The Enterprise Wireless Alliance welcomed a May proposal from FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel that would allow E-rate program funding to be used to supply Wi-Fi on school buses. “EWA’s membership includes a significant number of wireless sales and service organizations around the nation that already provide equipment and services to schools and school buses, some of which is supported through E-Rate funding,” said a Monday filing in docket 13-184. Outfitting school buses with Wi-Fi access “would be a significant step toward bridging” the homework gap, EWA said.

In an updated report, Analysys Mason said the U.S. “continues to trail leading countries in available licensed mid-band spectrum, a trend expected to continue for the foreseeable future if no action is taken,” said CTIA, which commissioned the report released Tuesday: “The U.S. lags the top three studied nations -- Japan, the United Kingdom and France -- by 530 MHz on average. In five years, the U.S. will continue to lag, trailing the future top three countries by 415 MHz on average.” The report stresses the need for licensed spectrum in the 3-7 GHz range. It notes that only two countries plan to make more unlicensed spectrum available in the next five years and both will continue to trail the U.S. “The U.S. is also an outlier as the only country to make unlicensed spectrum available between 3.3 GHz and 4.2 GHz,” the analysis said. The U.S. targeted 6 GHz for unlicensed use, and China is considering licensing the band. “The FCC made great progress with recent mid-band spectrum auctions, but this study shows there is more work to be done,” said CTIA President Meredith Baker.

The FAA raised concerns about an Ericsson request for a waiver allowing the company to offer a multiband radio across the 3.45 GHz and C bands, which got general support from industry (see 2208240045). FAA said the waiver could raise the out-of-band emission levels for systems operation in the C band. “The Ericsson waiver request does not [address] the impact this increase in the OOB emission levels would have on aviation systems,” said an FAA filing, posted Monday in docket 22-298: “The FAA believes that Ericsson needs to provide an analysis to the FCC showing the OOB levels and the impact these levels would have on aviation systems in the 4.2-4.4 GHz band.”

A July order that modifies partitioning, disaggregation and leasing rules to create an enhanced competition incentive program is effective Oct. 20, said a notice for Tuesday’s Federal Register. Commissioners approved the ECIP 4-0 (see 2207140055). “The ECIP will promote greater competition in the provision of wireless services, facilitate increased availability of advanced wireless services in rural areas, facilitate new opportunities for small carriers and Tribal Nations to increase access to spectrum, and bring more advanced wireless service including 5G to underserved communities,” the notice said.

T-Mobile won more than 7,000 county-based licenses covering 81 million POPs in the 2.5 GHz auction and plans to deploy as quickly as possible, it said. “This new spectrum will enable T-Mobile to expand Ultra Capacity 5G coverage to new communities and significantly increase bandwidth in many places Ultra Capacity 5G already covers,” said a Friday news release: “Following licensing, the Un-carrier will immediately begin deploying the new spectrum for 5G, boosting performance for customers across the country, especially in underserved markets.”

Proponents of opening the 12 GHz band to terrestrial 5G service "have outright refused" the FCC's request for technical parameters that would prevent harmful interference with its satellite operations in the band, SpaceX representatives told International Bureau Chief Tom Sullivan, per a docket 20-443 post Monday. It said when it "pressure-tested" its simulation that was part of its analysis (see 2206220042) by using the same "unrealistic, non-ubiquitous" base station deployment model used by proponents, it showed Starlink users will suffer interference-caused service degradation from terrestrial mobile base stations in the 12 GHz band 63.6% of the time and a service outage 59.8% of the time. Calling itself "a cutting-edge innovator" in low-power 12 GHz downlinks that don't interfere with satellite systems, SpaceX said the supposed wide area horizon-nulling technology talked about by proponents "does not exist."

AT&T sought 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals review of a district court’s dismissal of the carrier’s wireless infrastructure lawsuit against Los Altos, California. AT&T notified the U.S. District Court in San Jose about the appeal Friday. The carrier told us last month it was considering an appeal (see 2208260047). The city rejected AT&T and Verizon applications to install small-cell wireless facilities under a 2019 local law. The district court ruled last month that the carriers’ subsequent lawsuit was moot because the city replaced the 2019 law this year.

Wireless provider Smith Bagley sought a three-month extension of its Lifeline waivers for Indian country, through Dec. 22. “Subscribers in the Navajo Nation continue to face unique circumstances that are a barrier to complying with the Lifeline and [affordable connectivity program] documentation rules,” Smith Bagley said in a filing posted Friday in docket 11-42: “The conditions that were present when the Commission granted the last waiver in June 2022 have not changed, as customers on Tribal lands are still suffering from the impacts of COVID-19, while contending with the lack of Internet and mail service and other challenges associated with living in remote Tribal areas.”

Comcast claims about the cost of its wireless offerings versus those of Verizon Wireless aren’t wrong but should contain more information, the Better Business Bureau's National Advertising Division said. Verizon had challenged the ads. “NAD determined that Comcast’s choice to compare its plan to Verizon’s cheapest 5G plans that offer Ultra Wideband -- the same speeds offered by Xfinity -- when properly disclosed is appropriate because they are the cheapest plans from Verizon with speeds most equivalent to Xfinity Mobile,” said a Thursday decision. “Comcast’s comparative savings claim would not be misleading if the basis of comparison and material limitations are clearly and conspicuously disclosed.”

The FCC Wireline Bureau Friday reminded recipients of rip and replace funding they have until Oct. 13 to file initial status updates. The reports are due every 90 days.