The International Association of Fire Chiefs supported concerns raised by APCO and others on companies and organizations seeking FCC certification to become automated frequency coordination (AFC) system operators in the 6 GHz band (see 2112220070). A representative of the group spoke with David Furth, deputy chief of the Public Safety Bureau, said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 21-352. “All fourteen AFC proposals failed to meet FCC’s rules and should be rejected until each proposal is supplemented with additional technical details,” the group said.

The FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau let Cellcom withdraw pending requests for waiver of the FCC’s 2020 deadline to offer real-time text (RTT) instead of traditional text technology. The carrier says it wasn't "providing voice service on an IP network prior to September 9, 2020, and on that date it simultaneously launched [voice over LTE] and RTT,” said Wednesday's order in docket 16-145: “The record does not indicate any need to further extend the waivers previously granted.”

The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology opened docket 21-363 Tuesday, on “Updating References to Standards Related to the Commission’s Equipment Authorization Program.” Commissioners are scheduled to vote on an NPRM on the topic at their Jan. 27 meeting (see 2201060057).

The Enterprise Wireless Alliance urged the FCC to start accepting applications for 12.5 kHz bandwidth channels in the 809-817/854-862 MHz bands. “Because the rules governing these channels are fully effective, the only action required of the FCC is issuance of a Public Notice announcing the date when applications for them will be accepted,” said a Tuesday filing in docket 15-32: “The private land mobile community is eager to make productive use of this additional 800 MHz capacity and urges the FCC to take this final step as promptly as possible.” The FCC declared the 800 MHz rebanding complete in April (see 2104220056).

MoffettNathanson said T-Mobile's and Verizon's fixed wireless offerings raise complicated questions. “Consider the network capacity implications of fixed wireless,” the analyst firm emailed Tuesday. “Most investors will by this point understand that the burden of serving homes with a wired broadband replacement is far greater than that of serving individual phones for mobility.” T-Mobile says the average fixed wireless customer is using 35 GB monthly, or about triple the average unlimited LTE user, the firm said: “Total network throughput is largely irrelevant (although, at least for conceptualizing orders of magnitude, it is useful for framing the discussion). What matters is highly localized throughput, and indeed, highly localized throughput -- individual sectors of individual cells -- at specific times of day.” According to OpenVault, the average cable broadband household uses some 434 GB a month, or 40 times more than an average unlimited wireless customer, it said. At current pricing, a typical fixed wireless customer generates about $50 in monthly revenue, or about 10 cents/GB, which compares with $48, or about $4.36/GB, MoffettNathanson said: “As a business matter, it would be hard to imagine prioritizing $0.10 per GB customers over $4.36 per GB customers; one would therefore assume that T-Mobile will be incredibly careful to ensure that [fixed] customers don’t impede the experience of vastly more valuable mobile customers.”

T-Mobile is buying Octopus Interactive, a national network of interactive video screens inside Uber and Lyft vehicles, the companies said Monday.

The FCC should approve rules that allow emergency broadband benefit enrollees to easily migrate to the new affordable connectivity program (ACP), CTIA representatives told an aide to Commissioner Nathan Simington. “An affirmative customer opt-in process for ACP,” as proposed in a public notice, “is likely to lead to large-scale de-enrollment of eligible households, which would disserve the program’s goals,” said a filing posted Monday in docket 21-450. Ensure “that a broad cross-section of broadband providers continues to participate in the program, ensuring competition and multiple options,” CTIA urged.

The FCC should act on wireless multichannel audio systems rules, teed up in an April NPRM (see 2104220056), including for unlicensed operations, Shure told Office of Engineering and Technology staff. Shure presented results of a new survey by the Professional Audio Manufacturers Association, which found 94% of organizations usually use fewer than 50 mics and aren’t eligible for a license under Part 74 rules. “There are many professional users operating on an unlicensed basis -- Part 74 licensees are far from the only professionals in this domain,” said a filing posted Friday in docket 21-115. “It underscores the importance of permitting unlicensed wireless microphone users to use WMAS devices if there is to be a viable market for WMAS operations.”

T-Mobile supported a September CTIA petition asking for partial consideration of rules on combating contraband cellphones in prisons (see 2112210032). CTIA asked the FCC to drop a requirement that providers act on qualifying service termination requests within two business days and instead allow up to five. “Because the Commission failed to provide a basis for its rationale here, it must reconsider its decision,” said a filing posted Friday in docket 13-111. The deadline “rests principally on comments from correctional facilities, which urge the Commission to require wireless providers to terminate service within 24 hours -- or even an hour -- of receiving a qualifying request,” T-Mobile said: “Correctional facilities are not well positioned to accurately assess the capabilities of wireless networks or the processes required for terminating service to contraband devices.” Comments were due Thursday. Two days is “unreasonable and places undue burden on the carriers,” said OmniProphis, a managed access system provider, the only other commenter.

T-Mobile and Crown Castle signed a new 12-year agreement supporting the continued buildout of T-Mobile's nationwide 5G network, allowing increased access to Crown Castle's towers and small cells. The agreement “helps Crown Castle generate long-term tower and small cell revenue growth,” said a news release Thursday. “This agreement is another integral piece of T-Mobile’s ongoing efforts to rapidly expand what is already America’s largest 5G network,” said Neville Ray, T-Mobile president-technology.