NAB raised questions about Apple’s analysis of interference risks in the 6 GHz band for very-low- power (VLP) applications, which the company has been presenting to the FCC (see 2302100031). “The analysis was not intended to, and does not, address the potential for interference from unlicensed VLP operations to mobile licensed operations in the 6 GHz band,” NAB said in a Thursday filing in docket 18-295: “Whatever the merits or issues with Apple’s analysis with respect to fixed operations, the Commission cannot rely on or draw any conclusions from the analysis with respect to the potential for harmful interference to broadcasters’ mobile electronic newsgathering operations in the band.” Newsworthy events “frequently transpire in close proximity to crowds, whether indoors or outdoors” and “ENG operations could easily receive harmful interference from nearby VLP devices -- particularly when there is little or no physical separation between individuals who may be using VLP devices and ENG operations," NAB said.

T-Mobile reached agreement with Vail Resorts to bring 5G and improve connections to its 36 U.S. resorts. T-Mobile was picked to help “improve network coverage, connect more than a thousand employees and streamline resort operations,” the carrier said Thursday.

Choice Wireless asked the FCC for a waiver of a requirement to file data on its now closed CDMA network as part of broadband data collection submissions due March 1. Choice shuttered the network Jan. 3, but requirements extend to network information through the end of 2022, notes the filing, posted Thursday in docket 19-95. “Choice shut down the network just after the New Year holiday to minimize disruption to its customers over the holiday,” the company said: “It is in the public interest to waive Choice’s obligation to submit information about a network that no longer exists.”

Fixed-wireless provider Starry, which previously slashed staff and refocused on dense urban markets with multi-tenant buildings (see 2301190047), sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Starry announced Tuesday it filed voluntary petitions for relief in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware and entered into a restructuring support agreement with lenders holding the company’s debt. “Over the last several months, we’ve taken steps to conserve capital and reduce costs in order to put Starry in the best position to explore various financing paths for the company,” said Chet Kanojia, Starry CEO: “Our next step in this journey is to continue to strengthen our balance sheet through a Chapter 11 restructuring process.”

Total robocall attempts increased 75% from 2021 to 2022, but technology like T-Mobile's Scam Shield helped reduce the calls that connect, T-Mobile said Wednesday in its second annual "Scam and Robocall Report." T-Mobile said it blocked 40 billion scam calls throughout 2022. Scam call volume hit an all-time high in January 2022, then declined with “occasional spikes during seasonal scam surges,” T-Mobile said. Scammers followed “similar patterns from years past, targeting consumers more heavily on weekdays vs. weekends and heavily ramping up activity during the two weeks before Christmas,” T-Mobile said. Vehicle warranty scam calls dominated the first half of 2022, with T-Mobile’s technology blocking an average 4.2 billion calls/month, compared with 2.7 billion blocked calls/month in the second half. “Scammers never stay away for long, so as vehicle warranty scams went into hibernation, health and insurance-related scams quickly rose up to take their place,” T-Mobile said: “Back to school? That’s prime time for student loan fraudsters and Amazon scams. Tax season? IRS-related scams reigned supreme.”

Representatives of the Enterprise Wireless Alliance and the Utilities Technology Council said they spoke with staff from the FCC Wireless and Public Safety bureaus about the agency's process for naming members to the selection committee that will choose the nationwide band manager for the 4.9 GHz band. “They also asked about potential restrictions against being on the Selection Committee and participating in an entity seeking appointment as the Nationwide Band Manager in light of the similar qualifications for both positions,” said a filing Tuesday in docket 07-100: “The FCC staff advised that no decisions had been made regarding these issues and encouraged EWA and UTC to address them in their comments in the proceeding.”

Bluetooth Special Interest Group representatives met with FCC Office of Engineering and Technology staff about possible use of the 6 GHz band. Group members “outlined Bluetooth’s history of using the 2.4 GHz band, growing congestion in the band, and the potential for its members to also use the 6 GHz band,” said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 18-295: “Bluetooth is currently working on a new development project to define the operation of Bluetooth Low Energy in higher bands.”

The Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council raised concerns after FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel sent letters to the nation’s nine largest providers of wireless emergency alerts last week seeking information on how alerts can start to support languages beyond English and Spanish (see 2302140059). MMTC reminded the FCC it sought changes to the emergency alert system in 2005, in a petition never addressed by regulators. Reports are that the commission’s focus on the issue of multilingual emergency alerts has shifted from the emergency alert “Designated Hitter” system proposed by MMTC to a model based on WEA, said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 06-119. “If true, this shift represents an unfortunate step backward from the Commission’s goal of ensuring that people from a variety of language backgrounds are armed with critical information during and in the immediate wake of a life-threatening emergency,” MMTC said: “Although wireless providers generally do a good job of relaying multilingual emergency information in advance of anticipated disasters, cell towers and other systems making up wireless infrastructure are often compromised or taken entirely offline when disaster actually strikes, leaving radio stations with back-up generators among the few sources of mass communications still operating during such events.” The group asked the FCC to focus instead on its designated hitter proposal.

Amazon Web Services announced Tuesday “the general availability” of AWS Telco Network Builder, a service that helps customers deploy, run and scale telecom networks using AWS. Providers can use “familiar telecom industry standard language to describe the details of their network (e.g., connection points, networking requirements, compute needs, and geographical distribution) in a template uploaded to the service,” said a news release. The service “translates the template into a cloud-based network architecture and provisions the necessary AWS infrastructure, shortening the deployment of an operational, cloud-configured telco network from days to hours,” AWS said. T-Mobile said it’s working with AWS. “Businesses need both massive connectivity and computing power to unlock the full business potential of digital transformation, but unlocking those capabilities can be complex and costly,” the carrier said: “Together, T-Mobile and AWS can help accelerate adoption and reduce costs.”

Representatives of the Wireless Innovation Forum warned of recent irregularities in the FCC’s universal licensing system, which they said raises concerns for automated frequency coordination in the 6 GHz band, in a meeting with FCC staff. The FCC requires the AFC system to rely on the ULS for fixed microwave link data “when calculating and establishing the exclusion zones to protect those microwave links from harmful interference,” said a filing posted Friday in docket 18-295. The ULS must be available for AFC operations and “when availability issues arise … AFC system operators must be immediately informed by the FCC that there is an issue and provided complete information on the nature of the issue,” the WInnForum said. During the Aug. 1-Oct. 22 period, daily license files weren’t posted in ULS on Aug. 1-4, Sept. 10 and 22, and Oct. 6-10, the group said. Weekly license files were delayed the week of Oct. 9 and daily application files were never posted Sept. 10, 22 and 23 and Oct. 6-10, the group said. The FCC didn't comment.