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.

The departments of Homeland Security and Energy haven't fully vacated the 1710-1755 MHz band, sold by the FCC in 2006 in the AWS-1 auction, with a follow-up auction in 2008, NTIA reported Tuesday. DHS has faced contractor-related delays and DOE weather problems, NTIA said. “They continue to spend [Spectrum Relocation Fund] funds and now expect to complete the relocation effort and achieve comparable capability in 2018 and 2019, respectively,” the report said. Twelve agencies have left the band completely. This was the 11th progress update. Part two of the report offers an update on the clearing of bands sold in the AWS-3 auction, which ended in 2015. The Capitol Police, Department of Commerce/NOAA and Department of Veterans Affairs have “completed their relocation efforts and achieved comparable capability,” NTIA said: DOE and DOD “have missed their original transition timelines … for systems at a few specific locations.” The full transition isn’t expected to be completed until 2025, the agency said.

The Wireless Bureau announced changes to the FCC Tower Construction Notification System (TCNS) and Electronic Section-106 System (E-106), approved as part of wireless infrastructure changes. TCNS stopped accepting new submissions, and E-106 will stop at 6 a.m. EDT, Friday. Both systems will start accepting new submissions at 10 a.m. Friday, the bureau said Monday.

American Tower executives made the case for revised wireless infrastructure rules, in meetings with aides to Commissioners Mike O’Rielly and Brendan Carr. The FCC should “strike a reasonable balance” between the interests of local governments and industry, the company said. Collocation is “an economically and environmentally efficient method to deploy new wireless facilities” and macro towers remain “a vital component of the 5G wireless ecosystem,” American Tower said in docket 17-79.

The FCC said 80 entities had access to Universal Service Administrator Co.'s Mobility Fund Phase II challenge process portal as of June 30, up from 64 on May 31 (see 1806010041). The Rural Broadband Auctions Task Force and Wireless and Wireline bureaus gave their second update Monday. The number of carriers remained 37, joined by 13 state and 14 local government entities, 12 tribal agencies and four classified as “other.” State and local entities drove growth in players with access. Challengers have submitted data including 399,390 speed tests, the FCC said in docket 10-90.

The FCC Public Safety Bureau refused to give Miami-Dade County, Florida, more time to complete the 800 MHz rebanding of its public safety radios. The county asked the FCC to the extend the June 26, 2008, deadline to return equipment to Sprint and remove pre-banding channels from about half its 15,000 subscriber units, the bureau said. The retuning there has been otherwise complete since 2014, the bureau said. Sprint “speculates” Miami-Dade wants an extension because it doesn’t want to compensate the carrier for the value of 1,799 radios the company paid Harris to provide to the county, the bureau said. “According to Sprint, Miami-Dade neglected to return the surplus radios to Harris on schedule, and Harris consequently declined to accept the radios for return or to refund their cost to Sprint.” The bureau said in docket 02-55 it need not address such claims. “Miami-Dade has fallen short of justifying its waiver request as required,” the bureau ruled. “It has neither exhibited the diligence that the Commission requires before a waiver request can be granted nor justified the extent of the delay it requests.” The order requires "Miami-Dade and Sprint to fulfil all of their remaining rebanding obligations" within 90 days. The county didn't comment.