The Fixed Wireless Communications Coalition asked the FCC for a stay of a waiver the Wi-Fi Alliance received allowing automated frequency coordination systems in the 6 GHz band to take building entry loss into account for “composite” standard-power and low-power devices that are restricted to operating indoors. The request was filed on Monday and posted Tuesday in docket 23-107. The coalition also asked the FCC to review the order (see 2501060060).

Text Request said in a report released Tuesday customer service is the most common use case for business texting, with 75.9% of companies surveyed saying they use text with customers, 66.8% saying it saves them one to five hours per week and 11.9% saying texting saves them 10 or more hours.

Summit Ridge told the FCC it remains on track to shutter operations of the 3.45 GHz relocation reimbursement clearinghouse by March 1, said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 19-348. A March 1 closure assumes “no unexpected delays” and is “based on reasonable timeline assumptions informed” by the Wireless Bureau, the filing said. The FCC sought comment by Dec. 18 on the proposal to close the clearinghouse (see 2412030032), but none was posted in the docket. Summit Ridge said the clearinghouse’s cash balance was $162,924.20 at the end of 2024, which will cover final expenses. “The Clearinghouse does not expect to make additional payments to incumbents,” the filing said.

Several California utilities advised T-Mobile of plans for a power shutoff starting Tuesday and lasting through Saturday, reducing the possibility of fire, the carrier said over the weekend. The shutoff is for the following counties: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura. Utilities may “temporarily turn off power to specific areas to reduce the risk of fires caused by electric infrastructure in extreme weather,” T-Mobile said: “Thanks to our network of generators and backup towers, customers may not notice any impacts on their T-Mobile service.”

The Fixed Wireless Communications Coalition is seeking review of a waiver approved for the Wi-Fi Alliance allowing automated frequency coordination systems in the 6 GHz band to take building entry loss into account for “composite” standard-power and low-power devices that are restricted to operating indoors. The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology approved the waiver last month (see 2412050049). “Did OET’s finding that special circumstances warranted grant of the Waiver Request conflict with case precedent regarding what constitutes special circumstances?” FWCC asked in a filing Monday in docket 23-107. Taken through delegated authority, the action “conflicts with statute, regulation, case precedent, or established Commission policy,” in violation of FCC rules, the group said: “OET erred by failing to articulate ‘special circumstances beyond those considered during regular rulemaking.’”

T-Mobile received additional support for its proposed acquisition of “substantially all” of UScellular’s wireless operations, including some of its spectrum (see 2405280047). “This transaction provides a critical opportunity to increase network capacity and create more affordable access to wireless services for cost-conscience consumers and communities in need across the country,” said the Conference of National Black Churches. StartOut, which supports LGBTQ entrepreneurs, said the deal should help “bridge the digital divide, particularly for those in remote areas who rely on strong internet access to participate in the modern economy.” Both filings were posted Monday in docket 24-286.

Attorneys for Maurine and Matthew Molak asked the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to restart their challenge of a July order that lets schools and libraries use E-rate support for off-premises Wi-Fi hot spots and wireless internet services (see 2409230024). In September, the court dismissed the case, saying it lacked jurisdiction (see 2409260046). Petitioners “wish to inform the panel that, after nearly six months, they are still waiting on the FCC to rule on their July 2024 request that the agency reconsider its … ‘Hotspots Order,’ which subsidizes Wi-Fi hotspots anywhere students go,” said a Monday filing at the court: “It seems the FCC is content to ignore the petition for reconsideration, safe in the belief that as long as the petition remains pending the agency can both implement its unlawful policy and avoid judicial review.” The filing in docket 23-60641 also notified the court of the 6th Circuit’s recent decision vacating the FCC’s net neutrality order (see 2501020047) as it ponders a second case on school bus Wi-Fi. Judges heard oral argument in that case in November (see 2411040061). That decision “slams the door on the FCC’s contention in this case that the Declaratory Ruling expanding E-Rate subsidies for Wi-Fi on school buses is authorized” by the Communication Act section on the USF, the filing said. The Molaks brought both cases because they oppose unsupervised social media access on school buses. The Molaks' son David died by suicide after he was bullied online as a 16-year-old.

The Wireless ISP Association welcomed NTIA’s final guidance on the use of BEAD funding for deploying alternative broadband technologies but said work remains (see 2501020038). Released Thursday, the guidance “creates a larger role for cost-effective and efficient technology solutions -- such as unlicensed fixed wireless (uFW) spectrum -- from which states can choose for their BEAD deployments, thereby promoting greater participation and competition, and making finite BEAD dollars go further,” WISPA CEO David Zumwalt said Thursday. But the organization believes “uFW broadband that otherwise meets baseline standards should not remain sidelined from the definition of Reliable Broadband Service."

Federated Wireless representatives offered their take on proposed changes to citizens broadband radio service rules during a meeting with an aide to FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez (see 2408160031). They expressed “support for codification of the processes that are being used to manage CBRS spectrum access, greater harmonization of the CBRS rules with adjacent bands, and strengthening of the rules regarding coexistence management,” said a filing this week in docket 17-258. The changes “will preserve the core principles of spectrum sharing, encourage continued investment, and ensure that CBRS remains a flexible, forward-looking platform for wireless innovation,” Federated said.

The world’s 500 largest cellular IoT deployments account for approximately 632.2 million active connections, ResearchAndMarkets.com reported Thursday. That represents as much as 19.3% of connections at the end of 2023, the report said. The 10 biggest projects account for nearly 210 million units. Transport and logistics are the largest use cases, followed by large deployments by utilities and in the retail, automotive, buildings and security and healthcare spheres. The North American and European markets, at 154.2 million and 153.2 million units, respectively, lead the world. These 500 largest projects are expected to grow to 1.04 billion units by 2028, a compound annual growth rate of 10.7%, the report said.