Public Knowledge Senior Vice President Harold Feld applauded the FCC for extending the performance deadlines last week for 2.5 GHz tribal licensees (see 2207080037). Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and the Wireless Bureau “deserve credit for reversing an injustice,” Feld emailed: “It is even more commendable that the Wireless Bureau did this on its own motion. It was unfair to give Tribes -- who lack the same access to capital and experienced work force as the private sector -- half the time allotted to the private sector to meet their build out obligations.” The deadlines “went from unfair to outrageous after Covid hit, which both showed the need for Tribal networks while further reducing the resources available to meet the accelerated build out schedule,” he said.

Granting relief to Verizon Wireless against Fresno, California, in a wireless infrastructure court case “is important to further establish firmly in our jurisprudence” that the FCC’s 2009 shot-clock ruling “will be enforced in a timely manner,” Free State Foundation senior fellow Andrew Long blogged Monday. Verizon sued Fresno June 30, claiming the city violated the 1996 Telecom Act by failing to act quickly enough on a wireless facility application filed about a year ago. The facility “has run a municipal, bureaucratic gauntlet of four public hearings with still no final action from the City,” the carrier said at the U.S. District Court in Fresno (case 1:2022 cv00807). A district committee initially approved the application, then a city planning commission approved it on an appeal by a condominium association, said Verizon: But that was appealed to the city council and a decision remains pending. The “drawn-out, serial appeals” resulted in the city failing to act before the FCC’s 150-day shot clock, which is “a clear violation of Section 332 and the FCC's implementing rules,” said Long. Fresno declined to comment Monday.

The Los Angeles Police Department is increasing its investment in communications using FirstNet, AT&T said Friday. Officers previously used pooled devices, but the department is now providing FirstNet-enabled, department-issued iPhone 13 Pro Max smartphones to each officer, AT&T said: Patrol vehicles are being outfitted with Cradlepoint routers “that will provide network connectivity for officers in the field, giving the department a path to 5G and further technological innovation.”

The FCC Wireless Bureau waived the tribal-specific interim and final performance deadlines for all 2.5 GHz rural tribal priority window licensees. Tribal window licensees still must make an interim showing within four years of the initial license grant and a final showing within eight years, though “they need not wait until the relevant deadlines approach to make their filings,” the bureau said Friday. The FCC had required an interim showing within two years, the final showing within five. So far, the bureau said it has granted 335 licenses to entities “representing more than 350 unique Tribes in 30 states.” The bureau said it took the step because of problems beyond the control of the tribes. “While the COVID-19 pandemic made clear the vital importance of broadband to Tribal communities, it also disproportionally impacted Tribes, resulting in personnel and resource barriers that have exacerbated existing challenges to deploying communications services in those communities,” the waiver order said: “Supply chain issues have made it more difficult for some Tribes to obtain wireless and related infrastructure equipment, and increased prices for the equipment that is available.” The application window closed in September 2020 (see 2008210050). Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks, Public Knowledge and tribal groups pushed for keeping the window open longer due to the COVID-19 pandemic (see 2007310066).

The FCC Wireless Bureau sought comment Friday on a request by ContiTech USA for a waiver of rules for the 76-81 GHz bands for industrial applications. The bureau also created a new docket, 22-260. ContiTech’s conveyor radar was developed for use in automobiles for collision avoidance and adaptive cruise control, the bureau said: “ContiTech seeks permission to use its radars to support mining, milling, and tunneling operations. … The radars would be placed above a conveyor belt to monitor weight changes, energy consumption, and provide safety information.” Comments are due Aug. 8, replies Sept. 6.

The FCC Wireless Bureau sought comment Thursday on a request by the University of Utah for citizens broadband radio service rules for its POWDER (Platform for Open Wireless Data-driven Experimental Research) platform, established to “enable innovation and research associated with wireless systems and spectrum use.” Comments are due July 18, replies July 25, in docket 22-257. The university asked for a waiver to use software-defined radio equipment to interact with the spectrum access system operator “within the POWDER Platform Innovation Zone” and for other exceptions to rules for the band. The platform is used for research by the university, in partnership with Salt Lake City and the Utah Education and Telehealth Network.

T-Mobile asked the FCC to pause new high-cost USF programs until programs funded through the American Rescue Plan Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act have been implemented, in a meeting with Wireline Bureau and Office of Economics and Analytics staff (see 2203180062). The carrier also met with an aide to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, said an ex parte filing posted Wednesday in docket 21-476. The new funding "largely overlaps" with the goals of the high-cost programs and is "equivalent to more than two decades' worth of support, T-Mobile said. There's also "no need for immediate contributions reform" if new support is paused, T-Mobile said, noting "recurring appropriations" for programs like the affordable connectivity program would "more efficiently distribute the burdens of the USF to different stakeholders and appropriately account for the shared benefits to society of expanded connectivity." Absent direct appropriations, the carrier said it backed assessing "network capacity usage" or "revenues generated over USF-funded networks."

FirstNet is expanding its network across the Navaho Nation, AT&T said Wednesday. “In addition to constructing new, purpose-built FirstNet sites where first responders said they needed improved coverage, we’re collaborating with Commnet Broadband, NTUA, NTUA Wireless, [and] the Navajo Nation Telecommunications Regulatory Commission to help build out additional Band 14 spectrum and AT&T commercial LTE spectrum bands across more than 100 sites,” AT&T said. FirstNet leaders have announced an increased focus on reaching Indian country (see 2202090062).

The FCC clarified Wednesday that T-Mobile can use stage 2 mobile support through a program providing emergency relief to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to pay for the deployment of distributed antenna systems (see 2204180025). The order, by the Wireline Bureau, in consultation with the Wireless Bureau, agreed with concerns raised by the Telecommunications Bureau of Puerto Rico (TBPR) that systems not just be deployed in heavily populated metropolitan areas (see 2205020057). “We conclude that Stage 2 support for indoor DAS deployment is appropriate only for public or publicly accessible buildings that protect the public during disasters where the market would otherwise not support DAS deployment,” the order said: “Our presumptive list includes buildings responsive to TBPR’s concerns, while also including all of the buildings listed by T-Mobile. … We agree with commenters that all potential areas that may benefit from DAS deployments should be considered, including hospitals in rural areas identified by the TBPR.”

The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology asked for comments by Aug. 4, replies by Aug. 6, on an April waiver request by Schlage for an ultra-wideband device it hopes to sell for security use to be mounted on building entryways (see 2207050065). “Schlage describes how it intends to use an impulse radio UWB system to enable peer-to-peer communications between a UWB-enabled access door lock/reader installed on a residential entranceway and a UWB-enabled mobile phone,” said a notice in docket 22-248 listed in Wednesday’s Daily Digest. Although the system is “designed to use 2.4 GHz Bluetooth technology for the phone to discover the reader and engage in data exchange activities (which is not subject to the waiver), the reader will then operate as a UWB device to track the location and movement of the phone’s user and determine whether there is a proof of presence, and an intent to enter the secured area,” OET said.