Verizon on Wednesday announced international calling plans for two of its “Verizon Value” brands, Simple Mobile and Total Wireless, starting Aug. 28. “The plans address ongoing demand for international connectivity as travel patterns evolve,” with more Americans visiting the Asia Pacific region, Verizon said. The $60 Unlimited World+ plan now offers unlimited calling to more than 200 countries from the U.S. and international roaming access in more than 140 countries. Total Wireless is doubling roaming coverage to more than 30 countries and adding 95 countries for international calling.
GCI counsel spoke with an aide to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr to explain the provider’s request for clarification on the agency’s Alaska Connect Fund order (see 2501310053) during what the company described as a follow-up meeting. GCI urged the commission “to adopt these requested adjustments to ensure continued improvement and expanded mobile coverage in Alaska’s rural communities,” said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 23-328.
Environmental Health Trust President Joseph Sandri on Tuesday called on the FCC and FDA to work together on RF safety issues. Sandri sent a letter to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Martin Makary, posted in docket 13-84. Earlier this month, EHT petitioned the FCC asking it to act on a 2021 remand from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit of the agency’s 2019 RF safety rules (see 2508070032).
The FCC Wireless Bureau is seeking comment on a proposal by ShipCom and Global HF Net to offer their public coast station system for greater use by land-based parties, which they claim have a greater need. Comments are due Sept. 18, replies Oct. 3, in docket 25-255, said a Tuesday notice from the Wireless Bureau.
WISPA and two public interest groups opposed Airspan Networks’ request for a waiver allowing it to manufacture a multiband radio device that operates across bands adjacent to the citizens broadband radio service band. NCTA earlier opposed the waiver (see 2507090012). Airspan said in its waiver it’s seeking relief from out-of-band emission limits similar to what was already approved for Ericsson and Samsung. Oppositions were posted on Tuesday in docket 25-234.
Consultant firm Horizon Advisory said the U.S. must take a comprehensive approach to preventing the wireless security threat from China. “Beijing can use a presence all across the value chain to cement access and exact leverage” and “defenses need to be similarly comprehensive,” the firm said in comments on a proposal to expand the FCC “covered list” of unsecure companies to put more focus on connected vehicles (see 2506300052). Horizon's filing was posted Tuesday in docket 21-232.
Small wireless provider OptimERA disputed the Alaska Remote Carrier Coalition (ARCC)'s comments about the denial of its application to serve as an eligible telecom carrier in Alaska. In a filing posted Monday in docket 23-328, the carrier disputed ARCC's claim that the application was denied because it “was too speculative and conditioned upon too many uncertain factors,” saying the Alaska regulator left open OptimERA’s status.
The Fixed Wireless Communications Coalition said the FCC should reject a proposal by Axon Networks' 6 GHz automated frequency coordination system to take building entry loss into account for 6 GHz composite standard power/low-power indoor devices. Axon sought a waiver last month, citing Office of Engineering and Technology actions in similar cases (see 2505200016).
FCC bureaus and offices agreed to allow the withdrawal of various petitions filed by Warren Havens and companies he controlled before his death in 2023. The court-appointed receiver for the companies and administrator of his estate sought the withdrawals across more than 20 dockets. Havens was well known in FCC circles for the many filings he made on spectrum issues.
Representatives of T-Mobile and Grain said they met with FCC Wireless Bureau staff to discuss their pending low-band transaction. Grain Management agreed to buy T-Mobile's 800 MHz spectrum in exchange for cash and Grain's 600 MHz spectrum portfolio (see 2503210033). Grain plans to work with utilities and others to deploy services using the 800 MHz spectrum.