The FCC Wireless Bureau and Office of Engineering and Technology let Google operate as American Samoa spectrum access system administrator in the citizens broadband radio service band, in a public notice Friday.

The FCC order terminating the 800 rebanding (see 2104220056) is effective June 14, said Friday's Federal Register.

The FCC Wireless Bureau awarded 40 more 2.5 GHz band licenses to tribes, all but four in Alaska, said a Thursday notice. This brings the total awarded to 259.

Aviation interests urged the FCC to take mitigation steps to protect low range radar altimeter operations. They countered arguments by CTIA and major wireless carriers that rules protect those operations. The groups previously raised concerns and asked that the record-setting auction be delayed (see 2012080040). Without mitigation, “the FCC will expose aviation and the traveling public to significant safety risk from interference to radar altimeters,” said a filing posted Thursday in docket 18-122. The letter was signed by the Aerospace Industries Association, Air Line Pilots Association International, Airbus, Aviation Spectrum Resources, Collins Aerospace, Garmin, Honeywell, the International Air Transport Association, the National Air Carrier Association and others.

There's too little support to move forward on a terrain-based propagation model to determine channel availability for TV white spaces operations (see 2104270037), NAB said in calls with aides to acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioners Brendan Carr and Geoffrey Starks. “Microsoft and other white spaces proponents have simply failed to do the work to demonstrate that this proposal will not increase the potential for harmful interference to licensed television stations,” said Thursday's posting in docket 20-36. Microsoft didn’t comment.

The FCC has the evidence it needs to act quickly on an order allowing wireless broadband in the 12 GHz band, said Incompas CEO Chip Pickering Wednesday on a 5Gfor12GHz Coalition call. Speakers cited a RKF Engineering Solutions study that said 5G and non-geostationary fixed satellite service deployments can coexist (see 2105100028). The RKF and a Brattle economic study “provide the commission with the clear evidence they need to move forward,” Pickering said. With infrastructure legislation moving through Congress, “we’re about to see significant sums of fund for the national commitment of broadband connectivity,” he said: “This can be done, and should be done, this year.” Coalition members tied the opening of the spectrum to the FCC’s focus on broadband deployment. “The ever-increasing demand for network utilization is forcing us to explore new technologies and methods to build networks faster and with more capacity,” said ISP Xiber CEO Stephen Hon. Xiber uses spectrum mainly for wireless backhaul. Access to 12 GHz “would be a remarkable tool,” he said. “The sheer volume of spectrum available, as well as the location of the band, could enable higher capacity links over longer distances.” Congestion in other bands and the cost of deployment means “many times we and other providers have to turn down customers and communities” seeking service, Hon said. Companies like infrastructure provider Tilson need “every possible tool at our disposal to bridge the gap,” said CEO Josh Broder. Using 12 GHz will let the company “reach more communities with much-needed, high quality broadband,” he said. “It is laughably premature to declare” the RKF study “provides ‘clear evidence’ of any kind whatsoever,” said Eric Graham, OneWeb director-government and regulatory engagement, North America. “The study was only made available on Monday to stakeholders offering broadband in the 12 GHz spectrum, like OneWeb, and we are now beginning to identify the flaws in it,” he said. The current rules for the band “guarantee every American, no matter their location, will have access to at least one satellite broadband network in a matter of months,” he said: “That is more than the MVDDS licensees can offer, regardless of how many secret studies they commission.”

Update rules on unlicensed use of the 60 GHz band, said Facebook, Intel and Qualcomm in a Tuesday posting in docket 14-177. “To the extent the FCC proposes to revise this Part 15 unlicensed rule” to allow radar operations in the band “at higher power than presently permitted and with a 10% duty cycle in a 33-millisecond period, the agency should also propose to include a provision to ensure such radar operations do not completely occupy the … band and inhibit communications applications,” they said. Tesla and others sought waivers to use the spectrum (see 2103160059).

The Wi-Fi Alliance, NCTA and others opposed an Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network petition (see 2105030042) for stay of the FCC's 5-0 November order opening 45 MHz of the 5.9 GHz band for Wi-Fi, while allocating 30 MHz for cellular vehicle-to-everything (see 2011180043). Most of the order takes effect July 2. “AREDN fails to demonstrate that it will likely prevail on the merits,” the alliance said in a filing posted Tuesday in docket 19-138. “Contrary to AREDN’s assertions, the Commission has broad, exclusive authority to manage spectrum designated for non-federal operations under the Communications Act and therefore was well within its ability to reallocate the 5.9 GHz band,” the group said: AREDN hasn’t demonstrated it would suffer any harm, while other groups would if a stay were granted. “The 5.9 GHz Order is a key component of the Commission’s efforts to deliver immediate and long-term improvements to in-home broadband delivered over Wi-Fi,” said NCTA: “The COVID-19 public health crisis has only intensified reliance on Wi-Fi networks and further underscores the importance of making new unlicensed spectrum available.” AREDN “has it backwards,” said Public Knowledge and New America’s Open Technology Institute. “The authority of the Secretary of Transportation to mandate safety equipment for vehicles does not extend into the subject matter jurisdiction of a sister agency.” Wireless ISPs use the band under special temporary authority, the WISP Association said. “As many STA holders have indicated in their initial STA requests and renewal applications, demand for bandwidth capacity is not expected to subside post-pandemic because more people will continue to work from home and use telehealth, especially in rural areas where medical facilities are not often nearby.” A lawyer for AREDN emailed that the FCC isn’t allowing replies to the oppositions, and declined further comment.

The Aerospace Industries Association asked the FCC to reconsider a decision in its March 3.45 GHz auction order (see 2103170061) to not launch a coordination framework ensuring aerospace contractors have “dependable and reliable access to the band at a limited set of existing facilities currently operating under Part 5 experimental licenses.” Eleven locations “have long been the sites of high-powered outdoor testing activity and include extensive permanent infrastructure required for government contract-related engineering development, systems integration, and sustainment problem resolution,” said a Monday posting in docket 19-348. The sites are “an essential link in the defense industrial supply chain” and contractors should be able to use the band “indefinitely on a co-primary, highest-priority basis.”

Tech companies urged the FCC to act on an order allowing client-to-client operations in the 6 GHz band, the subject of a January notice (see 2101110031), in a call with Office of Engineering and Technology staff. Apple, Broadcom, Facebook, Google, Intel, Microsoft and Qualcomm participated. The companies discussed “how client-to-client operations can enable important new use cases, subject to strict limits to protect incumbents from harmful interference,” said a filing posted Friday in docket 18-295. “When client devices are near one another it’s more spectrally efficient for them to transfer data directly using lower transmit power levels,” they said: “Using lower transmit power conserves power and precious battery resources.”