Wireless ISP Association representatives met with aides to FCC Commissioners Nathan Simington and Geoffrey Starks to urge action on spectrum bands of importance to its members. WISPA members “agree with the position of the Spectrum for the Future coalition that the Commission should reject calls by some companies to substantially increase the power levels” for citizens broadband radio service devices or “substantially change the out-of-band emission levels,” said a filing posted Friday in 25-70 and other dockets. WISPA also weighed in on changes to the 10-10.5 GHz, lower and upper 12 GHz, 37.0-37.6 GHz and 42.0-42.5 GHz bands. In addition, it urged the FCC to finalize rules on unlicensed use of the 5.9 GHz band.

The Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) disagreed sharply with FCC arguments and groups supporting FirstNet that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit shouldn’t stay parts of the FCC’s October order on the 4.9 GHz band. BART, the National Sheriffs' Association and the California State Sheriffs' Association sought a stay, which was opposed by the commission, the Public Safety Spectrum Alliance and Public Safety Broadband Technology Association (see 2503030053).

The FCC Wireless Bureau approved 28 more licenses in the 900 MHz broadband segment for PDV Spectrum. All are in Texas. The FCC approved an order in 2020 reallocating a 6 MHz swath in the band for broadband while maintaining 4 MHz for narrowband operations (see 2005130057).

NCTA filed at the FCC results of recent tests that it said justify concerns about proposals to relax in-band emissions limits in the citizens broadband radio service band. The tests by Charter Communications “show up to 60-plus percent degradation in service” from the change, said a filing posted Thursday in docket 17-258. “NCTA’s previously submitted simulation studies and the February … Lab Test Results provide consistent and complementary views of the frequency with which different interference scenarios resulting from elevated, undesired emissions limits will occur in real-world deployments, thus harming the CBRS operating environment,” NCTA said.

Garmin International filed a petition for rulemaking at the FCC asking for a review of technical limitations on the frequency and duration of automated digital data transmissions by handheld general mobile radio service (GMRS) devices. Garmin noted in an undocketed filing that it was required to file the petition as a condition of a January waiver allowing Garmin to offer handheld GMRS devices that transmit digital data communications as often as every five seconds. Current rules allow one transmission during every 30-second period. The proposed modifications to Section 95.1787 of FCC rules “will allow manufacturers to market hand-held GMRS devices that increase public safety by enabling the automatic transmission of digital data, such as GPS data and text messages, utilizing a new protocol,” said the petition, filed Wednesday. “The existing protocol for data transmissions set forth in the Commission’s rules should be maintained as an alternative to Garmin’s proposed new protocol.”

T-Mobile’s SpaceX-enabled text messaging service, T-Mobile Starlink, is just the start of space-based communications the carrier plans to offer, CFO Peter Osvaldik said late Wednesday at a Morgan Stanley financial conference. Much of the discussion was about satellite communications and fiber, demonstrating T-Mobile’s evolving business plan.

The FCC Public Safety Bureau gave UL Solutions an additional 60 days to complete its initial work as lead administrator in the agency’s voluntary cyber trust mark program (see 2503040062). The extension gives UL until May 3, said an order in Wednesday’s Daily Digest. The request “is limited to only 60 days and will allow UL the additional time needed to ensure the recommendations are thoroughly considered and discussed among stakeholders,” the bureau said. “We find this reasonable given the highly technical and complex issues being considered, the industry coordination involved, and the benefit to the Commission from receiving complete and thorough recommendations.”

The Wireless ISP Association reported Wednesday on a meeting with an aide to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr about non-spectrum issues. The commission should “ensure that additional data collection and reporting burdens are not imposed on smaller providers” and “permanently eliminate the requirement that a licensed professional engineer” certify broadband data collection submissions, WISPA said in a filing in 10-90 and other dockets. WISPs urged the FCC not to adopt proposals in a Further NPRM on broadband consumer labels. “Existing requirements are sufficient to allow consumers to compare broadband options,” and proposals in the notice “would impose unnecessary burdens on broadband providers,” it said. The group also said all broadband providers “should have access to utility poles and public rights-of-way [at] neutral and non-discriminatory rates and terms on par with telecommunications and cable services.”

T-Mobile is going deep in the advertising space. The carrier completed its buy of digital-out-of-home ad company Vistar Media for $600 million (see 2501130044), T-Mobile said Wednesday. T-Mobile also announced the acquisition of advertising company Blis for about $175 million in cash. Vistar works with other companies to place ads on digital screens, including on billboards and at bus stops. “As one of the largest advertisers in the U.S., T-Mobile manages complex campaigns across multiple business units and products,” said Vinayak Hegde, T-Mobile's consumer chief marketing officer. “That means we need ad solutions that are both consumer-friendly and capable of delivering results at scale.”

The FCC received additional comments urging the agency to take its time finalizing rules for the Alaska Connect Fund (ACF) and provide flexibility where possible. The comments were posted Wednesday in docket 23-328. WTA agreed with comments "that it would be premature for the Commission to try to design a subsidy program for the Alaska Connect Fund in light of all ... the presently unknown conditions that will affect deployment." The broadband maps that are needed to better understand where support should flow also haven't been finalized, WTA said.