An unusual amount of network congestion occurred the last two weeks of September, which seemed to affect measurements for the Measuring Broadband America program, FCC officials told an industry meeting in October, said an agency notice released Wednesday. SamKnows, which is doing measurements for the FCC, had to extend the collection period for results to the first three weeks of October to collect enough data for the 2015 broadband measurement report, the FCC said. “The cause of this unusual network congestion was suspected to be the software release by Apple of iOS 8,” officials said.
The FCC said it will provide more time for comments on key incentive auction NPRMs -- on Part 15 unlicensed operations and wireless mics. The FCC had been under industry pressure to delay the filing deadlines (see 1412080075). Comments were due Jan. 5, replies Jan. 26. The new deadlines are Feb. 4 and Feb. 25. “We believe that extensions of the comment and reply comment deadlines will provide parties with an opportunity to more fully analyze and respond to the complex technical issues raised in the Notices, thus allowing development of a more complete record in these proceedings,” the FCC said Wednesday.
The record breaking AWS-3 auction is a win for public safety, paying for the startup costs of FirstNet, and for the government, because part of the proceeds will go toward deficit reduction, CTIA President Meredith Baker said in a blog post Wednesday. Consumers are also winners, she wrote. The auction also makes a good case for future auctions, Baker said. “This is the first major spectrum auction since 2008, and serves as an important affirmation of the wireless industry’s demand for spectrum,” she wrote. “This auction also reinforces our understanding of the need for licensed paired spectrum, especially when it is substantially cleared and internationally harmonized. While CTIA applauds the FCC’s recent efforts in the area of unlicensed and lightly-licensed spectrum models, this auction shows there is no true substitute for exclusively-licensed spectrum for the wireless industry.”
T-Mobile US said Monday it's selling stock in an offering expected to raise $1 billion. The carrier said it will use the money for capital expenditures and spectrum purchases beyond the AWS-3 auction.
The FCC issued a warning, posted on its main web page, against the illegal use of cell signal jammers. The FCC said jammers don’t just weed out annoying cellphone calls, they also block calls to 911. “We again warn the public that it is illegal to use a cell phone jammer or any other type of device that blocks, jams or interferes with authorized communications,” the Monday notice said. “This prohibition extends to every entity that does not hold a federal authorization, including state and local law enforcement agencies.”
The Federal Aviation Administration is streamlining its processes for Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs), which identify communications towers with extinguished or faulty lighting, the FCC said in a notice. Under FCC rules, tower owners are in general required to notify the FAA within 30 minutes of discovering a lighting outage or malfunction and they must take steps to repair the faulty lighting as quickly as practicable, the FCC said. “The planned change will enable tower owners to self-select the amount of time their NOTAMs remain active.” The FCC said the change is expected to take effect next month. Under the current system, NOTAMs last for 15 days, though some tower repairs take longer to complete, the agency said. By allowing longer NOTAMs the FAA will allow tower operators to avoid filing for repeated notices, the FCC said. “While the change will allow tower owners to self-select the repair deadline, every outage should be corrected as soon as possible, and the FCC and FAA will respond aggressively if they discover tower owners are abusing a system designed to protect aviation safety,” the FCC said.
The FCC released a pleading cycle on a proposed deal in which T-Mobile and Verizon would trade various AWS-1 and PCS licenses as they balance their spectrum portfolios. The licenses involved cover 92 counties in all or parts of 41 cellular market areas, the FCC said Tuesday. “The Applicants indicate that the intra-market exchanges involve equal amounts of spectrum such that neither Applicant would increase its spectrum holdings in the particular market,” the FCC said. “The Applicants further assert that the inter-market exchanges, which would increase spectrum holdings in particular markets, would add capacity and improve data throughput speeds.” Petitions to deny are due Jan. 5; oppositions, Jan. 15; and replies, Jan. 23. The FCC also sought comment Tuesday on the proposed sale of a single 700 MHz A-block license in West Virginia from McBride Spectrum Partners to Hardy Cellular, a subsidiary of U.S. Cellular. Petitions to deny are due Jan. 20; oppositions, Jan. 30; and replies, Feb. 6.
The FCC Public Safety Bureau extended the comment period for a next-generation 911 location accuracy plan. Comments now are due Dec. 15, replies Dec. 24, the bureau said Tuesday in an order, instead of the original Dec. 10 for comments, Dec. 17 for replies (see 1411200043). The plan was developed by the four largest wireless carriers, the APCO and the National Emergency Number Association (see 1411190064). The bureau is granting a limited extension to give small rural carriers and others additional time to respond to the technical and timeline aspects of the road map, it said.
Extreme Networks will offer Wi-Fi connectivity to IMG-affiliated universities. IMG selected Extreme Networks to help provide a network infrastructure "that is consistent with networking solutions recently implemented for professional sports' teams and their stadiums," Extreme said in a news release. Extreme's Wi-Fi networks will be deployed to enable thousands of fans to access networks from their seats and common areas of sports facilities, it said. Its system is designed to support high-density requirements, like support of in-venue mobile application delivery, Extreme said.
Qualcomm Life, a subsidiary of Qualcomm, joined vitaphone e-health solutions to power high-tech, "high-touch" telehealth and remote monitoring services. The companies will integrate their management solutions and platforms "to enable seamless biometric data capture from medical devices and coordinated team-based care in a high-tech, high-touch service model," Qualcomm said Monday in a news release. This integration will allow vitaphone to launch chronic disease management programs with blood pressure monitors, weight scales and other equipment, it said.