Host nations of World Radiocommunication Conferences "have always taken great care" to guarantee smooth sailing and overall success, so there's no reason to anticipate that a WRC-27 in Shanghai would do otherwise, River Advisers CEO Alexis Martin emailed last week. The ITU Council has recommended Shanghai, though the U.S. is expected to push for the full ITU to reverse that decision (see 2507010062). Martin said it's possible that U.S./China geopolitical tensions could affect participation levels, as was the case at recent ITU WRC Working Party meetings in Shanghai in April and May. But China’s selection as host likely won't deter industry representatives from attending. "The stakes are simply too high, for the U.S. (or anyone) to miss this event."
The FCC Enforcement Bureau ordered the Hampton Inn and Suites in Renton, Washington, to explain its alleged improper use of a part 90 signal booster that was found to interfere with 806-817 MHz band communications by the Puget Sound Emergency Radio Network. “Unauthorized or improper operation of signal boosters creates a danger of interference to important radio communications services, including communications of first responders and violates the Commission’s rules and section 301 of the Communications Act,” said a notice in Monday’s Daily Digest.
The Rural Wireless Association and other groups asked the FCC to examine AT&T’s proposed purchase of 700 MHz and 3.45 GHz licenses from UScellular in the broader context of the U.S. wireless market. The groups met virtually with aides to Chairman Brendan Carr and Commissioner Anna Gomez, according to a filing posted Monday in docket 25-150.
Mobile devices' "Wi-Fi first" approach means they often don't switch to cellular connections even when they should, resulting in dropped calls or stalled data connections, CableLabs' John Bahr wrote Wednesday. The R&D organization worked with member operators to conduct field-testing to characterize the poor user experience caused by such Wi-Fi "stickiness" and to understand how frequently it happens, said Bahr, director of its advanced technology group. He said the lack of seamless network transitions between Wi-Fi and cellular is exacerbating the problem. CableLabs is working with industry stakeholders in an attempt to find a common, streamlined solution, he added.
A representative of the International Bridge, Tunnel & Turnpike Association raised concerns on NextNav’s proposal for positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) in the lower 900 MHz band (see 2506130010) during a meeting with aides to FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez. “NextNav’s proposed high-power operations in the Lower 900 MHz band pose a substantial risk of harmful interference to licensed electronic tolling systems, threatening to significantly undermine tolling operations and constrain future electronic tolling deployments,” said a filing posted Thursday in docket 24-240. The tolling industry “has engaged, and continues to engage, NextNav on the risk of interference.”
Gogo Business Aviation updated the FCC on delays it continues to face in removing unsecure gear from its network under the commission’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program (see 2412130019). The update was heavily redacted. “Gogo’s requirements for replacing its network are not available off-the-shelf commercially,” said a filing Wednesday in docket 18-89. The company's vendor is still delivering equipment, it said. “Gogo expects deliveries to continue through December 2025. … Due to the nature of deploying networks and Gogo’s limited spectrum holdings, the vendor must deliver nearly all ordered equipment items and components in their entirety to allow Gogo to fully deploy the network before the ‘flash’ cutover.”
Alaska’s GCI Communications updated the FCC on its performance plan for mobile services under the agency's Alaska Plan order. The update reflects “new terrestrial middle mile facilities [that] became commercially available in an area previously served only by performance-limiting satellite middle mile” in Akutan, Deering, King Cove and Kivalina, said a filing posted Wednesday (docket 16-271). GCI will upgrade service in those communities to LTE over fiber middle mile, the filing said.
CTIA asked the FCC on Wednesday to extend a temporary waiver allowing use of the interim volume control testing method for hearing-aid compatibility (HAC) compliance (see 2410150024). Without further action, the waiver would expire Sept. 29. “CTIA seeks an interim waiver to extend current HAC compliance practices to allow stakeholders to finalize and gain approval of the new volume control test methodology as a consensus standard before requesting that the Commission allow its use going forward,” said a filing in docket 23-388. During this extension, “handsets will continue to be certified using the current interim standard for testing volume control for HAC purposes,” CTIA said.
The FCC signed off Tuesday on T-Mobile and SpaceX's requested waiver of agency equipment authorization rules related to handsets receiving supplemental coverage from space (SCS) service (see 2504090038). In the order (docket 23-65), the Office of Engineering and Technology and Space Bureau said applying the rules would stymie T-Mobile subscribers and first responders from accessing SCS "through no fault of their own, because the holders of equipment authorizations for certain devices have failed to submit requests for waivers to allow those devices to access SCS."
Integrated sensing and communications (ISAC) will be a critical part of 6G and is growing in sophistication, 5G Americas said in a new white paper. “ISAC introduces sensing as a native function of the communication network, allowing network nodes to perform both communication and sensing tasks while enabling efficient spectrum sharing,” the group said. “Unlike current location capabilities (e.g., for e911), ISAC can detect passive objects not connected to the network. ISAC’s value has been demonstrated in other communication technologies such as Wi-Fi, with applications such as security intrusion detection and remote patient monitoring.”