Keysight Technologies extended its collaboration with AAC Technologies for validation of antenna designs for 5G new radio devices, it said Wednesday. Keysight’s 5G solutions will facilitate introduction of high-performance 5G products in “nearly any form factor,” said the company. AAC provides RF front-end integrated components for the global wireless market.
The FCC Wireless Bureau detailed a workshop Jan. 14 (see 1912020057) on how tribal interests can seek access to 2.5 GHz educational broadband service spectrum. “FCC staff will provide information to attendees on 2.5 GHz spectrum, the mapping tool developed by the Commission, and the Rural Tribal Priority window dates and application filing process,” the bureau said Wednesday, releasing an agenda. The tribal window opens Feb. 3 and closes Aug. 3. The workshop starts at 9:30 a.m. in the Commission Meeting Room.
Zebra Technologies presented about its ultra-wideband technology that uses the 6 GHz band, in meetings with FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly and aides to the other commissioners. The company discussed "the impact of the proposals outlined in the NPRM on the Dart technology and its uses, and suggested coexistence solutions that would continue to allow for unlicensed UWB technologies to successfully coexist with incumbent users and expand unlicensed Wi-Fi uses,” said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 18-295.
ARRL said the FCC should take no action is response to a New York University petition for a declaratory ruling that Section 97.113(a)(4) of FCC rules prohibits the transmission on amateur radio frequencies of “effectively encrypted or encoded messages, including messages that cannot be readily decoded over-the-air for true meaning.” The use of encrypted Winlink Global Radio Email by amateur radio operators has been a long-standing dispute (see 1904010034). “The League does not support limiting experimentation and use of digital techniques in the Amateur Service without a clearly demonstrated need for doing so,” said reply comments posted Wednesday in docket 16-239. “Any such limitation would be unique to the United States. There is no public interest in prohibiting or limiting experimentation with digital techniques in this country.” NYU said few of the comments opposing its petition “appear to originate from licensed amateur radio operators.” It said it doesn’t seek to “halt, harm, or disable operation of Winlink” or similar services. It seeks clarity “to ensure that transparency and openness are assured for all data modes and networks in the amateur radio service, present and future.”
FCC auction of licenses in the 37, 39 and 47 GHz bands had $3.92 billion in gross proceeds at the end of bidding Wednesday. The auction started Dec. 10. Three rounds are scheduled for Thursday.
Oil and gas producer Oxy, and subsidiary Anadarko, asked the FCC to extend until Jan. 8, 2023, licenses that fall under the citizens broadband radio service transition. The licenses cover leases in New Mexico, Texas, Utah, Colorado and elsewhere in the Gulf of Mexico. That date is when its last license expires, Oxy filed in docket 18-353. The companies “rely heavily on the 3650-3700 MHz band to provide critical monitoring and automation for oil and gas production systems,” Oxy said: “The 3650-3700 MHz networks that the Parties have operated on for the last nine years support telemetry and pipeline measurement data systems."
Sprint said the FCC should simplify rules for the 800 MHz transition. Commissioners approved 5-0 in October an order and Further NPRM. “With the Commission’s modifications to the closing process, Sprint and other stakeholders can complete the few remaining retunes and the administrative tasks associated with band reconfiguration more expeditiously,” Sprint said in docket 02-55, posted Tuesday: “The Commission item included a FNPRM to consider elimination of two responsibilities of the 800 MHz Transition Administrator which are no longer necessary at this late stage of the 800 MHz band reconfiguration program.”
ARRL directors met FCC Public Safety Bureau staff, including on an ongoing fight over limitations on the symbol, or baud, rate applicable to data emissions (see 1907160016). "Amateur Radio Service continues to fulfill the need for emergency and disaster communications,” said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 16-239. Amateurs “cannot participate in some of these emergency communications activities because of an outdated rule limiting the permissible ‘symbol rate’ used in digital communications.”
FCC authority to hold an incentive auction of the C band isn’t the biggest question looming as the regulator considers how to open the band for 5G (see 1912130061), New Street's Blair Levin emailed. “The value of the spectrum is directly related to the speed and certainty of the bidders obtaining use of the spectrum,” he said: “If the time is long and the date uncertain, the value goes down dramatically.” There are several approaches “that would pass legal muster,” Levin said.
IRobot CEO Colin Angle sought a compromise on sharing the 6 GHz band with unlicensed devices, in meetings with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, said a filing posted Monday in docket 18-295. It's expected to be a big FCC focus in coming months (see 1912130061). “A workable remedy would be to split the band and provide a safe haven for utilities and others, including [ultra-wideband] to operate on 500 MHz of spectrum, leaving 700 MHz to Wi-Fi,” Angle said.