The Open Technology Institute at New America encouraged the FCC to move quickly to allow automated frequency control in 6 GHz, in a call with an aide to Commissioner Geoffrey Starks. “It would be a costly and unnecessary opportunity loss for consumers and the economy if the Commission takes several years to certify AFCs, as it [did] to certify the then-novel TV Bands Databases and Spectrum Access Systems,” said a filing posted Friday in docket 18-295. The group also expressed concerns on T-Mobile’s pending shuttering (see 2109210040) of its CDMA network.

The National Advertising Review Board recommended AT&T discontinue three commercials comparing its upload speeds to cable services, and discontinue or modify one commercial comparing its fiber service to cable, said a news release Thursday. An AT&T spokesperson directed us to NARB's news release, which said it “supports NARB’s self-regulatory process and will comply with the NARB’s decision” and "noted that it respectfully disagreed with NARB’s recommendation to discontinue or modify certain AT&T Fiber ads."

AT&T urged the FCC to issue a “Knowledge Database document … well prior to the November deadline for submission” of 6 GHz automated frequency coordination proposals (see 2109300069), in a call with Office of Engineering and Technology staff. The document would identify “specific parameters within each of the propagation models mandated by the 6 GHz Order to be used by all AFC system operators,” said a filing posted Friday in docket 18-295. “Setting comprehensive AFC parameters now would be far more efficient from an administrative perspective and thus would speed the certification.”

The FCC Wireless Bureau cleared a waiver for Nebraska Indian Community College to use 2.5 GHz for broadband in an area that’s only partially tribal land. NICC already received a license covering the Santee reservation in Nebraska. NICC sought a second license for the Omaha reservation to the entire Bancroft-Rosalie School District, which includes some nontribal lands, the bureau said Thursday. “Under the unique circumstances presented here, we find that strictly applying the Tribal lands definition in this instance would be contrary to the public interest,” the bureau said: “We also note that no petitions to deny or oppositions were received.”

Though one National Public Safety Telecommunications Council representative told Gogo he no longer had concerns about a Gogo Business Aviation waiver (see 2110130063), "NPSTC's position of concern has not changed," Spectrum Committee Chairman Don Root emailed us Wednesday. Root said NPSTC's 16 organizations representing public safety communications interests haven't reached consensus on whether there's no longer a concern. Gogo said Thursday it "remains eager ‘to satisfactorily resolve any concerns raised by NPSTC, Motorola or other stakeholders" about its waiver request and it "will continue to reach out and address any public safety concerns raised by any party or representative.”

The FCC “reasonably exercised its authority over the Nation’s airwaves” in dividing the 5.9 GHz band, with 45 MHz set aside for Wi-Fi and 30 MHz for cellular vehicle-to-everything technology, the government told the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Last year's order met a “pressing need for improved Wi-Fi internet service and other unlicensed uses, while also preserving ample capacity for present and anticipated vehicular-communications needs,” said a brief filed Wednesday in docket 21-1130. ITS America and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials asked the court to overturn the order (see 2106020076). Wi-Fi advocates believe the order will stand (see 2107020036). The needs of the public and the best use of the spectrum have changed “dramatically” since the FCC allocated the spectrum for auto safety in 1999, the U.S. said. “Vehicular communications technology using the band has barely been deployed, and many of the features for which this spectrum was expected to be used have shifted to different technologies and to other bands,” the government said: “Demand for this spectrum to support Wi-Fi networks and wireless broadband -- technology that barely existed when this spectrum was allocated more than two decades ago -- has exploded.”

Children’s Health Defense and four individuals challenging revised rules for over-the-air reception devices urged the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to overturn revised OTARD rules, approved by FCC commissioners in January (see 2101070068). “The amendments are not ‘modest,’” said a final brief posted Wednesday in docket 21-1075. The revisions “contemplate massive deployment of carrier-grade base stations and antennas in residential areas despite significant local impact, opposition and harm,” the pleading said. Petitioners said the FCC lacked legal authority to approve the revisions. The FCC defended the order (see 2108240040). Safe Technology Minnesota, Wired Broadband and other opponents of the rules filed a brief supporting Children’s Health Defense. “What is striking about the OTARD Report and Order is what it does not contain: any meaningful response to the hundreds of comments filed by parties who advised the Commission that they themselves -- or members of their families or friends -- are suffering health effects as a result of RF emissions,” they said: “The Report and Order dismisses in one sentence the health risks and conditions suffered by hundreds of people who filed comments regarding RF exposure levels.” Public Knowledge and the Open Technology Institute at New America told the court Thursday they plan to file an amicus brief in support of the FCC.

The National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC) no longer has concerns about possible disruptions to public safety operations in the 851-854 MHz band segment from a pending Gogo Business Aviation waiver on power limits for air-to-ground operations in the 849-851 MHz and 894-896 MHz bands, Gogo said in docket 21-282 Wednesday. In a meeting with an FCC Wireless Bureau staffer, Gogo said it's providing Motorola with technical information in hopes of assuaging its concerns about harmful interference to base stations receiving in the 896.0-897.5 MHz band. NPSTC didn't comment.

The FCC Wireless Bureau sought comment Tuesday on Midland Radio’s request for waiver of FCC rules for general mobile radio service devices in the 462 MHz band. Midland requested a waiver to allow digital data transmission from non-handheld radios, the automatic transmission of digital data more than once within a 30-second period, and antennas to be a non-integrated part of the GMRS unit, the bureau said. Midland said the waiver would “improve safety for GMRS users.” Midland proposed to “manufacture GMRS radios that can be used by the off-road/off-grid community to communicate with each other and share real-time GPS location information.” Comments are due Nov. 12, replies Nov. 26, in docket 21-388.

Small- and medium-sized wireless carriers urged a standard simultaneous multiple round auction in the 2.5 GHz band, in a letter posted Tuesday in FCC docket 18-120. “A single round bid does not allow for price discovery,” the providers said: “There is little public information on the value of this spectrum, especially the value assigned by small companies, so it will be hard to know what a winning bid will be until we see others’ bids.” Licenses here "are unique due to different levels of incumbency -- even within markets,” the companies said. Among signers were Cellcom, Inland Cellular, VTel Wireless, C Spire, GCI Communications, Union Telephone, Carolina West Wireless, NE Colorado Cellular and NTT Docomo Pacific.