Aviation Spectrum Resources Inc. told the FCC its concerns over an order (see 2011130032) granting Piper Networks waiver to operate an ultra-wideband train positioning system in the 4243-4743 MHz band in the New York City area and Harris County, Texas, can be easily resolved. ASRI asked in November to clarify the geographic deployment limitations adopted in the order. Piper filed an opposition. “Points of contention between Piper and ASRI are extremely narrow and can be readily addressed, allowing for rapid grant of ASRI’s Petition likely with minimal, if any, delay or other effect, on Piper’s plans to take advantage of the waiver,” said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 19-246.

The FCC will speed up the C-band auction Wednesday, going from five rounds each day to seven, as bidding slows. The auction hit $80.8 billion Tuesday, not including $13 billion in accelerated clearing payments. BitPath Chief Operating Officer Sasha Javid said accelerating the auction is a sign FCC Chairman Ajit Pai wants to wrap up the clock stage before he leaves next week.

T-Mobile urged approval of a 2.5 GHz auction procedures notice in a call with an aide to FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington. Commissioners vote Wednesday. T-Mobile supports a more traditional simultaneous multiple round auction, rather than the single-round, sealed-bid auction design reportedly proposed (see 2101050053) in the notice, said a filing posted Friday in docket 18-120.

The CBRS Alliance is expanding its focus beyond the citizens broadband radio service band and is now the OnGo Alliance. The group will look at 3rd Generation Partnership Project “technologies operating in shared spectrum bands around the globe.” The FCC, NTIA and DOD “are actively considering other bands for sharing,” said Executive Director Alan Ewing: “Additionally, the Alliance is being contacted by international organizations that would like to engage and become affiliated.”

The 70/80/90 GHz bands are well suited to 5G communications to aircraft using ground stations spaced across rural regions, Qualcomm officials said in a call with FCC Wireless Bureau staff. “Highly focused, three-dimensional communications beams between ground stations and aircraft at elevation angles above 3 degrees will avoid interfering with current and future co-primary terrestrial fixed services and future mobile terrestrial services that transmit at much lower elevation angles,” said a filing posted Friday in docket 20-133: “Real time coordination techniques can address rare cases of interfering geometries.”

Comments are due Feb. 11, replies Feb. 26 on an NPRM approved 5-0 in December proposing limited marketing and sale of wireless devices to consumers before equipment authorization, as long as those devices aren't provided to consumers until authorized by the FCC (see 2012100069), says Tuesday's Federal Register. CTA sought the revised rules. The docket is 20-382.

Smartphone shipments will increase 4% to 161 million units this year, for $73 billion, a 5% dollar-value increase after a year of “slight declines,” CTA reported Monday. Over 67 million 5G smartphones are expected to ship, with 298% growth over last year as the technology continues to build out. 5G revenue is projected at $39 billion, up 218%, as consumer awareness grows and network coverage expands. U.S. retail tech industry sales revenue will reach $461 billion in 2021, up 4.3%, CTA said, noting the pandemic will continue to keep Americans at home using tech to stay connected and entertained. “While the road to a full economic recovery is long and intertwined with a complex vaccine rollout, the tech industry’s ability to meet the moment during this crisis has been critical,” said CTA CEO Gary Shapiro. Spending on streaming services and software is projected to grow 11%, to $112 billion, after 2019-20 growth of 31%. Exclusive content and cord cutting are driving households to take on multiple subscriptions. Video spending is seen rising 15% to $41 billion in 2021, and audio revenue for the year is estimated at $10 billion, rising 19% from last year. In gaming, spending on videogame software is projected to reach $47 billion in 2021, up 8%.

Localities are reviewing and mostly comfortable with revised rules the FCC approved last week for over-the-air reception devices (see 2101070068), Best Best’s Gerard Lederer told us Monday. "The commission made clear that OTARDs are not eligible for [2012 Spectrum Act] 6409(a) treatment and that the commission maintained the requirement that a customer be at the location where the OTARD is deployed.” He noted the order affirms OTARDs must follow RF requirements.

The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology seeks further comment about 6 GHz rules, specifically whether to allow client-to-client device communications, said a Monday notice in docket 18-295. OET said unlicensed proponents requested the change. “We invite comment on whether the Commission should permit 6 GHz … client devices to directly communicate when they are under the control of or have received an enabling signal from a low-power indoor access point,” OET said. “Commenters should explain how they define an enabling signal, what characteristics it must have, how it is similar or different from signals, such as beacons, that access points already used to connect with client devices, and the degree to which an enabling signal would tether a client device not under the direct control of an access point to that access point,” it said. Dates will be set in a Federal Register notice. Commissioners approved new 6 GHz rules and a Further NPRM 5-0 in April (see 2004230059).

The Wireless ISP Association welcomed revised rules for over-the-air reception devices approved by the FCC Thursday (see 2101070068). The decision is “a major win for WISPs and the customers they serve,” the group said Friday, after initially declining to comment. “It will facilitate the placement of broadband-only ‘hubs’ and ‘relay antennas’ -- pizza box-sized technology -- on homes, multi-tenant buildings and vertical structures, providing a potent tool for WISPs and other small innovators to grow broadband deployment beyond past limits imposed by the former rule.”