The FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau Thursday released a Small Entity Compliance Guide for the 2.5 GHz auction slated to start in July. The guide is “designed to help individuals and small businesses understand the requirements and other procedures for the Commission’s auction of approximately 8,000 new flexible-use geographic overlay licenses in the 2.5 GHz band,” it says: “The Commission established this auction to further the availability of mid-band spectrum that will allow for more efficient and effective use of 2.5 GHz spectrum. More mid-band spectrum will be available for the mobile services on which consumers increasingly rely and the licenses made available in this auction will help extend the availability of 5G services beyond the most populated areas.”

GCI representatives urged the FCC to release instructions on mobile testing requirements under the Alaska Plan, in a call with an aide to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. The Sept. 30 deadline for submitting Alaska Plan drive test data is approaching and “providers need to have final instructions and their sample lists soon to be able to plan, conduct, and process their tests by the deadline,” said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 16-271.

The FCC Wireless Bureau granted eight additional licenses purchased in the C-band auction, the last the bureau needed to address. Pioneer Telephone Co-op was awarded four licenses in Oklahoma. Smith Bagley got three in New Mexico and one in Arizona. The Wednesday grants come more than a year after successful bidders in the auction filed long-form applications. The record-setting auction raised more than $81 billion, with 21 bidders winning a total of 5,684 licenses.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals extended until July 14 a stay on proceedings for a lawsuit by the League of California Cities challenging the FCC’s June 2020 wireless infrastructure declaratory ruling. “If no motion for further relief is filed before this date, the remaining briefing schedule will be reset in a future order,” said the court in case 20-71765. The FCC said last month the court should extend abeyance because the agency lacked a full complement of commissioners (see 2203160042).

NCTA and CableLabs urged the FCC to follow up on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit’s December decision upholding the FCC’s 6 GHz order (2112280047) by finalizing rules proposed two years ago on higher power use of the band by devices operating indoors (see 2004230059). By acting on the 6 GHz Further NPRM, “the Commission can quickly deliver expanded benefits to consumers because many 6 GHz” access points “that are already being deployed will be tunable to that higher power level,” said a filing posted Monday in docket 17-183. The groups made their case in a call with an aide to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.

Aviation Spectrum Resources urged the FCC to launch a rulemaking on service and licensing rules in the 5030-5091 MHz band enabling safety-related unmanned aviation system command and control. Comments filed last year in response to a record-fresh public notice (see 2110130044) demonstrate “a range of UAS spectrum needs and reinforces the support for the Commission to take timely actions to meet those needs,” the company said in a filing posted Monday in RM-11798: “The Commission should not attempt to solve all the spectrum requirements of the UAS industry in a single proceeding, as the ideal of a comprehensive solution would likely stand in the way of seizing the opportunity to make real and needed progress in the near term.”

New FCC rules for TV white spaces devices, requiring them to check a database at least once hourly, are effective May, 2, said a Friday Federal Register notice. Commissioners approved an order making the change 4-0 before the January FCC meeting (see 2201270034).

The FCC sought comment Friday on the Competitive Carriers Association's request for a 60-day extension of a requirement to apply the affordable connectivity program discount to all internet plans by April 15. Comments are due April 8, said a Friday Wireline Bureau notice in docket 21-450. “While CCA’s member companies who participate in the ACP have worked diligently to be ready for the … deadline, the deadline has not provided enough time for all members to make the necessary modifications to their systems,” CCA said: “Work is underway, but some necessary adjustments will not be complete. … A limited, temporary extension of the deadline by 60 days will allow providers to ensure that all their internet plans are ready and will have little impact on consumers.”

The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology opened a new docket Friday, 22-137, for filings on the draft notice of inquiry on receiver performance teed up for the April 21 FCC meeting (see 2203310065).

T-Mobile representatives discussed issues faced by wireless as the agency tackles digital discrimination, in virtual meetings with aides to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Alejandro Roark, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau chief. “Wireless signals do not travel along streets or follow traditional residential patterns,” said a filing posted Thursday in docket 22-69: “In determining whether broadband deployment is equitable, we urged the Commission to consider the massive investment the company is making, as well as the once-in-a-generation buildout that will happen over the next few years as a result of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The so-called digital divide could be greatly diminished or even eliminated over the next few years.”