CTIA representatives “discussed the value of supporting broadband access, including through Wi-Fi hot spots and wireless internet services” in a meeting with FCC Wireline Bureau staff. The commission recently sought comment on a proposal to use E-rate to support hot spots (see 2311090028). “Consider lessons learned from the Emergency Connectivity Fund” and its approach to usage monitoring, said a filing posted Friday in docket 21-31. “CTIA agrees that requiring participants to take ‘reasonable actions’ to monitor the usage of supported equipment and services strikes a fair balance between the burdens to track usage and the need to avoid wasteful spending,” the group said: “As an applicant driven program, the obligation to monitor usage should rest with applicants, who are able to set usage expectations for students and patrons, periodically access and review usage, identify and understand usage trends, and communicate any necessary adjustments to service providers.”

Verizon joined other wireless carriers on how new services, especially network slicing, should be treated under proposed net neutrality rules (see 2403140026). T-Mobile has been especially outspoken on the issue (see 2402260058). Some commenters “have chosen to seek new restrictions specific to emerging network slicing technologies enabled by 5G networks,” said a filing posted Friday in docket 23-320. “Network slicing is a promising technology that will help drive exciting network innovation and enable new capabilities and services for the benefit of consumers in ways that previously were only possible over wireline networks,” Verizon said.

A May 13 effectiveness date for the January FCC order requiring that carriers implement location-based routing for calls and real-time texts to 911 (see 2403130028) means the implementation deadline for nationwide carriers is Nov. 13, the Public Safety Bureau clarified Thursday. The deadline for non-nationwide carriers is May 13, 2026. By that second date, all providers must deploy a technology that supports location-based routing for real-time text to 911 originating on their IP-based networks, the bureau said.

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr again slammed NTIA’s implementation plan for the national spectrum strategy (see 2403120056). During a news conference Thursday following the commissioners' open meeting, Carr said the plan makes clear “they’re going to kick the can down the road on spectrum,” he said: “I think it’s a mistake. I think we need to start turning things around.”

CTIA representatives spoke with aides to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington on how new services, especially network slicing, would be treated under proposed net neutrality rules (see 2403130057). “Proposals to narrow or restrict” nonbroadband internet access “data services would deny the benefits of new technology such as network slicing to broadband users, unduly limit wireless innovation, and undermine American leadership in the mobile economy,” said a filing posted Thursday in docket 23-320. “Network slicing will allow wireless providers to offer over a single physical network a series of logically defined virtual networks configured to satisfy use cases currently under development that may include, for example, public safety communications, robotic surgery, smart grids, and communications at crowded events,” CTIA said.

The FCC’s recent Section 706 report “provides powerful new evidence of the pro-consumer impact fixed wireless access (FWA) is having in the broadband marketplace,” CTIA Chief Communications Officer Nick Ludlum said in a Thursday blog post. Commissioners approved the report 3-2 (see 2403140050). The report found that without FWA, 60% of U.S. households have zero or one home broadband offering available at 100/20 Mbps speeds, Ludlum said: “When FWA is taken into account, over 54% of U.S. households (over 19 million) now have multiple broadband options. And 18% of U.S. households now have three or more competitive options, thanks in part to FWA.”

An FCC rule requiring mobile service providers to "block texts purporting to be from" North American numbering plan numbers on a reasonable do not originate list that includes "numbers that purport to be from invalid, unallocated, or unused numbers" takes effect Sept. 3, said a public notice Wednesday in docket 02-278. Commissioners adopted the item in March 2023 (see 2303170056).

Representatives of both companies met virtually with FCC staff on T-Mobile’s proposed acquisition of Mint Mobile (see 2303150032), a low-cost prepaid wireless brand, and other assets from Ka’ena. T-Mobile “provided an overview” of its “internal processes and business policies, including with respect to customer information and data management,” said a filing Tuesday in docket 23-171. The companies “emphasized that the applications have now been pending for eleven months, that no filings opposing the applications were submitted during the comment period, and that Team Telecom carefully reviewed the Applicants and the proposed transaction and filed its no-objection letter with the Commission over two months ago.” The filing references a presentation made at the meeting, which was redacted. Team Telecom refers to the Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the United States Telecommunications Services Sector.

A January FCC order requiring that carriers implement location-based routing (LBR) for calls and real-time texts to 911 is effective May 13, a notice in Wednesday’s Federal Register said. Under the January order, compliance is required within six months of when the rules become effective for nationwide providers and 24 months for small providers. A follow-up notice will announce compliance dates. The order was approved 5-0 (see 2401250044). “Wireless 911 calls have historically been routed to [public safety answering points] based on the location of the cell tower that handles the call,” the notice said: “Sometimes, however, the 911 call is routed to the wrong PSAP because the cell tower is not in the same jurisdiction as the 911 caller.”

Verizon supports the FCC’s approach in the draft supplemental coverage from space (SCS) licensing framework, expected to be approved at the commission's open meeting Thursday, but opposes advocacy from SpaceX and T-Mobile (see 2403080059), said a filing posted Monday in docket 23-65. Verizon said it “expressed concern with recent requests for the FCC to relax the -120 dBW/m²/MHz aggregate out-of-band emissions power flux density limit in the Draft SCS Order or defer consideration of aggregate OOBE to a future proceeding.” Verizon spoke with staff from the Wireless and Space bureaus and Office of Engineering and Technology.