UScellular provided additional answers to questions posed by the FCC in December on the carrier’s proposed sale of wireless assets to T-Mobile (see 2412270031). But all the data was redacted from the filing, posted Friday in docket 24-286. The carrier said the data submitted is “'Highly Confidential' pursuant to the Protective Order in this proceeding.”
The FCC posted Friday a notice of inquiry on alternatives to GPS for positioning, navigation and timing (PNT), approved by commissioners 4-0 Thursday (see 2503270042). “Relying on GPS alone as the primary source of PNT data leaves America exposed to a single point of failure and leaves our PNT system open to disruption or manipulation by adversaries,” the notice says.
5G connections worldwide have hit 2.25 billion as the latest generation of wireless grows four times faster than 4G, 5G Americas said Thursday. Based on Omdia research, the report said mobile grew globally to 1.5 wireless connections per person worldwide by the end of last year, compared with one connection in 2014. North America is leading the world in 5G, with 289 million connections, “covering 77% of the region’s population,” the group said. The world also added 438 million IoT connections last year, increasing the global number to 3.6 billion.
CTIA filed a petition Thursday at the FCC asking the commission to launch a rulemaking aimed at updating its rules implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has promised to focus on streamlining regulation and cutting red tape but has yet to outline a specific agenda (see 2503030040). Carr led the FCC work on cutting wireless infrastructure red tape during the first Trump administration.
The spectrum crisis for U.S. wireless carriers is almost here, Accenture said in a report released Thursday and commissioned by CTIA. Carriers face a shortfall as early as next year, and by 2027, “networks will be unable to meet nearly a quarter of traffic demand in high-traffic areas during peak hours,” It said. The report comes as Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, ratchets up pressure on DOD to make some of its spectrum available for 5G (see 2503260075).
The FCC Wireless Bureau sought comment Wednesday on AT&T’s proposed buy of 3.45 GHz licenses from UScellular. Because the acquisition would give AT&T more than 40 MHz of 3.45 GHz spectrum holdings in some markets, the company must seek a waiver under FCC rules, said a bureau notice. Petitions to deny are due April 25, oppositions May 12 and replies May 22, in docket 25-150.
Ericsson and SoftBank announced Wednesday a memorandum of understanding establishing a strategic partnership for “evaluating, promoting and co-creating 'NextWave Tech.’” The companies will focus on “advancing to the next stage” technologies, including AI, cloud-based radio access networks, extended reality and 6G. “The partnership seeks to explore new use cases and drive technological advancements that will shape the future of cellular networks and its architectures,” they said. "This new collaboration with SoftBank marks a significant step forward in realizing the full potential of AI-powered connectivity technologies,” said Ericsson Japan President Jawad Manssour.
The FCC Wireless Bureau has established the application process for parties seeking certification as a space launch frequency coordinator for the space launch service under the agency's Part 26 rules. In a public notice Tuesday in docket 24-687, the bureau said applicants will need to show they meet minimum qualifying criteria, including an ability to complete coordination using machine-to-machine interface with any NTIA automated coordination process. Separately, the bureau issued licensing and coordination procedures for the commercial space launch service (docket 13-115).
The FCC asked for comment Wednesday on a petition for rulemaking that the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) filed asking the agency to modify the power maximum effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) limits for the 4.9 GHz band. The changes are aimed at allowing the band to be used more effectively for 5G. In October, a unanimous FCC changed the rules for the public-safety spectrum, giving FirstNet access to the band (see 2410220027). Comments are due April 25, replies May 12, in docket 07-100.
The FCC should require that before space launches, the space launch frequency coordinator work with the Enterprise Wireless Alliance (EWA), the FCC-designated coordinator for medical body area networks (MBAN), said GE HealthCare Technologies. In a docket 13-115 filing posted Wednesday recapping a meeting with FCC Chairman Brendan Carr's office, GE reiterated its argument that the MBAN rules aren't intended to protect commercial space launch operations in the 2360-2395 MHz band (see 2503240039). GE said EWA coordination would determine whether the proposed launch operations in the 2360-2395 MHz band would occur within 200 miles of a registered MBAN deployment and let the MBAN and space launch operations coexist through such steps as isolating spectrum use or lowering the transmit power of the space launch operations.