An order and NPRM addressing changes to the commission’s frequency allocation table in light of recent World Radiocommunication Conferences saw a number of changes over the draft, including apparent wins for Qualcomm. Commissioners approved the WRC order ahead of their Thursday open meeting (see 2304190042). It was released Friday. Among the tweaks, instead of saying the order takes “only administrative actions that do not affect the Commission’s rules with respect to any party’s underlying rights and responsibilities” the final version says the FCC is making “several non-substantive, editorial changes” to the allocation table. The NPRM adds language to a section seeking comment on satellite uplinks in the 7190-7250 MHz band. It now says, “Qualcomm urges the Commission to seek comment on whether such allocations would ‘remain in line with the Commission’s present spectrum priorities,’ noting that the Chairwoman has identified the 7-15 GHz spectrum range, and some stakeholders, other administrations, and regional organizations are considering the 7190-7250 MHz band, for the next generation wireless technology.” The NPRM notes the same concern raised by Qualcomm on the 9.2-9.3 and 9.9-10.4 GHz bands.
Howard Buskirk
Howard Buskirk, Executive Senior Editor, joined Warren Communications News in 2004, after covering Capitol Hill for Telecommunications Reports. He has covered Washington since 1993 and was formerly executive editor at Energy Business Watch, editor at Gas Daily and managing editor at Natural Gas Week. Previous to that, he was a staff reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Greenville News. Follow Buskirk on Twitter: @hbuskirk
The FCC approved 4-0 Thursday “high-level principles” for spectrum management, focused on receivers. Industry observers say the effects could be limited (see 2304050046). Commissioners at the open meeting also approved a Further NPRM looking at more requirements for wireless emergency alerts, as expected (see 2304190027), which has proven more controversial.
Earnings season got off to a rocky start for the wireless industry Thursday as AT&T’s stock price tumbled more than 10% after free cash flow (FCF) came in below analyst expectations. AT&T was the first of the major carriers to report. AT&T also reported 424,000 postpaid phone net adds, marking 11 straight quarters with more than 400,000 adds. It reported 272,000 AT&T Fiber net adds. The stock closed at $17.65, down 10.4% for the day.
An FCC Further NPRM examining numerous enhancements for wireless emergency alerts is expected to be approved with limited tweaks at the commissioners' open meeting Thursday (see 2303300070), agency and industry officials said. Other wireless items, including receiver principles, are expected to be approved with minimal changes.
Carriers are still weighing how much of their operations can be moved to a public cloud, experts said Wednesday during a TelecomTV virtual summit. Proponents said more use of a public cloud can help carriers cut costs and improve network efficiency.
Carriers got part of what they asked for in response to an FCC Further NPRM proposing to extend USF support to eligible mobile and fixed carriers in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, approved by commissioners 4-0 in October (see 2210270046). The FCC on Wednesday approved a transitional support period of up to 24 months for mobile services. For fixed services, the agency extended the phase-down of frozen support at its current monthly amount until Dec. 31, 2025.
The overall goal of the DOD/NTIA 5G Challenge is to drive the move to “true plug-and-play operation” with open radio access networks, said Julie Kub, program lead for the challenge, Thursday during an Informatech virtual conference. The challenge is focused on finding new entrants, promoting multivendor interoperability and reducing barriers to entry, she said.
Comments were sharply divided on a waiver request by the Wi-Fi Alliance of rules for the predictive propagation models that an automated frequency coordination system must employ in the 6 GHz band (see 2303210039). The alliance asked to be able to incorporate building entry loss (BEL) in its AFC model for specifically identifiable “composite devices” designed to operate in both low-power indoor (LPI) and standard power modes.
T-Mobile is turning up the heat on the FCC to issue licenses bought in last year’s 2.5 GHz auction, linking the failure to do so to the agency’s focus on closing the digital divide. Neville Ray, T-Mobile president-technology, argued for issuing the licenses in a Thursday blog. Lawyers active in the proceeding said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel continues to believe the FCC doesn’t have the authority to issue the licenses after expiration of its auction authority, though the Office of General Counsel is studying the issue.
The receiver policy statement circulated by FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel (see 2303300070) likely won’t be too controversial and is at least a small step forward on one of the thorniest spectrum issues, experts told us. It builds on a 2015 paper by the FCC’s Technological Advisory Council, picking up some of the same themes starting with “interference realities.” The FCC document lays out nine principles, as TAC did, and in almost the same order. Commissioners approved 4-0 a broad receiver performance notice of inquiry last year (see 2204210049).