivity requirement” for CBRS operations “at special events, including sporting events,” said a filing by the group posted Tuesday in docket 22-111. Comments on the request were due Monday (see 2206300037).

Verizon qualified to bid in the 2.5 GHz auction, which starts July 29, joining AT&T, Dish Network, bidding as Carbonate Wireless, T-Mobile and UScellular, among 82 qualified bidders. Eleven bidders remained unqualified and won’t participate in what's expected to be the last 5G auction for some time. The FCC tabulated 39 qualified bidders on the initial list last month (see 2206090073). The number is higher than qualified bidders in both the 3.45 GHz and C-band auctions, the last two major auctions. Questions remain about whether small players will jump in or T-Mobile will dominate the auction, filling gaps in its 2.5 GHz portfolio (see 2204140062). Twenty-seven qualified providers will get small-business bidding credits and 35 rural provider credits. Each qualified bidder will be assigned to one of two mock auction dates -- July 26 or 27 -- said the notice by the Office of Economics and Analytics and the Wireless Bureau. “We strongly encourage each qualified bidder in Auction 108 to participate in its assigned mock auction as it provides an opportunity … to practice using the auction bidding system, including practice using the new proxy bidding functionality, and to test its contingency plans,” the FCC said. The auction starts on a Friday with one bidding round, moving to two on Monday.

Public Knowledge Senior Vice President Harold Feld applauded the FCC for extending the performance deadlines last week for 2.5 GHz tribal licensees (see 2207080037). Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and the Wireless Bureau “deserve credit for reversing an injustice,” Feld emailed: “It is even more commendable that the Wireless Bureau did this on its own motion. It was unfair to give Tribes -- who lack the same access to capital and experienced work force as the private sector -- half the time allotted to the private sector to meet their build out obligations.” The deadlines “went from unfair to outrageous after Covid hit, which both showed the need for Tribal networks while further reducing the resources available to meet the accelerated build out schedule,” he said.

Granting relief to Verizon Wireless against Fresno, California, in a wireless infrastructure court case “is important to further establish firmly in our jurisprudence” that the FCC’s 2009 shot-clock ruling “will be enforced in a timely manner,” Free State Foundation senior fellow Andrew Long blogged Monday. Verizon sued Fresno June 30, claiming the city violated the 1996 Telecom Act by failing to act quickly enough on a wireless facility application filed about a year ago. The facility “has run a municipal, bureaucratic gauntlet of four public hearings with still no final action from the City,” the carrier said at the U.S. District Court in Fresno (case 1:2022 cv00807). A district committee initially approved the application, then a city planning commission approved it on an appeal by a condominium association, said Verizon: But that was appealed to the city council and a decision remains pending. The “drawn-out, serial appeals” resulted in the city failing to act before the FCC’s 150-day shot clock, which is “a clear violation of Section 332 and the FCC's implementing rules,” said Long. Fresno declined to comment Monday.

The Los Angeles Police Department is increasing its investment in communications using FirstNet, AT&T said Friday. Officers previously used pooled devices, but the department is now providing FirstNet-enabled, department-issued iPhone 13 Pro Max smartphones to each officer, AT&T said: Patrol vehicles are being outfitted with Cradlepoint routers “that will provide network connectivity for officers in the field, giving the department a path to 5G and further technological innovation.”

The FCC Wireless Bureau waived the tribal-specific interim and final performance deadlines for all 2.5 GHz rural tribal priority window licensees. Tribal window licensees still must make an interim showing within four years of the initial license grant and a final showing within eight years, though “they need not wait until the relevant deadlines approach to make their filings,” the bureau said Friday. The FCC had required an interim showing within two years, the final showing within five. So far, the bureau said it has granted 335 licenses to entities “representing more than 350 unique Tribes in 30 states.” The bureau said it took the step because of problems beyond the control of the tribes. “While the COVID-19 pandemic made clear the vital importance of broadband to Tribal communities, it also disproportionally impacted Tribes, resulting in personnel and resource barriers that have exacerbated existing challenges to deploying communications services in those communities,” the waiver order said: “Supply chain issues have made it more difficult for some Tribes to obtain wireless and related infrastructure equipment, and increased prices for the equipment that is available.” The application window closed in September 2020 (see 2008210050). Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks, Public Knowledge and tribal groups pushed for keeping the window open longer due to the COVID-19 pandemic (see 2007310066).

The FCC Wireless Bureau sought comment Friday on a request by ContiTech USA for a waiver of rules for the 76-81 GHz bands for industrial applications. The bureau also created a new docket, 22-260. ContiTech’s conveyor radar was developed for use in automobiles for collision avoidance and adaptive cruise control, the bureau said: “ContiTech seeks permission to use its radars to support mining, milling, and tunneling operations. … The radars would be placed above a conveyor belt to monitor weight changes, energy consumption, and provide safety information.” Comments are due Aug. 8, replies Sept. 6.