The FCC Wireless Bureau released a request for proposal Thursday containing the selection criteria and filing instructions for proposals to be named the reimbursement clearinghouse in the 3.45-3.55 GHz band. The clearinghouse manages collection and distribution of relocation reimbursement payments from the new licensees to non-federal secondary radiolocation incumbents. Developed by a clearinghouse search committee, the RFP says the clearinghouse must demonstrate neutrality and independence; financial, accounting, auditing and industry expertise; and the ability to follow best practices and operational standards. It must also “already have in place or be able to adopt robust privacy and data security best practices in its operations.” Compensation is limited to 10% of the estimated relocation costs “for administering the reimbursement program,” which is $320,000. Proposals are due April 3. AT&T, Dish Network and T-Mobile were the three biggest bidders in the auction, which started in late 2021 (see 2201140040).

Rakuten Symphony's CEO Tareq Amin and CEO-North America Azita Arvani met with FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on the future of open radio access networks. The company is a leader in ORAN, including work with Dish Wireless on its 5G network. “Rakuten and the FCC representatives discussed key challenges for the deployment and adoption of Open RAN,” said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 21-63: “Additionally, Rakuten discussed how the real-world deployment of Open RAN [is] likely the best way to prove the capabilities of the solution to telecommunications operators in the United States.”

Telecom providers are following different strategies on moving to the cloud, said a report released Wednesday by Matrixx Software and Google Cloud. Cloud deployment remains a “top focus” for providers “of every size around the world,” Matrixx said: “Research confirms the industry does not subscribe to a one-size-fits-all monetization strategy for the cloud, reinforcing that operators must approach their cloud migration with flexibility -- both in mindset and operational design. Though 77% [of telcos] are considering a hybrid cloud model, there continues to be significant investment made in dedicated private clouds and purely public cloud environments.”

Eugene, Ore., Mayor Lucy Vinis (D) and Springfield, Ore., Mayor Sean VanGordon (R) and other city officials spoke with staff for FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel about RF safety and other issues. “Local governments often face questions and requests for action” on RF “from their residents, and given that the Communications Act assigns primary responsibility in this area to the Commission, we believe the Commission should shoulder more of the burden of explaining its rules to the public and also informing the public they should look to the Commission and Congress if they are unhappy with the Commission’s rules or with federal preemption of local authority to regulate RF emissions,” said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 19-226. They also discussed the FCC’s affordable connectivity program and “expressed concern about the program’s forthcoming funding cliff,” the filing said.

The biggest takeaway from the Mobile World Congress for Neville Ray, T-Mobile president-technology, is that fixed wireless access has “arrived,” he said Tuesday during a Morgan Stanley investors conference. In the past 18 months, T-Mobile has added 2.6 million 5G FWA customers. “Many folks are looking at us, and to a slightly lesser extent Verizon” on “how we've driven 5G network capability into new business,” Ray said. Operators globally are “trying to figure out what's that fixed wireless access formula,” he said. T-Mobile is exploring ways to use its millimeter-wave spectrum as part of its home broadband offering, but that will require the development of customer premise equipment and antennas installed outside the home, Ray said. “There's more complexity in the solution -- there's a truck roll and so on,” he said: “But we're getting very confident now we can make those economics work.” Ray noted T-Mobile added 10,000 cellsites to its network from Sprint, but overall has decommissioned 30,000 since the Sprint deal three years ago. T-Mobile doesn’t decommission a cellsite without a lot of thought, he said. “We were looking forward multiple years into what we think we need” and “we believe we have that footprint,” he said. Ray is leaving the carrier in the fall (see 2302130068), to be replaced by Chief Network Officer Ulf Ewaldsson. “We built this network site by site … MHz by MHz, generation at a time, 2G to 3G to 4G to 5G,” he said. The years since the Sprint buy have been “the most rewarding period in my career” and T-Mobile is no longer the “scrappy underdog,” Ray said.

CTIA opposed parts of the FCC’s draft robotexting order and Further NPRM, teed up for a vote March 16 (see 2302230059), in meetings with staff for all four commissioners. Verizon joined CTIA in some of the meetings. “CTIA supports the FCC’s engagement in helping combat misuse of both voice and text messaging services,” said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 21-402. “Unfortunately, bad actors have every incentive and will continue to adjust their tactics, and the Draft Order will not materially advance efforts to combat illegal and unwanted text messages,” CTIA said: “Instead, it risks confusion for consumers, a diversion of resources from industry-government collaboration that can reduce illegal and unwanted text messages, and significant implementation challenges.”

Verizon is in good shape to “manage through" a tough economy and is returning to basics in its consumer offerings, Chief Financial Officer Matt Ellis said Tuesday at a Morgan Stanley investor conference. “The view on the macro picture has continued to change … depending on the day of the week,” Ellis said: “The consumer is in good shape overall,” he said. “We continue to see payment patterns that are very much in line with what we saw pre-pandemic.” Ellis, who's leaving Verizon in May, cited the appointment last week of Sowmyanarayan Sampath as CEO of Verizon Consumer Group (see 2303030042) in saying there have been times when “we've got distracted by trying to do too many things at once,” Ellis said. “You'll see Sampath getting very much back to the basics of what made Verizon Wireless the biggest and best performing carrier in the U.S.,” and “we feel good about what we saw in the second half of the year,” he said. Verizon’s lower-cost “Welcome Unlimited Plan” has been helpful in driving growth, Ellis said: The plan “gave us the opportunity to advertise at a lower price point, drive foot traffic into the stores. And then we challenge our store teams to say, ‘Hey, if a customer really wants that plan, we'll absolutely sell that plan for them. But let's tell them about all our other plans.’” Verizon’s C-band spectrum has been turned on in 76 of 406 markets, starting with dense, urban areas, he said. “Our customers are liking what they're seeing” in those markets, he said.

International Data Corp. forecast Tuesday that global spending on AI software, hardware and services will reach $154 billion in 2023, 26.9% above 2022. “The ongoing incorporation of AI into a wide range of products will result in a compound annual growth rate of 27.0% over the 2022-2026 forecast with spending on AI-centric systems expected to surpass $300 billion in 2026,” IDC said. "Companies that are slow to adopt AI will be left behind -- large and small,” said Mike Glennon, senior market research analyst: “AI is best used in these companies to augment human abilities, automate repetitive tasks, provide personalized recommendations, and make data-driven decisions with speed and accuracy.”

Qualcomm private 5G networks using Globalstar's Band n53 terrestrial spectrum should roll out this summer, Globalstar Chairman Jay Monroe said Tuesday in a call with analysts. He said its collaboration with Qualcomm, announced this week, should help drive more radio vendors to introduce Band 53-compatible equipment. He said Spain's authorization of terrestrial use of Globalstar's mobile satellite service spectrum (see 2302280002) "should foreshadow many more licenses" in Europe. Asked about increased FCC attention to the intersection of terrestrial and satellite activity, CEO Dave Kagan said Globalstar is a heavy user of its satellite spectrum, especially with its announced partnership with Apple (see 2209070016) so it isn't likely to face a big challenge by another party wanting to use that spectrum.

The Public Safety Spectrum Alliance urged the FCC not to extend by 60 days the comment deadlines on the details of implementing a new leasing model for the 4.9 GHz band, sought last week by Energy associations, the Enterprise Wireless Alliance and other groups (see 2303020042). “The length of the proposed delay is extraordinary,” the alliance said in a filing posted Tuesday in docket 07-100: “Were the Commission to grant the extension, the result would be a 180-day comment period, which is not a modest delay, and is in no way routine.” The group noted advocates of a delay don’t cite “extraordinary or compelling circumstances” and “if anything, the circumstances described by the Parties provide all the more reason why the comment periods should proceed apace.” Comments are due March 30, replies May 1, in docket 07-100, in response to a Further NPRM approved by commissioners in January (see 2301180062).