The FCC got NTIA's signoff Wednesday on a Further NPRM approved by commissioners a year ago proposing revised rules for short-range radars in the 60 GHz band (see 2107130066). NTIA noted it had asked FCC to further study the effect of field disturbance sensor technical characteristics and deployment densities on passive earth-exploration satellite service before adopting rules for the 57-59.3 GHz portion of the band. “We believe sufficient analysis has been done such that NTIA would have no objection to the Commission proceeding with the adoption of proposed rules,” said a filing in docket 21-264. NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NTIA established a technical interchange group (TIG) to study the issues raised, the filing said. “The TIG members independently collaborated on the technical analysis, reaching consensus that unlicensed devices operating under the rules proposed in the NPRM would not result in harmful interference to passive EESS sensors operating in the 57-59.3 GHz band,” NTIA said: "The high level of atmospheric attenuation that exists between transmitters on the surface of the Earth and the passive sensors in this frequency band was found to be a dominant factor towards the favorable results.”

CTIA launched the Secure Messaging Initiative (SMI) Wednesday, targeting wanted and illegal text messaging spam. The SMI “includes a central clearinghouse that providers and government agencies will use to share suspected spam messages and techniques, in order to more rapidly and effectively shut down spam activity and target the senders of unwanted or fraudulent messages,” CTIA said: “Participants of the SMI will also share best practices and other information that can be used to further refine spam mitigation efforts.” CTIA also released a best practices document. Consumers can help by forwarding spam text messages to 7726 or reporting them to security apps or government agencies like the FTC, FCC and the state attorneys general, the group said.

The Open Technology Institute at New America encouraged the FCC to complete a Further NPRM on authorizing very-low power devices and higher power for indoor-only use in the 6 GHz band, in a call with an aide to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. The group asked “about the status of the 6 GHz proceeding and reiterated the strong support of the Public Interest Spectrum Coalition (PISC) for rapidly making the benefits of the Commission’s historic April 2020 Report and Order fully available to consumers,” said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 18-295. OTI asked the FCC to conditionally approve automated frequency control systems for use in the band.

Comments are due July 28, replies Aug. 29, on a December waiver request by proponents of cellular-vehicle-to-everything use of the 5.9 GHz band asking to be able to deploy as soon as possible (see 2112140070), in docket 19-138. The FCC faced pressure to act on the waiver request (see 2206020050) filed by Audi of America, Ford, Jaguar Land Rover, the Transportation departments in Utah and Virginia, Aaeon Technology, Harman International Industries, Panasonic North America and other companies. The deadlines came in Tuesday's Federal Register.

FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington said Tuesday the FCC should consider rules requiring gear makers to provide security updates for wireless devices authorized by the agency for sale in the U.S. “Currently our rules don’t explicitly require a software update mechanism, but it is questionable whether the purpose of the equipment authorization rules is being fulfilled when consumer devices with software-controlled transmitters are being put to market and then promptly abandoned by their manufacturers and retailers, not receiving security updates throughout the expected lifespan of the device,” Simington said in a speech to the Rural Wireless Association. “I don’t think it’s too much for the government to ask, that if you sell a wireless device, you make sure you have a way of fixing any later-discovered flaws that would allow an attacker to commandeer the transmitter and use it to attack the availability of our wireless networks,” he said. Manufacturers “shouldn’t have to support devices forever, and you shouldn’t have the obligation to deliver new features, but letting security vulnerabilities linger on devices with large install bases is not an acceptable state of affairs for the security of our wireless networks.” Simington said he's focusing on the issue and invites meetings with industry and the public. Carriers shouldn’t draw the wrong lesson from the rip-and-replace program, that “you should buy the cheapest device you can find, no matter the source, and that the US government will bail you out if it turns out to have been a bad decision,” he said.

After six months of negotiations, wireless workers and AT&T reached a tentative contract that raises base wages, curtails the outsourcing of jobs to third-party authorized retailers and adds privacy protection for call center representatives working from home, Communications Workers of America said Tuesday. The proposed four-year contract covers “technicians, call center customer support workers, and representatives at AT&T's retail stores in 36 states in the Northeast, Midwest and West, and the District of Columbia,” CWA said: The pact raises base wages by nearly 15% over four years, “with additional adjustments made based on the Consumer Price Index to account for rising inflation. Mandatory overtime will be limited to 8 hours per week and time and a half will be paid for hours worked in excess of 8 in a day.” A provision limits use of web cameras to monitor call center representatives working from home. Workers must still ratify the contract. “Companies are scrambling to raise wages and provide incentives in this tight job market, but we all know that when economic conditions change, wages and benefits can disappear,” said Lucia Coelho, a CWA Local 1298 steward: “We hope this contract will inspire even more workers to organize unions and raise standards for everyone.” AT&T has reached 36 agreements with the unions since 2017, a spokesperson emailed. The agreement “covers about 12,000 employees who primarily work in call center, retail store and technician jobs across the U.S.,” the spokesperson said: “Out of respect for the ratification process, we will not comment publicly on the details of the tentative agreement until it has been presented by the CWA to its members.”

The global spend on enterprise asset tracking will grow from $16 billion in 2022 to $45 billion in 2027 as supply chain demands create more need for real-time monitoring of high-value assets, reported Juniper Research Monday. The report forecasts the number of assets tracked will reach 24 billion by 2027, up from 8 billion this year. It advises asset-tracking platform providers to include real-time monitoring that can leverage multiple technologies, including GPS, 4G and 5G networks. GPS is a cost‑effective technology widely used today, but the broad network capabilities of 4G and 5G should be used to monitor assets with the highest value, it said.

CTIA urged the FCC Public Safety Bureau to involve carriers in any localized wireless emergency alert tests. “The 2021 nationwide WEA test was successful in part due to coordination and the exchange of information among relevant stakeholders that took place prior to the event,” the group said in a filing posted Monday in docket 22-160. Involving participating carriers “would provide an important opportunity to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of various proposed approaches for evaluating WEA performance,” the group said: “CTIA also stressed that WEA testing should be tailored to avoid measurements when it is not feasible for a WEA-capable device to receive an alert, otherwise the testing may not provide an accurate assessment of system performance.”

The Utilities Technology Council told members the FCC’s draft order creating an enhanced competition incentive program (see 2206230069) is likely positive for utilities. “UTC had filed reply comments urging the Commission to expand the scope of ECIP to allow utilities and other critical infrastructure industries to be able to take advantage of the program so they could get access to spectrum to support their private wireless communications,” the group said Monday: “The Draft Report and Order agreed to make eligible non-common carrier entities like utilities -- but only in rural areas -- and the FCC is opening a Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to consider further expanding eligibility to allow non-common carriers to access spectrum in other areas as well.”

Competitive Carriers Association representatives raised concerns about “the potential for a serious ‘5G Gap’ that may disproportionately harm rural wireless carriers and consumers,” in a call with an aide to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “The risk of a 5G Gap is growing due to the confluence of developments such as underfunding for the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program and the heavy fiber focus of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s $42 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program,” said a filing posted Monday in docket 21-476. CCA urged the FCC to emphasize the importance of 5G in an upcoming report to Congress on the USF. “Many parts of the United States, especially rural America, are at risk of being left behind,” the group said.