Aviation industry representatives answered FCC Office of Engineering and Technology and Wireless Bureau staff about a report from last year by RTCA, formerly the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics, on interference risks to low-range radar altimeters posed by mobile C-band use (see 2010280048). Participants also discussed a stakeholder group report and two preliminary studies by the Aerospace Vehicle Systems Institute (AVSI). “Staff’s questions and resulting discussion were wide ranging including the details and parameters used in aviation safety analyses in general and the radar altimeter testing,” said a filing posted Thursday in docket 18-122. Aviation Spectrum Resources, AVSI, Boeing, Collins Aerospace, Garmin, Honeywell and Lockheed Martin were among attendees.

Ericsson North America CEO Niklas Heuveldop and other executives told FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington and aides about the company’s commitment to 5G and support for open radio access networks, said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 21-63.

The FCC was asked to update rules on aeronautical utility mobile stations known as squitters and adopt service rules for aeronautical mobile airport communications systems, or AeroMACS that provide broadband capability for ground operations (see 1906060056). Parts were controversial on a 2019 NPRM (see 1909040057). The WiMAX Forum asked for rules four years ago, said Wednesday's posting in docket 19-140. Airports Council International-North America, the Chicago Department of Aviation and Massachusetts Port Authority were among those on a call with an aide to acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. The commission and a lawyer for the forum declined comment.

The FCC approved rules for certification required of all potential bidders in the 3.45-3.55 GHz auction. Each applicant “will be required to certify in its short-form application that it has read the public notice” on auction procedures and “has familiarized itself both with the auction procedures and with the requirements for obtaining a license and operating facilities” in the band, said Wednesday's Office of Economics and Analytics and Wireless Bureau notice. They “strongly disagree with" Rural Wireless Association’s "assertion that being required to provide a certification under penalty of perjury would be a ‘draconian’ penalty … ‘unrelated to its stated purpose of preventing defaults,’” the FCC said. “This proviso is intended to ensure that the applicant has been truthful.”

Make 211 “fully accessible through Wi-Fi calling,” the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems urged the FCC. “As one of the initial FCC applicants, AIRS helped secure the approval of 211 for community information and referral in 2000,” said in Tuesday posting's in docket 21-180: “Over 96 percent of Americans can now access 211 in their communities," with 12 million calls yearly. It's the dialing code for community information; the FCC sought comment in April (see 2104210065).

Google supported 60 GHz “updated rules” that "promote reasonable coexistence across technologies,” in a filing posted Tuesday in FCC docket 14-177. “Characteristics of the 60 GHz band are extremely favorable for radar applications,” it said: Recent waivers of power-level rules for deployment “of potentially life-saving 60 GHz radars” and “pending waiver requests illustrate that industry interest in the band is large" and growing. Facebook, Intel and Qualcomm recently also sought updated rules (see 2105110062). Both letters mention the work on coordination by the 60 GHz Coexistence Study Group. “While Google products including Soli chipsets have been available in markets around the globe since October 2019, Google has received no reports of interference from those devices’ operations,” Google said.

CTIA and T-Mobile opposed Lockheed Martin's waiver request for test facilities in Cazenovia and Liverpool, New York, that use the 3.1-3.55 GHz band, adjacent to the C band (see 2104300043). This "contradicts all logic and Commission precedent by seeking to allow experimental licensees to interfere with, and to be protected from, primary operations,” CTIA said in a filing posted Tuesday in docket 19-348. The FCC “considered and rejected the arguments raised” in the request, the group said. T-Mobile said Lockheed's attempt to seek waiver of “what constitutes harmful interference does not change the fundamental purpose of its request -- authorization to operate outside the basic parameters of the Experimental Radio Service rules.”

International Association of Fire Chiefs representatives told aides to Commissioners Brendan Carr and Geoffrey Starks they should preserve the 4.9 GHz band for public safety (see 2105140051). The filing posted Monday in docket 07-100 detailed uses by California cities, Seattle and elsewhere.

Tracfone and Verizon provided data to the FCC on Verizon’s proposed buy of the prepaid service provider, answering Office of Economics and Analytics questions (see 2104140064). Most information was redacted (see here and here). Tracfone said it doesn’t have cellular market area-level data: As a mobile virtual network operator, "TracFone has limited direct interaction with its customers and therefore has little personal information.” The combination “will put TracFone in a far stronger position to compete for value-conscious customers,” Verizon said.

The FCC Office of Economics and Analytics extended by 10 days until May 27 the replies deadline on 2.5 GHz auction procedures (see 2105040077). “Commenters have raised complex issues regarding the list of potential licenses to be auctioned, which may require careful analysis by some,” said Monday's notice in docket 20-429: “In light of the relatively brief 10-day extension requested and noting that an auction start date has not been announced, granting the requested extension" won't "disrupt auction preparations and will provide an opportunity to bolster the record.” Educational broadband service licensees said a list of some 8,300 county/spectrum block combinations shown as available as part of an auction is flawed. “These errors could result in the auctioning of overlay licenses in counties where no unassigned … spectrum exists,” said the Catholic Bishop of Chicago in a Monday posting in docket 20-429. DuPage County's diocese uses a spectrum block on the list, the filing said. Los Angeles' Catholic Archdiocese said Orange County is incorrectly listed, though it’s “fully encumbered by existing EBS licensees, including the archdiocese.” Detroit's Archdiocese said the list is mistaken in areas it serves in Monroe and Wayne counties. The University of Colorado and Stanford University also cited errors. T-Mobile says at least 273 licenses shouldn't be available because they’re encumbered by EBS licensees.