The National Public Safety Telecommunications Council told the FCC it supports “a reasonable extension” of AT&T’s planned 3G sunset, as requested by the Alarm Industry Communications Committee (see 2109150041). “Both AICC and AT&T have set forth reasonable arguments from their own perspectives,” NPSTC said in a filing posted Thursday in docket 21-304: “Ideally, AICC and AT&T could reach some compromise that would meet each other’s needs. However, should AICC and AT&T be unable to reach a voluntary agreement, NPSTC’s greatest concern is the safety issues that will occur if the 3G sunset is not extended.” NPSTC’s concerns involve fire, intrusion and security and medical alert alarms “that will not be able to communicate once the 3G service is retired." AT&T didn’t comment.

An Ookla analysis of Speedtest Intelligence data from the most popular Android and iPhone phones found 5G Android devices are twice as fast as 4G devices in the U.S., said a Tuesday report. The iPhone 13 was found to be almost three times faster than the iPhone 11. Ookla said Tuesday it has acquired RootMetrics, which also looks at network connectivity data.

The Fixed Wireless Communications Coalition urged the FCC to reject a November request to consider using Part 101 frequency coordination procedures as an alternative to automated frequency coordination. “Because Encina’s Letter is not clear regarding what it seeks and does not meet the requirements for a petition for rulemaking or a waiver of the rules, the Commission should dismiss the Letter at this time,” the coalition said in a filing posted Wednesday in docket 18-295.

The FCC Wireless Bureau gave Pine Cellular in a Tuesday order, a limited one-year waiver, to Jan. 9, 2023, to meet the tribal lands bidding credit construction requirement as it deploys service to the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. The carrier says it's unable to meet a Jan. 9, 2022, deadline to serve 75% of the population covered by one of two 600 MHz licenses purchased using credits, the bureau said. Pine Cellular says it “needed additional time to deploy its network to serve Choctaw Nation communities because its existing network in that geographic area uses Huawei equipment for the performance of core functions,” the bureau said.

The FCC Wireless Bureau OK’d a waiver Tuesday allowing railroads to operate locomotive radios at up to 50 watts transmitter power output (TPO) as part of positive train control, acting on a request by PTC-220, a joint venture of the nation’s seven Class I freight railroads. “We find that not permitting PTC-220’s member railroads to operate mobile radios at 50 watts TPO would be contrary to the public interest because it would preclude sharing of scarce spectrum resources, which are needed for robust interoperable PTC deployment throughout the country,” the bureau said: PTC-220 also has no reasonable alternative. “PTC-220’s member railroads have installed more than 16,000 locomotive radios that operate at a constant 50 watts TPO in the 220-222 MHz band; the record shows that it is not possible to program the radios to operate at 50 watts TPO and satisfy the condition that TPO be 25 watts or less when external radio commands are not present.” The order will enable the railroads to “deploy Congressionally mandated, interoperable PTC safety systems on rail lines serving 16 western states,” the bureau said. It will also “benefit Amtrak and other railroads that operate as tenants on the members’ rail networks as well as passenger and commuter railroads leasing spectrum to deploy PTC on their own lines in the license area.”

Proponents of cellular-vehicle-to-everything use of the 5.9 GHz band asked the FCC to waive its current rules, so they can deploy now so "consumers and travelers may begin to benefit from this state-of-the-art roadway and vehicle safety technology as soon as possible.” Proponents said they otherwise will have to wait for final FCC action on a rulemaking. The request was filed by Audi of America, Ford, Jaguar Land Rover, the departments of transportation in Utah and Virginia, Aaeon Technology, Harman International Industries, Panasonic North America and other companies. The FCC’s November 2020 order (see 2011180043) was “prescient” in saying dedicated short-range communications isn’t the wave of the future, said the filing, posted Tuesday in docket 19-138: “The Waiver Parties are ready, willing, and able to deploy or facilitate deployment of C-V2X.” The request “signifies the collaborative efforts underway to ensure the successful implementation of C-V2X,” emailed Maxime Flament, 5G Automotive Association chief technology officer: “It also demonstrates the strong demand across the transportation industry to immediately deliver C-V2X safety services to American travelers, especially as deployments accelerate in other" world regions.

Qualcomm urged FCC action on sharing in the lower 37 GHz band and on the 70/80/90 GHz proceeding, in calls with aides to Commissioners Brendan Carr and Geoffrey Starks, said a filing posted Monday in docket 14-177. “Expanding mobile access to these important bands will enable new, highly reliable, advanced, diverse, and innovative uses, applications, and services in both indoor and outdoor environments.”

The Environmental Health Trust (EHT) asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit for $174,347.25 in lawyers fees for the cost of its RF safety lawsuit against the FCC, under the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA). The court remanded 2019 RF rules to the FCC for further work (see 2108130073). “EHT Petitioners have satisfied all requirements for an award of attorneys’ fees under EAJA,” said a Friday filing in docket 20-1025. While giving the FCC an “extreme level of deference, the Court still found that the FCC had failed to meet the bare minimum requirements of the [Administrative Procedure Act] -- namely that the FCC failed to consider ‘relevant factors’ or to adequately set forth its decision-making process,” the group said.

The FCC deleted rules allowing states and territories to opt out of FirstNet, after none did so, says Monday's Federal Register. The order is effective Jan. 12.

The National Association of State Fire Marshals supported the Alarm Industry Communications Committee’s objections to AT&T’s pending shuttering of its 3G network (see 2109150041), in an FCC filing posted Friday in docket 21-304. “We are deeply concerned that millions of people in residential, commercial, and government buildings will not be afforded the critical protections normally provided by their fire alarm system if adequate time is not afforded for the alarm industry to undertake the needed upgrades,” fire marshalls warned.