Representatives of NCTA, CableLabs and cable companies urged the FCC to adopt rules proposed in a 2020 Further NPRM (see 2004230059) allowing low-power indoor use of the 6 GHz band at levels higher than now allowed. They met with staff from the Office of Engineering and Technology. “The 6 GHz FNPRM’s proposed LPI power levels will not increase the risk of harmful interference to Fixed Service (FS) incumbent operators in the 6 GHz band,” the cable interests said in a filing posted Monday in docket 18-295: “CableLabs has repeatedly confirmed this with detailed technical analyses that use signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR), rather than interference-to-noise power ratio (I/N), to determine the actual risk of impairment to an FS link’s signal. SINR is a more accurate indicator of interference risk than I/N because it is based on how interference (I) and noise (N) could affect a known signal (S).”

The Mobile World Congress in Barcelona will show industry’s focus is expanding beyond 5G, analyst Jeff Kagan blogged Monday. One big focus will be private wireless, Kagan predicted. “Wireless carriers like Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T see the growth opportunity and are entering this space, delivering hybrid private wireless services on their public wireless network, to companies, colleges and governments,” he said. Another big focus will be chatbot technology, which lets users have a conversation with AI, he said: “We have all heard stories about how college students use AI and Chatbot technology to write term papers and how teachers cannot tell the difference. This is just the beginning.”

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) warned that retrofitting radio altimeters (RAs) on commercial aircraft to ensure they're safe from 5G wireless interference may cost airlines at least $637 million. The FAA earlier estimated the cost upgrades at just $26 million nationwide (see 2301100060). Comments were posted this week and last in docket FAA-2022-1647-0001. The FAA proposed in January that passenger and cargo aircraft in the U.S. have 5G C-band-tolerant radio altimeters or install approved filters by early 2024. “It is unfortunate” the FCC and carriers “refused to accept that any limitations on the 5G spectrum signal around airports were necessary to ensure the continued safe operation of commercial aviation,” IATA said: “This is despite the fact that IATA and other industry representatives raised these safety and interference concerns long before the auction of this spectrum. Now, the aviation industry, rather than the FCC or the telecommunications companies, is being told to pay to upgrade its certified radio altimeters. The unfairness of this cannot be overstated.” Carriers didn't file comments in the proceeding. “The wireless industry continues to work collaboratively with all stakeholders and supports the FAA’s schedule for altimeter upgrades," a CTIA spokesperson emailed. Others questioned timing. The American Association of Airport Executives (AAAW) said the FAA must work with other federal agencies, along with the aviation and telecom industries, “to develop a permanent solution that does not rely upon voluntary mitigation measures from telecommunications providers.” AAAW questioned whether the proposed timeline is workable: “While airports are not in the best position to determine the appropriate timeline for retrofitting existing airplanes, comments from air carriers and manufacturers in response to the proposal and over the past several months are clear: the proposed deadlines are unachievable, and FAA needs to extend them to prevent disruptions to the air transportation system.” The Cargo Airline Association said modifying altimeters “is not a quick process,” the group said: “The time it takes to go from the RA/filter modification development all the way to the end-state of equipage on aircraft is multi-layered and an incredibly complex process. The multitude of paperwork approvals and the complexity of the logistics channels have been further hampered by significant supply chain challenges and lack of available parts.”

Shure General Counsel Paul Applebaum and others from the company discussed “spectrum policy and planning” for wireless mics and other professional use audio equipment in a meeting with aides to all four FCC commissioners, said filings posted Friday in docket 21-115. “Shure emphasized that Commission spectrum policy should address the important needs of [programme making and special events (PMSE)] operations [supporting] content creation sectors representing more than an estimated trillion dollars in economic value,” said a filing on the meeting with aides to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “Notwithstanding the continuing expansion in demand for PMSE operations to support U.S. broadcasting, U.S. streaming services, theater, music, sports, Houses of Worship, business gatherings, and education, among other uses, U.S. ... operations have been constrained by a material reduction in available spectrum as a result of changes in Commission rules,” Shure said.

The Michigan State 911 Committee urged the FCC to require wireless providers to act on location-based routing of emergency calls. “Having some provide LBR while others do not, creates an expectation for callers that all wireless calls provide this information to 911 centers, and that 911 centers will be able to locate them when they are experiencing an emergency,” the committee posted Friday in docket 18-64: “Sadly, this is not the reality today.”

After meeting with an aide to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel (see 2302070040), Apple representatives met with aides to the other commissioners to urge the FCC to act on rules allowing very-low power (VLP) mobile applications in the 6 GHz band, said a filing posted Friday in docket 18-295. Apple discussed a recent Monte Carlo analysis of interference risks to incumbent links in the band in Houston. “Only probabilistic interference analysis -- not static, worst-case analysis -- is appropriate for VLP,” Apple said.

Mobile wireless providers are at a “crucial moment,” as 5G launches worldwide, said Jakub Zagdanski, senior economist at GSMA Intelligence, during a Thursday Mobile World Live webinar. “We are kind of rooting the 5G networks and there are many key decisions that need to be made before they are fully grown,” he said. GSMA recently surveyed carriers and found their primary goals are to generate new revenue streams and improve customer experience, he said. “It’s about … retaining customers -- providing the best experiences in order to maximize the revenues,” he said. GSMA’s research underscores the importance of high quality service, rather than focusing on savings, he said. The leading demand of customers is a stable, resilient network, Zagdanski said. Most customers are willing to switch providers if they’re not satisfied and 58% of mobile customers in the U.K. switched in the past five years, GSMA found. “Most of the reasons were quite reactive -- what that means is essentially one single bad experience was potentially the reason that many of the customers started seeking another provider,” he said.

AT&T said Thursday it will offer the Franklin A50 5G mobile hot spot starting Friday, which provides connections for up to 20 devices. Customers can buy the hot spot for $209.99, or via installment plan. AT&T also said it’s offering two new DataConnect plans -- 50 GB for $55/month and 100 GB for $90, after discounts.

Federated Wireless representatives spoke with staff from the FCC Public Safety Bureau on “the successes” of the citizens broadband radio service band’s spectrum sharing model and the implications for 4.9 GHz, the topic of a recent order and Further NPRM (see 2301180062). Federated discussed “the similarities between the proposed 4.9 GHz Band Manager responsibilities and the activities Federated Wireless performs in our role as a CBRS Spectrum Access System administrator,” said a Wednesday filing in docket 07-100. Similarities include “frequency coordination and protection of incumbent operations; design and implementation of private 5G wireless networks for diverse commercial and public sector use cases; and management of a streamlined secondary market for CBRS Priority Access License leases,” Federated said. The CBRS band has “strong momentum” with more than 312,000 base stations deployed nationwide “in only 3 years,” the company said.

Verizon engineers demonstrated the ability to upload files at 1.26 Gbps using the company’s 5G ultra-wideband technology, the company said. Verizon said Tuesday the tests used 20 MHz of LTE spectrum and 400 MHz in the 28 GHz band. The carrier has hit download speeds of up to 4.3 Gbps.