The Alliance for Automotive Innovation asked the FCC to make clear in an eventual second report and order that the entire 30 MHz of the 5.895-5.925 GHz band will be reserved for C-V2X operations, in response to NTIA’s input to the cellular vehicle-to-everything joint waiver approval (see 2304240066). “Several automotive stakeholders have explained that more than 30 megahertz of spectrum will be required, particularly for ‘advanced’ C-V2X safety use cases,” said a filing posted Thursday in docket 19-138. The FCC should also clarify that C-V2X operations and federal incumbents exist on a co-primary basis, the group said. “Although the NTIA letter and the C-V2X Waiver Order state that operations under the C-V2X Joint Waiver Request are authorized ‘on a secondary basis’ to federal radiolocation operations in the band, this designation departs from the 5.9 GHz band rules, which provide that federal incumbents share primary status in the band with Intelligent Transportation Services,” the alliance said. Recipients of the joint waiver, meanwhile, asked the FCC Thursday to lift one restriction. The waiver restricts on-board units (OBUs) to 20 dBm transmitter output power, said a filing. The limit is “unnecessary from an interference protection perspective and restricts design flexibility when deploying OBUs under the Joint Waiver Order, for it forces the use of specific antenna designs to achieve the maximum permitted EIRP [equivalent isotropic radiated power] levels and restricts our ability to use higher conducted power limits while still complying with the EIRP levels in the Joint Waiver Order,” the parties said.

Three smaller wireless carriers filed letters at the FCC, posted this week in docket 18-122, saying they will comply to the extent possible with voluntary commitments made by larger carriers in March to extend protection for flight operations from some C-band deployments until Jan. 1, 2028. AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and UScellular made the initial voluntary commitments (see 2304030070). Cellular South, Northwest Missouri Cellular and Smith Bagley filed the latest letters (see here, here and here).

Encina Communications updated the FCC on the company’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 filing posted Wednesday in docket 18-295. Last July the FCC issued an experimental license to Encina to operate an outdoor unlicensed standard power access point network in the 6 GHz band, requiring coordination with band incumbents, the filing said. “In contrast to the lack of consensus and the timing uncertainty surrounding the development of an AFC system, there is unanimous agreement by fixed services operators that Rule 101.103(d), which was first adopted by the FCC in and is grounded it decades of practical experience, can successfully be used to accomplish prior coordination,” Encina said: Because the rule “requires that each and every network operating in a licensed band must be coordinated prior to operation, the experimental licensed network has shown that Rule 101.103(d) can be used to coordinate unlicensed networks in any and all locations nationwide.”

Wipro, a technology services and consulting company, and Cisco said they’re working together on a private 5G offering. “Managed private 5G from Cisco and Wipro supports organizations looking to enjoy the advantages of a private 5G network without having to acquire, run, and maintain one,” the companies said Wednesday.

CTIA and Ericsson said Wednesday they’re collaborating on an IoT certification program targeting utilities. “The Smart Connected Infrastructure certification program addresses the increasing demand for advanced IoT deployments for utilities and creates a set of standards to ensure the safety and reliability of these devices,” said a news release. “CTIA already has a proven device certification program that can test the interoperability, safety and security of IoT devices,” said Tom Sawanobori, CTIA chief technology officer: A program focused on IoT devices being deployed by utilities is “a natural extension and shows the increasing number of use cases that can benefit from industry baseline standards.”

CTIA raised concerns about the FCC's draft NPRM on strengthening robocall and robotext rules that commissioners will consider during an agency meeting Thursday (see 2305180069). If adopted, the item would propose codifying past guidance on prior express consent for callers and consumers. The group said in separate meetings with aides to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioner Brendan Carr the draft's proposals "would not protect consumers" and "instead limit the ability of consumers to receive important, time-sensitive information about their wireless service," per an ex parte filing in docket 02-278. "The draft NPRM does not note any new record support, policy reason or benefits that the proposed limitations to the current framework would deliver, and does not acknowledge the harms that limiting these communications may impose," CTIA said. It sought additional questions that would "help clarify the unique relationship between wireless service providers and their consumers," plus the "substantial consumer benefits that have resulted under the current framework."

AT&T signed a letter of intent to work with HAAS Alert to bundle the cellular vehicle-to-everything service with AT&T’s connected vehicle offerings. HAAS Alert’s Safety Cloud is the “largest” C-V2X solution “in deployment, connecting emergency vehicles, roadway infrastructure, and other transportation assets together in a consolidated platform for real-time communication with motorists and consumer vehicles,” AT&T said Wednesday: “Safety Cloud delivers timely hazard alerts and notifications to connected vehicles that notify drivers of nearby emergency vehicles, upcoming incidents, and other hazards, so drivers have the ability to move over safely.”

Representatives of both companies met with FCC staff reviewing T-Mobile’s proposed buy of Mint Mobile (see 2303150032), a low-cost prepaid wireless brand, and other assets from Ka’ena, said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 23-171. The companies said they discussed “the structure of the proposed transaction and resulting consumer benefits.” T-Mobile would get Ultra Mobile, which offers international calling options and wholesaler Plum. The two MVNO brands “will continue to operate post-closing and they will remain in separate subsidiaries under T-Mobile US,” the filing said: “Key Ka’ena personnel will continue to be involved post-close” and actor “Ryan Reynolds will remain Mint brand champion.” Mint has about two million customers, Ultra 500,000, the companies said. “As it did with MetroPCS, T-Mobile plans to supercharge the Mint and Ultra brands -- enabling them to grow faster and reach more consumers across the U.S. with high-quality plans at accessible prices,” the filing said.

Non-substantive editorial revisions to the FCC’s table of frequency allocations are effective July 7, said a notice for Wednesday’s Federal Register. The changes conform commission rules to formatting requirements of the Code of Federal Regulation, the notice said.

AT&T’s stock price rose 1.82% to $15.67 Tuesday after MoffettNathanson’s Craig Moffett upgraded the stock from underperform to market perform. “We’re not optimists,” Moffett told investors: “We don’t see things in Wireless generally, or at AT&T specifically, getting materially better. We do, however, believe that AT&T’s stock price now appropriately reflects reality.” Moffett said AT&T will likely fall short on its full-year free cash flow guidance “but the market has already priced that in. And we continue to think that AT&T overstates its free cash flow anyway … but, again, so does the market.”