The FCC Public Safety Bureau plans a workshop June 2 to take advice on rules for carriers to submit annual certifications required under the commission’s new 911 reliability rules. In December, the FCC voted to require carriers to file annual audits on how they are following best practices for 911 connections (CD Dec 13 p7). The order followed the 2012 derecho, which led to 911 outages affecting emergency call centers in three states. The workshop is scheduled 1-4 p.m. at FCC headquarters in Washington.

Samsung remained the global smartphone market share leader in Q1 this year, as its shipments grew to 85 million from 69.7 million in Q1 last year, IDC said Wednesday. But Samsung’s share slipped to 30.2 percent from 31.9 percent in Q1 last year. Apple remained firmly No. 2, as its shipments increased to 43.7 million from 37.4 million, but its share dipped to 15.5 percent from 17.1 percent. Samsung started 2014 exactly where it started and finished 2013, as the “undisputed” global leader in the smartphone market, said IDC. By March 31, Samsung had shipped more smartphones than the next four vendors combined, said the research company. Although Samsung “relied” on its high-end smartphones within mature markets and its “deep” selection of entry- and mid-range models in emerging markets, Samsung also launched its flagship Galaxy S5 within select markets, said IDC. Apple achieved a new Q1 record by passing 40 million units, said IDC. The manufacturer had double-digit growth in Japan and across multiple developing markets, including Brazil, China, India and Indonesia, said IDC. But it had the weakest year-over-year growth among the top five smartphone vendors, who also included Huawei, Lenovo and LG, said IDC. It remained to be seen when -- “not if” -- Apple’s rumored large-screen models will ship, said IDC. Those models would be “filling a gap in the company’s portfolio that has been exploited by the competition,” said the research company. Despite growing their smartphone shipments in Q1, Huawei, Lenovo and LG continued to have single-digit shares, with LG’s slipping to 4.4 percent from 4.7 percent, said IDC. Huawei smartphone shipments grew to 13.7 million from 9.3 million, while its share grew to 4.9 percent from 4.3 percent. Lenovo’s shipments grew to 12.9 million from 7.9 million and its share increased to 4.6 percent from 3.6 percent. LG’s shipments jumped to 12.3 million from 10.3 million. Smartphone shipments from other manufacturers soared to 113.9 million from 84.2 million. Huawei’s goal for 2014 is to ship 80 million smartphones globally, and contributing to that is the company’s growing emphasis on large-screen models, said IDC. Huawei’s latest model, the Ascend Mate 2 4G, has a 6.1-inch screen, one of the largest in the industry, said IDC. Lenovo’s ability to score the largest year-over-year growth among the top five smartphone vendors was helped by continued success in Asia-Pacific despite its “nominal presence” in other markets, said IDC. The minimal presence outside Asia will “quickly change” after Lenovo’s purchase of Motorola Mobility from Google is finalized, giving Lenovo a “footprint” in markets including North America and Western Europe where it has been “notably absent,” said IDC. Total Q1 global smartphone shipments grew 28.6 percent from Q1 last year to 281.5 million units, said IDC. The smartphone market started 2014 with an “expected retrenchment” from strong holiday quarter shipment volumes despite the year-over-year growth, it said. Shipments declined 2.8 percent from Q4. But the Q1 results beat IDC’s forecast of 267.2 million units by 5.3 percent, it said.

The FCC released a document Wednesday listing all handsets used by every U.S. carrier (http://bit.ly/1fR06zL) at the end of 2013. The agency also posted information on handsets offered in the U.S. during the same time frame, offering information on air interface technology, the bands they operate in and whether they are rated for use with hearing aids (http://bit.ly/1kiQhvI).

Verizon agreed to pay $50,000 and take other steps to end an FCC investigation of whether it violated the commission’s radiofrequency exposure (RFE) limits in Philadelphia and Hartford. The FCC found that rooftop transmitters at one site in each city “may have violated” the RFE rules, the Enforcement Bureau said (http://bit.ly/1hXavcP). “To resolve the investigations, Verizon Wireless will pay $50,000 and implement a rigorous compliance plan to protect Verizon Wireless employees, contractors, and other people who may come into contact with radiofrequency emissions from Verizon Wireless facilities,” the bureau said. “The plan includes training for Verizon Wireless employees and contractors, periodic inspections of approximately 5,000 Verizon Wireless sites, reporting requirements, and other safety measures."

A Florida man who allegedly jammed consumer cellphone service from his car for nearly two years and interfered with first-responder communications faces a possible $48,000 fine from the FCC, the agency said in a release Tuesday (http://fcc.us/1iHV3GJ). FCC Enforcement Bureau agents identified Jason Humphreys of Seffner, Fla., as the source of the interference by using sophisticated interference detection techniques (http://fcc.us/1m7XHIX). Hillsborough County Sheriff’s deputies stopped Humphreys’ vehicle while he was apparently operating the jammer and seized the illegal jamming device, the release said. Humphreys’ jammer operation “could and may have had disastrous consequences” by precluding the use of cellphones to reach 911, the FCC said. Signal jammers are transmitters that intentionally interfere with cellphone calls, GPS systems, Wi-Fi networks and first-responder communications..

The FCC Public Safety Bureau gave Pima County, Ariz., more time, but not as much as it had asked, to submit a frequency reconfiguration agreement (FRA) to the 800 MHz Transition Administrator as the county reconfigures its public safety radios. Pima requested an extension until Sept. 11, but got instead an extension through July 15, said a bureau order (http://bit.ly/1pPcWIr). “There is nothing we can do to change the fact that Pima has not been diligent in producing a cost estimate, therefore we have no option other than to give Pima an extension of some duration,” the bureau said. “We need not, however, accede to the lengthy extension in Pima’s Request.”

The FCC Wireless Bureau said Tuesday Dish Network has made all required payments and the satellite operator is officially awarded the 176 H-block licenses it bought in a February auction (CD Feb 28 p3). Dish bid a total of $1.564 billion through a subsidiary, American H Block Wireless. Dish paid a low of $10,000 for the American Samoa licenses and a high of $216.955 million for the license covering New York City and adjoining areas. “Upon further review, we find that the application is complete and conforms to the Commission’s rules,” the bureau said (http://bit.ly/1iE83x0).

Honeywell Aerospace said it will be AT&T’s exclusive hardware provider of domestic air-to-ground communication for the carrier’s planned in-flight connectivity services. AT&T has said it plans to provide 4G LTE service to passengers in-flight by the end of 2015. Honeywell said it will build exclusive hardware for AT&T’s air-to-ground system, which will integrate with Honeywell’s GX and L-Band satellite systems. The air-to-ground system is meant to only work on domestic flights, but connectivity to Honeywell satellites could allow global connectivity, Honeywell said Tuesday (http://prn.to/1kknLuX).

Amazon launched a wearable technology store at its website that it called a “one-stop shop” for consumers to find the newest wearable technology and research wearable devices including activity trackers, smart watches and wearable cameras. The online store features established brands including Samsung, Jawbone and GoPro, along with products from “emerging” brands including Basis and Misfit, and devices from new players including Narrative and Bionym, Amazon said Tuesday. Amazon is seeing “rapid innovation” in the wearable category and its customers are increasingly visiting its website to learn more about such devices, said John Nemeth, Amazon director-wireless and mobile electronics, in a news release. Amazon’s new wearable store features a Learning Center that includes product videos and detailed buying guides.

The FirstNet board Monday named Ali Afrashteh chief technology officer. Afrashteh is a Clearwire veteran who also logged time with Sprint and Nextel, among other wireless companies, FirstNet said. Afrashteh will “manage FirstNet’s planning and deployment of technology programs and initiatives and provide expertise on strategic wireless technology and network operational planning,” FirstNet said in a news release.