Edison Electric Institute representatives discussed the need electric utilities have for licensed spectrum to support uncrewed aerial systems and suggested to the FCC that the 4.9 and 5 GHz bands provide ideal frequencies. The utilities met with aides to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioner Geoffrey Starks. “The companies described the ways in which UAS operations allow them to more efficiently inspect and repair infrastructure, improve worker safety, and maintain consistent, reliable service for customers,” a filing Wednesday in docket 07-100 said: Utilities “conduct UAS operations to safely inspect property for damage after a storm, earthquake, fire or other adverse weather events or natural disasters, which often involves coordination with public safety.”
CTIA Thursday marked the 30th anniversary of the FCC’s first spectrum auction by calling on Congress to restore the agency’s lapsed general auction authority. “For the past three decades, this Nobel-prize winning innovation has become increasingly key to America’s economic competitiveness and innovation leadership,” CTIA President Meredith Baker said. The anniversary is “an important reminder of the critical role that auctions play, and we call on policymakers to restore auction authority with a spectrum pipeline so that we can secure the benefits of wireless leadership for all Americans,” she said. CTIA also released the opening video of what it said will be a series of remembrances about auctions and the early days of the wireless industry. “The essential asset of wireless communications is spectrum,” former FCC Chair Tom Wheeler said in the first video. Wheeler noted that he became involved in wireless as part of a group of investors that won spectrum licenses in one of the lotteries that predated auctions, “the FCC’s dumbest way of allocating spectrum.” His group’s pingpong balls were picked “and suddenly I was in the wireless industry.” Licenses were also assigned through “beauty contests,” where companies made the case at the FCC on why they needed spectrum in a given area, he said. “That may have solved the instant problem, but it certainly didn’t facilitate how do you then have a concerted effort to deliver the important services,” Wheeler said: “It was widely understood that the … system was flawed.” Tom Sugrue, former head of the D.C. office for T-Mobile, said licenses' value increased rapidly “as people began to appreciate what mobile technology was worth.” But the “tools the FCC had to assign those licenses were becoming increasingly, obviously deficient.”
The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology sought comment on a waiver request from Rod Radar for ultra-wideband (UWB) devices, according to a Wednesday public notice. Rod Radar requested the commission waive Section 15.503(d) of its rules, allowing its Live Dig Radar (LDR) to be classified as a UWB device consistent with other ground-penetrating radar systems. The company said its device is important for digging operations because it's “designed to alert the construction excavator operator of the potential of a utility strike before it occurs.” However, it doesn't meet the FCC’s definition of a UWB because its total bandwidth exceeds the allowed 500 MHz. Comments are due Aug. 22, replies Sept. 24, in docket 24-222.
An Anterix representative urged the FCC to move forward on a rulemaking authorizing 5/5 MHz broadband deployments in the 900 MHz band (see 2405210041). Meeting with an aide to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, Anterix “emphasized that" the petition seeking a rulemaking "is premised on the recommendation that all relocation from the current narrowband segments be on an entirely voluntary basis and that there be continued interference protection for incumbents,” a filing posted Wednesday in docket 24-99 said. The company confirmed it “and other 900 MHz broadband licensees, like all licensees, would have an obligation to work with entities operating in adjacent bands to avoid interference and resolve mutually any issues that might arise,” Anterix said.
T-Mobile is going deeper into fiber, investing $4.9 billion in a joint venture with investment firm KKR, which will buy fiber-based provider Metronet. The JV gets Metronet’s infrastructure, residential fiber business and customers, as well as Oak Hill Capital’s stake in the provider. Oak Hill will then reinvest to retain a minority position, T-Mobile said. The announcement comes a week ahead of T-Mobile’s Q2 earnings call. “Metronet is uniquely positioned as the fastest-growing pure play fiber company in the U.S. and an experienced independent fiber-to-the-home operator,” T-Mobile said. In April, T-Mobile announced a partnership with private equity firm EQT as part of a proposed acquisition of fiber-to-the-home provider Lumos (see 2404250047). T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert said then that fiber could bolster the company’s fast-growing Home Internet offering. "Metronet is the perfect partner for T-Mobile as a leader in fiber solutions with an incredibly fast build pace, and a top-notch management team,” Sievert said Wednesday. “With this new partnership, Metronet will expand its fiber network faster and farther, reaching millions more households by the end of the decade,” Metronet CEO Dave Heimbach said. The companies expect the deal will close next year.
CTIA said Wednesday Umair Javed, a former top aide to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, will immediately replace Tom Power as the group’s general counsel. Javed joined CTIA last year as senior vice president-spectrum (see 2308010025) and has served as its point person in battles to convert more federal spectrum for full-power licensed use. “Javed will continue to lead the Association’s spectrum efforts as well as new responsibility for all legal matters and work with the Biden Administration,” CTIA President Meredith Baker said. Power joined CTIA in 2015 after a stint as deputy U.S. chief technology officer under President Barack Obama (see 1501260025). He replaced longtime General Counsel Michael Altschul. Power will remain at CTIA through the end of the year as senior counsel, CTIA said.
Most of Paris seems “5G-ready” with the Olympic Games starting Friday, Ookla reported Tuesday. “Our analysis of Speedtest data across Paris shows that 5G is available in almost every corner of the city,” Ookla said. There are coverage gaps in or near the Montparnasse and Pere Lachaise cemeteries and in major parks, “but for the most part you’ll have a hard time finding an area where you cannot connect at all.”
Ligado Networks and GCT Semiconductor said on Tuesday GCT’s Luna Cat-12 LTE module is FCC-certified and commercially available. "The module is a foundational technology for a new ecosystem of commercial devices operating on LTE Band 54 spectrum at 1670-1675 MHz,” the companies said. The band “stands out as a highly distinctive mid-band spectrum resource for the utility and enterprise segments,” standardized by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project and offering a 5-MHz time division duplex block “available nationwide,” said Sachin Chhibber, Ligado chief technology officer: “Licensed spectrum assures availability and enhances security to enable more robust and secure private networks.”
GCI CEO Ronald Duncan and others from the Alaskan carrier, in separate meetings with FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioner Brendan Carr, urged that the agency approve the Alaska Connect Fund. GCI is deploying “5G where doing so makes sense -- typically in areas with fiber that are due for a radio network upgrade,” a filing posted Tuesday in docket 23-328 said. “Deploying 5G in these areas -- rather than the 4G LTE called for in GCI’s current Alaska Plan commitments -- provides a better experience for these Alaskans as well as a network that will last longer into the future,” GCI said.
Qualcomm representatives spoke with FCC Office of Engineering and Technology staff about 6 GHz automated frequency coordination system “implementation issues” and a proposal to create a geofenced variable power (GVP) device class (see 2404290035). “Qualcomm indicated its support for GVP operations at variable power levels that would protect incumbents by limiting operations to areas outside the exclusion zones and further explained the operations and GVP system architecture,” a filing posted Tuesday in docket 18-295 said.