New America Wireless Future Project Director Michael Calabrese opposed CTIA proposals to license the upper 6 GHz band, currently under examination for unlicensed use, in meetings with FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly and aides to the other commissioners. Any private sale of the C band would violate the public auction requirements of Communications Act Section 309(j) even if the FCC requires transparent auction procedures and a share of the money to Treasury, Calabrese said. “With respect to the 5.9 GHz band, I inquired about the reason for delaying a Commission vote on what Chairman [Ajit] Pai indicated would be a Further” NPRM (see 1905150053), said a filing posted Wednesday in dockets including 18-295.

The FCC Enforcement Bureau denied a complaint by a customer who alleged that Verizon violated the rules attached to its 700 MHz C-block licenses by causing the tethering application on his handset to stop functioning. Edward Ryan alleged that following a 2013 network update by Verizon he could no longer tether with his Motorola Moto X phone using the FoxFi application, the bureau said. “We find that the record contains no evidence that Verizon took any action causing Ryan’s difficulties” and “we deny Ryan’s complaint,” said a Tuesday order in docket 14-219. Ryan couldn’t be reached for comment.

Comments will be due June 21, replies July 22 in docket 19-116 on proposed allocation and service rules for the 1675–1680 MHz band, following expected publication of a Federal Register notice Wednesday. Commissioners approved 5-0 an NPRM on the topic at their May meeting. “The Commission seeks comment on the appropriate sharing mechanisms that will protect incumbent federal operations while making the spectrum available for new, non-federal use,” the notice says: “The Commission also proposes service and technical rules designed to promote efficient and intensive use by any new, non-federal services.” The notice had been sought by Ligado (see 1905090041).

Representatives of ITS America discussed the group’s stance on the 5.9 GHz band and the current state of cellular vehicle-to-everything and other deployments, with staff from the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology. Chairman Ajit Pai was ready to circulate an NPRM on the band last week but postponed seeking a vote after the Transportation Department asked for a delay (see 1905150053). “OET staff requested any additional information available regarding the deployment of C-V2X technology on Interstate 70 by the Colorado Department of Transportation,” said a filing Tuesday in docket 13-49.

Best Best local government attorney Gerard Lederer said he spoke with FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly at last weekend’s FCBA retreat (see 1905200006) on behalf of his clients. The topic was an NPRM on updating a rule for over-the-air reception devices (OTARDs) approved by commissioners 5-0 in April (see 1904150035). “The FCC’s proposal went far beyond the original intent and delegation of authority to the Commission pursuant to Section 207 of the Telecommunications Act, and ... we looked to Commissioner O’Rielly to continue his practice of steadfastly honoring the spirit and letter of the Telecommunications Act,” said a filing Tuesday in docket 19-71.

The Commerce Department Bureau of Industry and Security is issuing a general license temporarily allowing certain transactions with Huawei and 68 of its affiliates without new licensing requirements set by their recent addition (see 1905160081) to the entity list. The general license authorizes exports, re-exports and in-country transfers under pre-listing conditions if they are related to continued operation of existing networks and equipment; support for existing Huawei handsets; cybersecurity research and vulnerability disclosure; or engagement necessary for the development of 5G standards by a recognized standards body. The general license is set for Federal Register publication Wednesday and remains in effect until Aug. 19. "The Temporary General License grants operators time to make other arrangements and the Department space to determine the appropriate long term measures for Americans and foreign telecommunications providers that currently rely on Huawei equipment for critical services,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross Monday. “This license will allow operations to continue for existing Huawei mobile phone users and rural broadband networks.” The steps the U.S. government is taking are “long overdue,” blogged Roslyn Layton, visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, on Tuesday. “The actions follow two decades of intelligence gathering and experience documenting the risk of the products and services of firms associated with the Chinese government and military, repeated trade violations, and cyberattacks, including the one on the Office of Personnel Management.”

The Enforcement Bureau Monday proposed a fine of $20,000 against Caribbean Network Solutions for allegedly operating two U-NII devices in the 5.6 GHz band, against FCC rules, causing interference to an FAA doppler weather radar station in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The fines comes following a visit to the site by bureau staff last September. Officials “observed that two Ubiquiti Rocket” devices “were operating on the same wireless network using a center frequency of 5.620 GHz,” the order said. “Bureau personnel also observed that the Ubiquiti Devices were configured to operate using the Argentina country code, rather than the United States country code, and that Dynamic Frequency Selection was not enabled.” The company didn’t comment. The bureau noted it could have been fined as much as $151,005 “for a single act or failure to act.”

Alongside the C band and 6 GHz band, making 40 MHz of licensed L band available for 5G "would add meaningful points on the scoreboard for Team USA," Ligado CEO Doug Smith and Competitive Carriers Association CEO Steven Berry wrote Monday in Morning Consult. They said the limbo that Ligado's FCC proposal for using the spectrum for broadband terrestrial low-power service waits in stands in contrast to the drumbeat for more mid-band for 5G.

Intel seeks "expeditious completion of rules to enable licensed terrestrial mobile use" in the C band and "unlicensed shared use of the 5.925-7.125 GHz band." Senior Vice President, Network Platforms Group Sandra Rivera, Vice President-Next Generation and Standards Group Asha Keddy and other executives discussed that and the importance of mid-band spectrum for 5G on Wednesday with Commissioner Rosenworcel. That's according to a filing posted Monday in docket 18-295. Commissioner Mike O'Rielly said Saturday that he would be OK with freeing up 200 MHz in the C band initially (see 1905200006).

Five utility groups want the FCC to take additional steps to protect their microwave communications from interference in the 6 GHz band if it's opened to unlicensed use. Hundreds of critical infrastructure industries' licensees are in that band, associations representing nearly all U.S. electric utilities and many water and wastewater utilities wrote FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, in a letter posted Monday in docket 18-295. The agency's proposed automated frequency coordination system (AFC) "remains untested and unproven," said group leaders, mostly their CEOs, of the American Public Power Association, American Water Works Association, Edison Electric Institute, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and Utilities Technology Council. NTIA has concerns about a similar technology in the 5.8 GHz band, the groups said. They sought to have AFC required for indoor and outdoor unlicensed operations, mandate AFC cybersecurity, and test the system to prevent interference to microwave systems before any 6 GHz unlicensed operations.