The radio access market is likely to grow 10%-15% this year, due to investments in 5G, Dell’Oro Group said Wednesday. The market is “showing remarkable resilience in the face of various risks including the on-going pandemic, supply chain shortages, and export restrictions,” the group said. Huawei and ZTE lead deployments in China and Ericsson and Nokia outside of China. “The underlying long-term growth drivers have not changed and continue to reflect the shift from 4G to 5G,” new fixed wireless access and enterprise capital expenditures “and the transitions towards active antenna systems,” said Stefan Pongratz, vice president and analyst: “A string of indicators suggest this output acceleration is still largely driven by the shift from 4G to 5G, which continued at a torrid pace in the quarter, even as LTE surprised on the upside.” Dell’Oro said in a second report that revenue in the mobile core network market slowed to 6% percent year over year in Q2 after four quarters of double-digit growth. The group attributes that to indecision by providers, except in China, on moving to stand-alone 5G networks. The Asia Pacific region generated 70% of the revenue, the report said: The top five providers, in order, were Huawei, Ericsson, Nokia, ZTE and Mavenir.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence finalized a new practice guide, “Mobile Application Single Sign-On: Improving Authentication for Public Safety First Responders,” NIST said Wednesday. The guide “describes a reference design for multifactor authentication and mobile single sign-on for native and web applications while improving interoperability among mobile platforms, applications, and identity providers,” it said.

The FCC delayed by two weeks the comment deadlines on a July notice on technical requirements for mobile challenge, verification and crowd source processes required under the Broadband Data Act (see 2107160067). The new deadlines are Sept. 10 for initial comments, replies Sept. 27, it said Wednesday in docket 19-195. The California Public Utilities Commission sought the delay, saying the notice “solicits comment on highly technical and complicated issues that require complex analyses, an involved process which has been slowed by the COVID-19 pandemic.” The Wireless Bureau and Broadband Data Task Force said “this proceeding could benefit from the information and input the CPUC intends to submit through its comments.”

The FCC sought comment Wednesday on a petition by AURA Network Systems and A2G Communications for a rulemaking on expanding the use of air-ground radiotelephone service (AGRAS) channels between 454.675-454.975 MHz and 459.675-459.975 MHz for voice and data communications, including by drones. The companies said in a petition they hold all the active licenses in the 450 MHz AGRAS band. “While the bandwidth limitations in the 450 MHz AGRAS band make the spectrum unsuited for commercial broadband data services, the band is ideal for serving aviation subscribers with voice and data service,” they said: “The band is particularly well suited” for drone “Control and Non-Payload Communications." Comments are due in 30 days in docket RM-11912, said a Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau notice.

Verizon should make clear in ads its claims of offering “5G from America’s most reliable network” aren’t based on tests of its 5G network, recommended the Better Business Bureau's National Advertising Division. Discontinue the claim or clarify that “most reliable” is not a “specific reference to 5G,” the group said Tuesday. “The 2020 RootMetrics testing relied upon by Verizon as support for its ‘most reliable’ claims noted that testing was completed across all available networking technologies, including 4G LTE or earlier technology and that the metrics provided reflect all network types (i.e., 5G along with prior generation networks) rather than a specific 5G network’s performance, unlike more recent RootMetrics testing,” NAD said. AT&T challenged the claim. Verizon didn’t comment.

The in-band power levels in Gogo Business Aviation's proposed next-generation air-to-ground (ATG) system don't change appreciably, and it continues to meet out-of-band emission (OOBE) limits, so there's no reason to expect more risk of harmful interference, Gogo said in docket 21-282 reply comments Tuesday. It's seeking a waiver of effective radiated power limits for ATG operations in the 849-851 MHz and 894-896 MHz bands. Gogo said more-stringent OOBE limits urged by waiver opponents (see 2108090058) would be contrary to FCC precedent, and it would continue to follow the 800 MHz ATG band's traditional OOBE limits. Florida Power & Light, backing Motorola's opposition, said Gogo should be required to provide an analysis affirmatively demonstrating no harmful interference to the adjacent 900 MHz band, which FPL uses for a private land mobile radio system for dispatch communications, nuclear power plant security, smart grid energy efficiency monitoring and electric distribution system controls.

New America’s Open Technology Institute and Common Cause told aides to acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel conditions proposed on Verizon’s planned buy of Tracfone are helpful (see 2108120029), but enforcement remains a concern. “Any conditions must be strictly enforced,” said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 21-112: “Behavioral conditions are notoriously difficult to monitor, and the antitrust community has increasingly looked skeptically upon such remedies.” Verizon’s commitment to offer Lifeline for three years isn’t long enough, they said. “Violations can take years to detect, investigate, and litigate, and Verizon would have a strong incentive to drag out procedural timelines if the enforcement window is three years or less.” The groups also cited concerns about potential loopholes in the conditions and increasing wireless consolidation.

The FCC defended revised rules for over-the-air reception devices, approved by commissioners in January (see 2101070068), against a petition by Children’s Health Defense and four individuals asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to overturn the rules. The order provides protections already afforded to OTARD devices to “hub and relay” antennas used for the distribution of broadband-only service to multiple customer locations. “The FCC explained” in the order “that the multi-purpose nature of modern antennas makes the exclusion obsolete and that its repeal will encourage the deployment of fixed wireless networks that provide high-speed Internet access and other services to consumers,” the agency said in a Tuesday brief in docket 21-1075 (in Pacer): Plaintiffs “see this modest update as a sea change.” Petitioners lack standing to bring the case, the FCC said. They “do not show that the FCC’s modest amendment substantially increases the risk of alleged harm from exposure to radiofrequency emissions when compared to the preexisting rule, or that the injuries to Children’s Health’s organizational interests can be attributed to the rule change,” the FCC said. The change “falls easily within the FCC’s broad authority to regulate radio communications,” the brief said. Oral argument hasn’t been scheduled. The court earlier declined to stay the order (see 2104010064).

The FCC Wireless Bureau granted six licenses to tribes in Alaska to use the 2.5 GHz band for broadband. That brings to 270 the number of licenses granted to tribal entities, the FCC said Monday.

Customers on select Sprint and T-Mobile wireless plans are eligible for a free year of Apple TV+, said the carrier Monday. Beginning Wednesday, new and existing customers on Magenta or Magenta Max, Magenta 55+, Magenta Military, Magenta First Responders, Sprint Unlimited Plus, Sprint Premium and small T-Mobile for Business can redeem the 12-month free Apple TV+ offer, it said.