Vuzix said it completed, passed and filed with the FCC all emissions requirements for its next-generation Vuzix Blade smart glasses and completed the European Union CE emissions certification process. Volume manufacturing has begun at the company's West Henrietta, New York, facility, and Vuzix CEO Paul Travers expects "broad shipping" to begin in the U.S., Canada and Europe. In a shareholder letter, Travers outlined factors expected to boost 2018 revenue: more than 750 M300 smart glasses pilots and new ones launching; existing customers placing follow-on orders to pilots; "dozens" of customers and partners surpassing 2017 order totals: and an expanding sales footprint based on regulatory agency certifications in new regions, including Eastern Europe, South America and Asia. The company expects new revenue streams from the Toshiba AR100 and Vuzix Blade, plus more OEM engagements and provision of engineering services, said the executive. Vuzix virtual imaging products integrate microdisplay technology with advanced optics to produce high-resolution display engines measuring less than half an inch diagonally. When viewed through smart glasses, the products create virtual images that "appear comparable in size to that of a computer monitor or a large-screen television," it said. The smart glasses are designed to be used as a stand-alone product or as a smartphone peripheral and can be used as a "wearable substitute" for TVs, desktop PC monitors or tablets, it said. For the quarter ended March 31, Vuzix had product sales of $1.4 million vs. $959,383 in the year-ago quarter and engineering sales of $180,516 vs. $251,280 in the 2017 quarter. Net loss widened to $5.4 million from $4.2 million. Shares closed up 2.7 percent at $7.60.

Competition between wireless carriers is likely to increase in the second half of 2018, Macquarie Research’s Amy Yong told investors Thursday. “AT&T will likely leverage its new assets to offer better bundles, while T-Mobile/Sprint could offer promos to showcase their consumer-friendly nature,” Yong said. Verizon, which will soon have a new CEO in Hans Vestberg, will likely take “a fresh approach” to competition, she said. Yong predicted T-Mobile will continue to make investments in its networks as it waits for regulators on the Sprint deal. “T-Mobile is balancing standalone network investments while trying not to compromise deal synergies,” she said.” We expect it will continue its 5G efforts in its 600 MHz footprint, which should fit nicely with Sprint’s 2.5 GHz spectrum efforts.”

Q Link Wireless asked the FCC to ensure application programming interfaces (APIs) are implemented by the Universal Service Administrative Co. in a USF Lifeline national verifier, to permit eligible telecom carriers (ETCs) "to exchange information with USAC, including information necessary to establish eligibility, on a machine-to-machine basis when consumers seek to enroll" in the low-income program. USAC’s current implementation "will be unnecessarily difficult and confusing for consumers, especially rural Americans; will expose consumers to phishing fraud by unscrupulous individuals; and will increase the National Verifier’s annual operating costs by tens of millions of dollars," said Q Link's emergency petition in docket 17-287 Thursday. "There are right ways and wrong ways to do things, and USAC’s current path is the wrong way."

T-Mobile engineer Steve Sharkey discussed the carrier’s positions on several bands, including 3.5 GHz, in a meeting with Erin McGrath, aide to Commissioner Mike O’Rielly. “It is important that the Commission adopt rules that authorize Priority Access Licenses in appropriately-sized geographic areas,” Sharkey said of the 3.5 GHz band. “The Commission must avoid the engineering challenges of using 3.5 GHz spectrum in too-small geographic areas in urban locations while potentially fostering the use of the spectrum by smaller providers in rural areas.” Sharkey said the C-band, the subject of an NPRM teed up for a vote next week (see 1806210063), “presents the Commission with an important opportunity to ensure that the United States remains at the forefront of fifth generation wireless development.” The Tuesday filing was in 17-183 and other dockets.

Tower company Crown Castle asked the FCC to use its authority under Section 253 of the Communications Act to address actions by railroads that can slow or stop wireless deployment. “Railroads routinely inhibit Crown Castle’s ability to deploy by imposing commercially unreasonable fees and requirements for crossings within public rights-of-way,” Crown Castle said. “Examples of fees required by railroads include a $21,500 document preparation fee, $66,807 ROW crossing fee, $2,000 reoccurring annual fee, and $1,500 engineering review fee.” The railroads are also often slow to respond to the company’s requests for ROW crossings, Crown Castle said in docket 17-84.

Smith Bagley Inc. asked the FCC to extend a July 1 Lifeline deadline by one month for implementing standard form requirements in the USF low-income program. The Lifeline-backed wireless provider has been working on incorporating Universal Service Administrative Co. language into its forms and process flows, but USAC May 30 provided guidance that amounted to "new" substantive requirements, said its petition for a limited waiver posted Monday in docket 11-42. It said USAC instructed providers not to "re-format, re-order, condense, or change the layout in any way" and to ensure online form sections are in the same order as paper forms. "SBI was required to revisit" the forms it was developing and "redesign the process flow within its billing system," it said, noting it would be only partially compliant on July 1. "These changes must then be submitted to SBI’s billing vendor, who then must build the changes into the billing system architecture."

Booz Allen Hamilton got special temporary authority from the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology to conduct short-term experimental testing and the technical demonstration of the use of LTE for defense applications for the Army and Marine Corps. The tests are restricted to areas around Camp Roberts in San Miguel, California. The company will use the 824-849 and 1710-1755 MHz bands.

Modernizing wireless siting policies is key to ensuring the U.S. is “5G-ready,” CTIA President Meredith Baker last week told FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr. “Timely Commission action is essential to creating capacity for today’s 4G LTE networks and supporting the nation’s next-generation technologies and services,” CTIA said in docket 17-79. “Establish clear timelines for the entire local review process, with enforceable remedies, and ensure that fees charged by state and local governments are cost-based, non-discriminatory, and transparent,” the group recommended Monday. Chairman Ajit Pai tasked Carr last year with overseeing work on wireless infrastructure.

The FCC Enforcement Bureau revoked Metro Two-Way’s spectrum licenses and dismissed its applications for new licenses. FCC Chief Administrative Law Judge Richard Sippel ruled last month, after the company failed to appear at a prehearing conference on a proceeding to decide whether the company is qualified to remain a licensee (see 1806110047). “Metro lacks the qualifications to be or remain a Commission licensee,” the bureau said. “Metro waived its right to a hearing, and the record in this proceeding indicates that Metro repeatedly made misrepresentations to and lacked candor with the Commission ... by failing to disclose the felony conviction of Mr. Hector Manuel Mosquera, an apparent principal of Metro.” The company didn’t comment.

DOJ and the FCC said an experienced amateur radio operator in North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, agreed to pay a fine for intentionally interfering with other amateur operators and blocking others’ use of the airwaves. Brian Crow agreed to pay a $7,000 fine and to restrictions on his license during the next six months, the FCC said. “When a ‘ham radio’ operator interferes with other operators, the whole amateur radio system is threatened -- potentially to the point that it could fall apart,” said Rosemary Harold, chief of the Enforcement Bureau. “Amateur radio licensees know that the rules require them to share the airwaves, which means that bad actors cannot plead ignorance. This settlement is a significant payment for an individual operator, and it sends a serious message.” DOJ cited an alleged 2014 incident. Crow, a well-known operator, has held license at the most advanced class since 1997, and obtained his first license in 1976, DOJ said. Crow couldn’t be reached for immediate comment.