Echodyne got an FCC waiver of rules to allow ground-based radiolocation use of its EchoGuard radar (see 1810110029), pending the outcome of the company's rulemaking petition for rules for such secondary use of the 24.45-24.65 GHz band, said a Wireless Bureau order in Thursday's Daily Digest and on docket 17-352. The product could detect drones at prisons and stadiums, or surveil borders. The company agreed to AT&T-proposed conditions to follow the Part 87 regulatory framework and have only fixed deployments at specific locations, the bureau said. "U.S. Border Patrol and In-Q-Tel support Echodyne’s request, on the grounds that grant of a waiver would enhance security as unmanned aircraft proliferate in U.S. airspace." Such drone detection "is an important public safety function" and "facilitating the deployment of new, more effective technology to protect critical infrastructure and other sensitive areas furthers the public interest," the bureau ruled. It said FAA and the company came up with the conditions in this order. The waiver lasts five years, during which the manufacturer can sell up to 15,000 units to nonfederal users. The FAA and Echodyne didn't comment. AT&T declined to comment.

Huawei told the FCC banning any network equipment vendor for national security reasons (see 1905150066) will do nothing to make 5G safer. “Not only would a policy of targeting specific vendors be insufficient to address supply chain concerns, it may also cause the United States to violate its international trade obligations,” the Chinese telecom gearmaker said, posted Thursday in docket 18-89. “Huawei cannot and will not sabotage its customer networks. But recent actions by the United States Government are only one step away from doing so.”

Verizon asked the FCC not to impose restrictions NTIA seeks on the carrier's ability to lock handsets (see 1906070032). “Although NTIA supports Verizon’s petition for a partial waiver of the handset locking rule to combat this type of fraud, it suggests that the Commission should ‘narrow the scope of a partial waiver in order to maximize continuing benefits to consumers,’” Verizon said, posted Thursday in docket 06-150. The company's proposed temporary waiver “was crafted to be as targeted as reasonably possible while still being effective and already strikes the appropriate balance. The additional limitations that NTIA asks the Commission to consider fail to appreciate that as soon as a device is unlocked, there is no mechanism to relock that device,” the carrier said: “It is therefore critical for Verizon to combat fraud on the front end.” The commission took comment on the waiver in April (see 1903050057).

Reject Dynetics’ request the FCC lift or waive the temporary freeze on nonfederal applications for new or expanded Part 90 operations in the 3100-3550 MHz band (see 1905290011), CTIA said. The freeze came as NTIA studies use of the 3450-3550 MHz band for wireless broadband (see 1802260047). Congress directed a study of the broader band in the Mobile Now Act. The request is, “if anything, an untimely petition for reconsideration of the Freeze Public Notice,” CTIA said. If the U.S. “is to keep pace in the race to 5G, the Commission should refrain from embedding additional incumbent operations in mid-band spectrum under review for repurposing to commercial wireless services,” CTIA said. “Dynetics is asking the Commission to put aside the nation’s 5G goals and instead permit new deployments of radiolocation operations in the band.” The Wireless Innovation Forum also opposed a waiver. Waiver could “preclude or hinder higher and better uses of the spectrum,” the forum said: “The Dynetics technology is intended to be deployed widely, and therefore will establish a large installed base of devices. Should NTIA and the Commission ultimately decide that commercial wireless services can share this band segment, any deployed systems will present a significant obstacle and impediment to any contemplated sharing of this band, as envisioned by the current initiatives.” Comments were due Wednesday in docket 19-39.

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers urged the FCC to move quickly to give companies “certainty” in deploying dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) and other vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technologies in the 5.9 GHz band. Chairman Ajit Pai was ready to circulate an NPRM on the band for the June FCC meeting but postponed seeking a vote after the Transportation Department asked for a delay (see 1905150053). “A critical assumption in the U.S. DOT’s and industry’s development of DSRC-based technologies and applications was that spectrum sharing of the 5.9 GHz band with unlicensed users was not intended, and regulatory certainty would be provided by the FCC to allow a decade of research, testing, product development and deployment of safety-critical technology to mature and progress,” the alliance said Wednesday in docket 13-49: “Unfortunately, this assumption has not held true, as repeated spectrum sharing proposals by the FCC have induced ongoing uncertainty.” Meanwhile, 17 free-market oriented groups urged the FCC to tackle the band. "The time for action is now,” the groups said. “This valuable spectrum has lain fallow for 20 years, at great expense to the country. The commission should open this inquiry and ensure the spectrum is put to use expeditiously.” Citizens Against Government Waste, the Lincoln Network, American Legislative Exchange Council, Innovation Economy Institute, Tech Freedom, Institute for Liberty, American Conservative Union and Discovery Institute were among signers.

The 700 MHz relicensing window's 30-day phase 1 is Aug. 12-Sept. 11 for the four markets where licensees failed to meet construction requirements, said a Wednesday FCC Wireless Bureau notice on docket 06-150. The licenses cover part of the Gulf of Mexico, portions of North Dakota 4, McKenzie, and North Dakota 3, Barnes, and the Texas 1, Dallam, market, the bureau said. "We strongly encourage potential applicants to conduct due diligence to determine the unserved areas where they actually will be able to provide service because licenses acquired through this process will have one year to complete construction, provide signal coverage and offer service over 100 percent of the relicensed area. If the licensee fails to meet this requirement, then its license will terminate automatically, and it will be ineligible to apply to provide service to that area at any future date."

The IEEE 802 LAN/MAN Standards Committee (LMSC) encouraged the FCC to give dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) a chance to deploy rather than seek comment on a 5G Automotive Association proposal to allow vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology in the band. “As the US Department of Transportation noted, in October 2018 there were already more than 70 active DSRC deployments, using all seven channels and with thousands of vehicles on the road,” LMSC said. “allowing automakers and infrastructure owner-operators to evolve their deployments to [next-generation V2X] over time will protect past and future investments in DSRC, providing a critical incentive for additional deployment of these life-saving technologies.” The group is concerned other models, like the one advocated by the 5GAA, “will undermine existing investments and discourage widespread deployment of V2X technology,” said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 18-357.

ARRL updated the FCC Wednesday on its work trying to reach an agreement in a proceeding that proposes to remove limitations on the symbol, or baud, rate, applicable to data emissions in some amateur bands. In March, the amateur radio operator group asked to pause the proceeding (see 1903280059), in docket 16-239. “The nation benefits from Amateur Radio’s fairly flexible regulatory framework that, geared in part toward experimentation, continues to play an important role in advancing technological innovation” the group said: “But inevitably in Amateur Radio, as in other Commission-regulated areas, adapting current regulation to rapidly evolving technology can be a challenge and requires adjustments to continue to serve valid regulatory purposes without stymying technological change and innovation.” ARRL said it scheduled a meeting in Washington for Tuesday, but that had to be scuttled and is being rescheduled. “While there is no guarantee of success, the ARRL’s efforts continue to focus on providing a means for all facets of the Amateur Radio service to grow and prosper within its traditional regulatory structure,” the group said, posted Wednesday.

The FCC Wireless Bureau approved a license modification allowing the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority to deploy positive train control. Wednesday's order approves MBTA's request to operate 228 PTC base stations under automated maritime telecommunications system licenses WRAN721 and WRAN723. It can "deploy a Congressionally-mandated PTC safety system on its commuter rail network, serving the greater Boston" area, the bureau said. “The public interest in rail safety will be served by granting MBTA permanent authority to operate the 228 proposed PTC base stations at transmitter output power levels ranging from 2 to 10 watts.”

AT&T said it’s exploring with Uber how LTE and “eventually” 5G can enhance electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles and cargo drones. “Multi-phase collaboration plans to bring together AT&T’s outstanding 4G and industry-leading 5G expertise with Elevate, Uber’s air mobility business unit, to support advanced technologies eventually enabling aerial ridesharing and cargo delivery applications,” AT&T said Tuesday.