The Democratic Party of Wisconsin filed a complaint at the FCC Saturday against the state Republican Party for allegedly distributing a video promoting Supreme Court candidate Daniel Kelly using a text message that looks like an emergency alert. The election has been hotly contested and has gotten national coverage. “The audio began with a series of tones substantially similar to the Common Audio Alert Signal as defined in 10 CFR § 10.520” and transmittal of such audio is a “violation of 10 CFR 10.520(d)(2), which not only prohibits unauthorized use of the Common Audio Alert Signal, but unauthorized use of a ‘simulation’ of such a signal,” the complaint said. False use of emergency alert system codes or wireless emergency alert attention signals “may be considered a ‘false distress signal,’ which is prohibited under 47 U.S. Code § 325,” the complaint said: “The FCC has broad jurisdiction to investigate and remediate offenses under both of the sections cited above, and has proposed or imposed substantial forfeitures for those violations.” The state Republican Party didn’t immediately comment Monday.

Utility, public safety and other groups asked the FCC to launch a proceeding looking at cost recovery for 6 GHz incumbents, “an issue which has not been examined as part of this proceeding.” They also asked for “improvements in interference detection, identification, reporting, tracking, and elimination for the 6 GHz band, including the creation of a centralized interference reporting point that is publicly available” and a public comment period on extending the automated frequency coordination requirements “to all uses of the 6 GHz band to support the interference detection, identification, reporting, tracking, and elimination process,” per a filing Friday in docket 18-295. Among those signing the petition were the American Public Power Association, APCO, Edison Electric Institute, the Enterprise Wireless Alliance, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and the Utilities Technology Council.

Progeny asked for a limited waiver and two-year extension of time to complete the build of its 900 MHz multi-lateration location and monitoring service (M-LMS) licenses in 36 mostly rural markets with low populations. The FCC addressed the construction requirements in an order last week (see 2303290045). Wireless providers are working with Progeny to use its service to locate emergency callers in buildings. The waiver is “warranted because of circumstances that are entirely beyond Progeny’s control, specifically the ongoing failure to fully implement the indoor location accuracy requirements specified” in the commission’s rules, Progeny said, posted Friday in docket 12-202. Progeny also cited “regulatory uncertainty created by the delays in approving Progeny’s use of tall buildings to demonstrate network buildout.” Progeny asked the FCC to extend the deadline by two years, to April 3, 2025. It filed four other requests seeking more limited extensions in other markets.

Comments are due May 3, replies May 18, on a petition filed by ATIS requesting waiver for all entities subject to FCC hearing aid compatibility rules, says a notice for Monday’s Federal Register. “The Petition seeks to allow wireless handsets to satisfy a reduced volume control testing methodology to be certified as hearing-aid compatible,” the notice said: "We seek comment on this waiver request in the context of the Commission’s commitment to attaining 100% hearing aid compatibility of covered wireless handsets, as soon as achievable, as well as the Commission’s previous finding that a volume control requirement is necessary 'to ensure the provision of effective telecommunications for people with hearing loss.'”

NTIA is seeking comment by June 2 on the information collection for the agency’s Web-Based Frequency Coordination System for the “70-80-90 GHz” bands, says a notice for Monday’s Federal Register. “The web-based system provides a means for non-federal applicants to rapidly determine the availability of radio frequency spectrum or the need for detailed frequency coordination,” the notice said: “The website allows the non-federal applicant’s proposed radio site information to be analyzed, and a real-time determination to be made as to whether there is a potential for interference to, or from, existing federal government radio operations in the vicinity of the proposed site. The system also helps expedite the coordination process for non-federal applicants while assuring protection of government data relating to national security.” NTIA estimated the total cost to the public to be $50,123.

The General Services Administration's new “plain-language guidance” will help government agencies buy secure 5G technology, GSA said. Its Office of Information Technology Category drafted the newly published guidance, which incorporated feedback from other agencies, and is part of the government’s National Strategy to Secure 5G, said a Thursday news release. “5G networks have the potential to be faster, more reliable, and serve many more devices -- and could provide infrastructure to help with everything from smart buildings to telemedicine,” said Federal Acquisition Service Commissioner Sonny Hashmi. Delivering 5G “requires significant changes to mobile communication systems,” the guidance document says: “These changes can introduce security vulnerabilities and expand the attack surface.” Bad actors may attempt to “influence 5G networks’ design and architectures,” it says, warning of risks to the supply chain. “The presence of more components increases the complexity of 5G systems. It also complicates the supply chains that produce them.”

The FCC asks for comment by June 2 on a proposed extension of the information collection in a 2018 declaratory ruling and order designed to speed the deployment of small cells and 5G (see 1809260029), in a notice for Monday’s Federal Register.

The FCC is seeking comment by June 2 on an information collection requirement on the relocation and reimbursement of C-band incumbents clearing the band as it’s made available for 5G. “FCC staff will use this data to ensure that 3.7-4.2 GHz band stakeholders adopt practices and standards in their operations to ensure an effective, efficient, and streamlined transition,” says a notice for Monday’s Federal Register: “Status reports and other information required in this collection will be used to ensure that the process of clearing the lower portion of the band is efficient and timely, so that the spectrum can be auctioned for flexible-use service licenses and deployed for next-generation wireless services, including 5G, as quickly as possible. The collection is also necessary for the Commission to satisfy its oversight responsibilities and/or agency specific/government-wide reporting obligations.” The FCC estimates the annual cost of compliance to be $10.7 million.

Garmin International asked the FCC to quickly approve a Midland Radio request for waiver of FCC rules for general mobile radio service (GMRS) devices in the 462 MHz band (see 2110120061). “Garmin supports Midland’s request that GMRS radios be allowed to transmit text messages and GPS location information through digital data transmissions on GMRS frequencies,” said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 21-388: “Such short digital transmissions will not create excessive congestion or cause harmful interference to other GMRS or [family radio service] operations.”

CTIA officials supported an ATIS petition seeking a limited waiver of FCC hearing aid-compatibility rules (HAC), on which the FCC is seeking comment (see 2303230046), in a meeting with an aide to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “CTIA urged the Commission to provide near-term relief in light of the flawed volume control testing methodology and upcoming compliance date of June 5 … so that consumers with hearing loss can benefit from new phones offering improved hearing aid compatibility features, including volume control,” said a filing posted Thursday in docket 20-3. CTIA noted the request reflects the thinking of the HAC Task Force, “a multi-stakeholder group of representatives from the hearing loss community, academia, testing labs, manufacturers of hearing aids and wireless handsets, and wireless service providers.” A limited waiver “would allow wireless handsets with volume control capabilities to be adequately tested so phones with volume control can be rated as HAC phones,” CTIA said: “The full HAC Task Force recommended that the Commission adopt a limited waiver of the testing methodology of the 2019 ANSI Standard that will objectively demonstrate that wireless handsets with volume control capabilities can benefit consumers.”