The Telecommunication Terminal Industry Forum Association (TAF) on Thursday broadly questioned proposed rules in a May NPRM that was part of the FCC’s focus on “bad labs” (see 2505220056 and 2508120011). “The large-scale revocation of laboratory authorizations based on security concerns lacks both technical and practical justification, which will increase the burden on U.S. consumers and cause significant disruption to the global ICT industry,” TAF said in a filing in docket 24-136.
The GPS Innovation Alliance told the FCC it needs more information before weighing on a request by Geophysical Survey Systems Inc. (GSSI) for a waiver of commission rules for ultra-wideband ground-penetrating radar devices to allow the certification and marketing of a new device it's developing. The device would assist autonomous vehicles in staying in their lane. In May, GSSI asked for action on its 2019 waiver request (see 2505280052).
Federated Wireless, a longtime proponent of the 3.55-3.7 GHz citizens broadband radio service band, urged policymakers to look instead at 4 GHz as they seek to put together a spectrum pipeline for the future. The revised budget reconciliation package, which was signed into law in July, exempts the 3.1-3.45 and 7.4-8.4 GHz bands from reallocation, but not CBRS (see 2507070045).
Certification engineer W. Zhang urged the FCC to adopt “a binding requirement” that testing labs and certification bodies under the agency's equipment authorization program must “be managed by separate, independent leadership.” Zhang filed early comments Tuesday in response to a May NPRM that was part of the agency’s focus on “bad labs” (see 2505220056 and 2508120011).
UScellular parent TDS is “excited” to start a “new chapter” in the company’s history with the sale of spectrum and other wireless assets to T-Mobile for $4.3 billion (see 2508010012), CEO Walter Carlson told analysts Monday. TDS expects the sale of other licenses to AT&T to close this year, while a deal with Verizon should close in 2026, Carlson added.
The TCB Council urged the FCC to proceed with caution on new rules for telecommunications certification bodies (TCBs) in response to a May NPRM that was part of the agency’s focus on “bad labs” (see 2505220056). Initial comments are due Sept. 3 in docket 24-136, but some parties are filing early.
A three-judge panel has rejected a California business's challenge related to the FCC's rules on over-the-air reception devices (OTARD). In a judgment Tuesday (docket 24-1108), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit denied Indian Peak Properties' petition for review. The judges said that while Indian Peak's briefing revolved substantially around the human presence requirement in the OTARD rules, it should have filed a petition for reconsideration challenging how the human-presence requirement was adopted before seeking judicial review.
The Hearing Loss Association of America and other groups representing deaf and hard-of-hearing people warned the FCC that a temporary waiver allowing use of the interim volume-control testing method for hearing-aid compatibility (HAC) compliance could create problems for some consumers. In filings last month, industry groups supported extending the waiver, while consumer groups said it should be renewed for not more than a year (see 2507210008).
A National Advertising Review Board panel agreed with the recommendation from the Better Business Bureau's National Advertising Division, which said T-Mobile should drop a claim that families who switch to the carrier can “save versus AT&T and Verizon’s comparable plans plus streaming,” as well as another similar claim. T-Mobile said it will comply with the decision. Verizon brought the challenge.
Apple and Meta Platforms asked the FCC to move forward on a new geofenced variable power device class with geofencing restrictions in the 6 GHz band. The geofenced devices would be able to operate at higher power levels than other very-low-power devices (see 2506160018).