On revised rules for the 4.9 GHz band, APCO said the FCC should “require frequency coordination, adopt minor changes to ULS [the universal licensing system] to properly capture all pertinent details of public safety operations, increase operational and technical flexibility, and depart from the current geographic licensing framework. These rule changes would provide new incentives to drive further use of the band while officially recording public safety operational and technical parameters in the ULS database. This would in turn set the stage for subsequent sharing of this band with non-public safety users, which APCO has also supported in order to increase innovation and competition in the 4.9 GHz equipment marketplace, and likely lower costs provided that public safety users retain priority and preemption rights over other users.” The APCO comments to officials from the Wireless and Public Safety bureaus addressed an order recently circulated by FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel (see 2211090036), said a filing posted Monday in docket 07-100.

UScellular representatives discussed its C-band deployment plans and discussions with the FAA, warning against delays, in calls with FCC Wireless Bureau and Office of Engineering and Technology staff. “UScellular emphasized the importance of being able to deploy this spectrum in a timely manner to help cure the digital divide in rural areas,” said a filing posted Monday in docket 18-122: “UScellular recommended that the FCC reject calls for modifications to its C-band rules, as changes at this stage will certainly cause deployment delays despite making progress with the FAA, harming Americans who need 5G service the most.” The carrier bid $1.3 billion in the auction, which ended last year (see 2102180041).

Callers must receive consumers' prior express consent before sending ringless voicemails, the FCC said in a declaratory ruling and order released Monday. The order, adopted Nov. 14, denied All About the Message's request that such voicemails were not subject to robocall restrictions (see 2202020040). All About the Message's ringless voicemails are "identical in function to the internet-to-phone texting the commission in 2015 found subject to the [Telephone Consumer Protection Act]," the order said. The FCC also denied All About the Message's request for a waiver of commission rules because the messages it would send are "calls that pose the same consumer protection concerns that Congress contemplated when enacting the TCPA."

AT&T fired back at T-Mobile on AT&T’s petition asking the FCC not to grant its rival additional mid-band licenses in the 2.5 GHz band. “T-Mobile does not dispute that its application triggers competitive scrutiny under the Commission’s existing spectrum screen,” AT&T said, responding to T-Mobile’s defense (see 2211150017): “Nor does T-Mobile try to explain away the numerous statements of its senior executives outlining the company’s plan to hobble competition for the next decade by building on its grossly disproportionate spectrum advantage.” T-Mobile “gives the Commission a false choice: unconditionally grant T-Mobile these 2.5 GHz licenses or else let the relevant spectrum ‘l[ie] fallow,’” AT&T said. The commission could allow T-Mobile to deploy the 2.5 GHz spectrum while requiring divestiture of other licenses “needed to restore competitive condition,” the filing said. “T-Mobile tries to avoid spectrum-aggregation review altogether by arguing that it would ‘undermine the integrity of the auction process,’” but “that, too, is meritless: the Commission routinely conducts such post-auction reviews, and they are a small price to pay for safeguarding competitive access to scarce spectrum assets.”

The OmniAir Consortium briefed FCC engineers and Wireless and Public Safety bureau staff on efforts to enable “trusted communications” for vehicle-to-everything services in the 5.9 GHz band, said a filing posted Friday in docket 19-138. “OmniAir described how its Certification and Conformance Testing Program for V2X radio devices helps to realize these ‘trusted communications’ between the roadside infrastructure, vehicles and other transportation users to enhance public safety,” the consortium said: OmniAir discussed “specifics of the certification and testing program, including what standards are tested against, the tested attributes of V2X radio devices and the role of FCC equipment authorization.” The group represents companies and testing labs in the intelligent transportation space.

Ericsson asked the FCC to act on its request for a waiver allowing the company to offer a multiband radio across the 3.45 GHz and C bands, both auctioned by the FCC for 5G. The FAA raised concerns (see 2209200030), but the proposal got general support from industry (see 2208240045). “Six industry commenters, including both Ericsson customers and equipment manufacturer competitors, all supported granting the requested waiver,” said a filing Friday in docket 22-298. Ericsson also addressed FAA concerns about interference to radio altimeters: “Ericsson confirms that the multiband radio … will meet the spurious emission performance Ericsson has demonstrated for 3.7 GHz Service devices with respect to emissions into the 4.2-4.4 GHz band.”

The American Radio Relay League asked the FCC for a waiver of the commission’s Part 97 rules to communicate with military stations as part of Pearl Harbor Day commemorations Dec. 6 and 7. “As already authorized on the federal government side, the military stations will transmit on 14.375, 18.170, and 21.460 MHz,” said a filing posted Friday. “On the Amateur Radio side, operators will respond solely on frequencies being monitored and announced by the military operators, all of which will be frequencies authorized for use by Amateur Radio operators and on which all related FCC regulations will continue to apply, such as mode, maximum power, and license class,” ARRL said.

T-Mobile told the FCC it's hardening its network in Puerto Rico due to Uniendo program funding. Parts of the report, posted Thursday in docket 18-143, were redacted. “T-Mobile has significantly hardened its network and increased the availability and capacity of the system to ensure a more resilient network and improve the overall customer experience,” the carrier said: “As a result of these efforts, as well as the continued instability of the Puerto Rico power grid, T-Mobile has installed generators and backup batteries at its cell sites.” All 78 municipalities have at least one cellsite with a backup generator, T-Mobile said: “T-Mobile has also upgraded battery banks at cell sites where a generator is not feasible due to space, landlord, or permit restrictions.”

The National Wireless Safety Alliance announced Thursday the launch of a new Advanced Rigging Concepts Specialty certification exam for tower workers. The group said other new certifications are in the works. “This Advanced Rigging Concepts Specialty exam will offer a second option to the current certification pathway for those individuals seeking a Foreman credential,” the alliance said: “Development efforts are scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2023 and conclude with the launch of the exam in the fourth quarter of 2023.”

Federated Wireless and Charter Communications representatives highlighted the benefits of spectrum sharing and the model offered by the citizens broadband radio service band, in a meeting with FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington. The CBRS model “facilitates the growth of mobile competition and has enabled new entrants into the market, many of whom are using the band to develop their own private networks for uses such as industrial automation, artificial intelligence, and predictive maintenance,” said a filing posted Thursday in docket 17-258. CBRS is used “in environments ranging from warehouses, ports, factories, airports, and office buildings, in rural as well as densely populated areas, supporting supply chain efficiency."