Puloli, which provides private networks for utilities, asked the FCC for special temporary authority for 180 days to deploy a private IoT network in 10 counties in Texas, using upper 700 MHz A-block spectrum. “This network will transmit information from sensors monitoring the emission of methane and other greenhouse gases at natural gas, petroleum, and other energy-related facilities in Texas,” said a Thursday filing. Energy companies will use the network “to monitor and limit greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to the critical multinational goal of reduced global climate change,” Puloli said.

The mobile backhaul transport market is expected to hit $5.3 billion worldwide by 2025 because of 5G expansion in areas where wireless backhaul works best, Dell'Oro Group said Thursday. “Demand for wireless backhaul is on the rise,” said Jimmy Yu, Dell’Oro vice president. “Early in the 5G deployment cycle, the main backhaul technology used was fiber-based, resulting in five solid years of fiber backhaul revenue growth,” he said: “Going forward, we expect more of the 5G deployments to take place in locations without accessibility to fiber as well as in countries that traditionally favor wireless backhaul systems, driving a lot more growth for Microwave Transmission equipment in the future.” The microwave transmission market ended contraction in 2020 caused by declining 4G deployment, the firm said. The next growth cycle, driven by 5G, started in 2021 and is projected to grow at an annual rate of 4% through 2025. About 75% of the microwave transmission market is tied to mobile backhaul, Dell’Oro said.

Easy Wireless petitioned the FCC to be designated an eligible telecom carrier in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Maine, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Texas and Washington, D.C. “Easy Wireless’s mobile, wireless service offerings will provide low-income consumers with an attractive alternative to traditional landline services that may be effectively unavailable or simply not the best option for the consumer,” said the petition posted Wednesday in docket 09-197. “The prepaid nature of Easy Wireless’s services will reduce barriers to adoption of broadband usage and enable low-income consumers to anticipate and control their communications costs more effectively so that they can stay connected,” the company said.

Executives at Liberty Mobile in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands spoke with all four FCC commissioners to oppose proposals in an FCC Further NPRM on extending USF support to eligible mobile and fixed carriers in both territories (see 2210270046). In recent comments, industry raised similar concerns (see 2212120053). A proposed 75% reduction in Stage 2 support “would undermine the Commission’s goals of universal service and competition,” said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 18-143. “The Liberty representatives discussed the Unique Characteristics of Puerto Rico and USVI … which increase the cost of their mobile networks.”

Representatives of SignalCommand spoke with FCC Wireless Bureau staff to answer questions about the company’s application for a contraband interdiction system authorization from the FCC. Parts were redacted. The system, to be used in correctional facilities, collects data “to help an independent analyst make a data-based recommendation to disconnect devices,” said a filing posted Monday in docket 13-111.

Comments are due Feb. 22, replies March 24, in docket 22-21, on a data breach NPRM the FCC approved earlier this month (see 2301060057), said a Monday notice in the Federal Register. The NPRM proposes eliminating the “outdated” seven-business-day mandatory waiting period before notifying customers of a breach and requiring the reporting of inadvertent but harmful breaches to the FCC, FBI and Secret Service.

CTIA and Competitive Carriers Association representatives discussed support for their joint petition (see 2211010056) seeking tweaks to rules for the FCC’s new mandatory disaster response initiative, in a call with Public Safety Bureau staff. A comment cycle recently ended (see 2301110036). “The Petition seeks limited modifications to help facilities-based wireless providers achieve compliance and strengthen resiliency coordination,” said a Friday filing in docket 04-35: “Small, regional facilities-based wireless providers support the Petition, and no party has filed in opposition.”

SI Wireless spoke with FCC Wireline Bureau staff about problems the company encountered with the reimbursement filing portal, as part of an FCC program funding the replacement of insecure Chinese gear in telecom networks. SI said it received repeated requests for information “that would be better handled in a face-to-face meeting or teleconference.” SI also said “many Reimbursement Program participants have made the decision to delay the submission of invoices until the July deadline for submitting the first invoice in order to give themselves more time to remove, replace, and destroy their covered equipment,” the filing said: SI “is concerned that the Fund Administrator will receive a massive influx of invoices as the July deadline approaches to submit the first invoice.”

Southern Co. criticized an NCTA filing from November arguing that the power spectral density limit for 6 GHz low-power indoor access points floated in the 6 GHz Further NPRM isn't a big risk for causing harmful interference to incumbent fixed service links (see 2211290068). “The arguments made by NCTA are in conflict with real-world measurements taken by multiple tests on the public record, all of which show results consistent with Southern’s real-world testing, measurements, and analyses previously provided to the Commission,” the utility said, posted Friday in docket 18-295.

Encina Communications Chairman Michael Mulcay and others from the company explained Encina’s proposal to use Part 101 frequency coordination procedures as an alternative to automated frequency coordination (AFC) in the 6 GHz band (see 2208150040), in a meeting with an aide to FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington. “Updating Part 101 Rules to Harmonize with Part 15 Rules requires no changes to Part 15 Rules, nor would it disrupt or undermine in any way the ongoing work to develop an” AFC system, said a filing posted Friday in docket 18-295. “This proposal is also clearly in the public interest as it immediately permits the safe deployment of outdoor Wi-Fi 6E … networks to bring the benefits of Wi-Fi 6E and beyond to the more than 290 million smartphone and fixed wireless access consumers nationwide in urban, suburban and rural areas, including underserved and unserved communities,” Encina said.