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.

The FCC Wireless Bureau sought comment Thursday on a request by the University of Utah for citizens broadband radio service rules for its POWDER (Platform for Open Wireless Data-driven Experimental Research) platform, established to “enable innovation and research associated with wireless systems and spectrum use.” Comments are due July 18, replies July 25, in docket 22-257. The university asked for a waiver to use software-defined radio equipment to interact with the spectrum access system operator “within the POWDER Platform Innovation Zone” and for other exceptions to rules for the band. The platform is used for research by the university, in partnership with Salt Lake City and the Utah Education and Telehealth Network.

T-Mobile asked the FCC to pause new high-cost USF programs until programs funded through the American Rescue Plan Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act have been implemented, in a meeting with Wireline Bureau and Office of Economics and Analytics staff (see 2203180062). The carrier also met with an aide to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, said an ex parte filing posted Wednesday in docket 21-476. The new funding "largely overlaps" with the goals of the high-cost programs and is "equivalent to more than two decades' worth of support, T-Mobile said. There's also "no need for immediate contributions reform" if new support is paused, T-Mobile said, noting "recurring appropriations" for programs like the affordable connectivity program would "more efficiently distribute the burdens of the USF to different stakeholders and appropriately account for the shared benefits to society of expanded connectivity." Absent direct appropriations, the carrier said it backed assessing "network capacity usage" or "revenues generated over USF-funded networks."

FirstNet is expanding its network across the Navaho Nation, AT&T said Wednesday. “In addition to constructing new, purpose-built FirstNet sites where first responders said they needed improved coverage, we’re collaborating with Commnet Broadband, NTUA, NTUA Wireless, [and] the Navajo Nation Telecommunications Regulatory Commission to help build out additional Band 14 spectrum and AT&T commercial LTE spectrum bands across more than 100 sites,” AT&T said. FirstNet leaders have announced an increased focus on reaching Indian country (see 2202090062).

The FCC clarified Wednesday that T-Mobile can use stage 2 mobile support through a program providing emergency relief to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to pay for the deployment of distributed antenna systems (see 2204180025). The order, by the Wireline Bureau, in consultation with the Wireless Bureau, agreed with concerns raised by the Telecommunications Bureau of Puerto Rico (TBPR) that systems not just be deployed in heavily populated metropolitan areas (see 2205020057). “We conclude that Stage 2 support for indoor DAS deployment is appropriate only for public or publicly accessible buildings that protect the public during disasters where the market would otherwise not support DAS deployment,” the order said: “Our presumptive list includes buildings responsive to TBPR’s concerns, while also including all of the buildings listed by T-Mobile. … We agree with commenters that all potential areas that may benefit from DAS deployments should be considered, including hospitals in rural areas identified by the TBPR.”

The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology asked for comments by Aug. 4, replies by Aug. 6, on an April waiver request by Schlage for an ultra-wideband device it hopes to sell for security use to be mounted on building entryways (see 2207050065). “Schlage describes how it intends to use an impulse radio UWB system to enable peer-to-peer communications between a UWB-enabled access door lock/reader installed on a residential entranceway and a UWB-enabled mobile phone,” said a notice in docket 22-248 listed in Wednesday’s Daily Digest. Although the system is “designed to use 2.4 GHz Bluetooth technology for the phone to discover the reader and engage in data exchange activities (which is not subject to the waiver), the reader will then operate as a UWB device to track the location and movement of the phone’s user and determine whether there is a proof of presence, and an intent to enter the secured area,” OET said.

APCO told the FCC an order last month granting Gogo Business Aviation a waiver of effective radiated power limits for air-to-ground operations in the 849-851 MHz and 894-896 MHz bands (see 2206210068) doesn’t fully address the group’s concerns. The agency “should bolster the conditions of the waiver concerning Gogo BA’s responsibility to detect, identify, and resolve interference to public safety operations,” said a filing Tuesday in docket 21-282. “APCO had proposed that Gogo BA contact licensees via email and telephonically, and notify the relevant 800 MHz regional planning committee and all FCC-certified public safety frequency coordinators, clearly describing operations, timing, and appropriate contact information,” APCO said: The order instead requires notification by email and certified mail, or by phone and doesn’t require contacting the regional planning committee and public safety coordinators. APCO questioned whether the FCC did an adequate analysis of the interference potential of Gogo’s operations. A rulemaking would have been more appropriate than granting a waiver, the group said. Gogo didn’t comment.

The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology created docket 22-248 Tuesday on an April waiver request by Schlage for an ultra-wideband device it hopes to sell for security use to be mounted on building entryways. FCC rules require that such devices be handheld and prohibit the use of antennas mounted on outdoor infrastructure. “Granting Schlage this request, a waiver request similar to others the Commission has granted in recent years, would not undermine the underlying purpose of these rules, which are to prevent interference to authorized users by large-scale UWB communications systems,” Schlage said in seeking a waiver.

Policymakers should “reject the spectrum nihilism” that says there’s no spectrum left that could be cleared for licensed use, said a Tuesday paper by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. “Advances in compression technologies have enabled the clearing of bands that have now become valuable tent poles of the wireless marketplace,” the paper said: “Both private and government spectrum users should therefore invest in compression technologies. This can be incentivized by making clear that licensees that manage to clear a currently encumbered band would be able to reap the profits of selling or using its capacity.” Federal networks should be examined to see if they could operate more efficiently using commercial spectrum, ITIF said: “Current efforts to evaluate DOD uses of the lower 3 GHz band should not simply find ways to squeeze in 5G networks around current DOD services. The department should also try to migrate services onto those 5G networks that can provide the same reliability and security while internalizing interference externalities that would otherwise cause clashing protocols to diminish the overall capacity and efficiency of the band.” Joe Kane, director-broadband and spectrum policy, wrote the paper.