Televate agreed to provide technical consulting services to Enterprise Wireless Alliance members as part of a strategic business alliance, EWA said Thursday.
Comments are due Feb. 8, replies Feb. 16 on petitions for reconsideration (see 2012290030) of the FCC’s 3-2 October 5G Fund order (see 2010270034), says Friday's Federal Register.
Public Knowledge officials told FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington they oppose Verizon buying Tracfone from America Movil (see 2009140052). The deal “could impede successful implementation of the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) due to the scope of Lifeline subscribers that enroll through" Tracfone, said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 20-445. It's the largest Lifeline provider with more than 1.7 million such customers, PK said.
A third of smart home device owners have had a technical problem within the past 12 months, reported Parks Associates Tuesday. Loss of wireless connectivity is the top issue, followed by an unresponsive device. Increasing use of do-it-yourself setup strategies comes as 45% of consumers are more hesitant to let technicians in their home because of COVID-19, said analyst Patrice Samuels.
Southern Co. representatives spoke with aides to all five commissioners about its concerns about 6 GHz rules, said a filing posted Monday in docket 18-295. The FCC “authorized unlicensed low power indoor operations in the 6 GHz band without any testing having been conducted whatsoever,” the utility said. “Manufacturers and proponents of unlicensed use have consistently ignored or rejected repeated requests to participate in any field testing (and continue to do so), and manufacturers continue to decline to provide any prototype or sample devices that could be used in such testing even though some parties have already received certification for unlicensed 6 GHz devices and many have already begun marketing efforts.” Commissioners approved rules and a Further NPRM 5-0 in April (see 2004230059).
Amateur and personal radio service operators are prohibited from using their transmitters to communicate about criminal activities, the FCC Enforcement Bureau warned. “The Bureau has become aware of discussions on social media platforms suggesting that certain radio services regulated by the Commission may be an alternative to social media platforms for groups to communicate and coordinate future activities,” said Sunday's notice. “The Bureau reminds amateur licensees that they are prohibited from transmitting ‘communications intended to facilitate a criminal act’ or ‘messages encoded for the purpose of obscuring their meaning.’”
The FCC Wireless Bureau approved a waiver giving the Ione Band of Miwok Indians in California rights to pursue a license under the 2.5 GHz rural tribal window on trust lands. Trust lands would otherwise be excluded. The Ione Band showed “the trust lands in question are held for the specific benefit of the Tribe, and the Tribe’s authority over the lands is adequately demonstrated by the fact that the Tribe is actively planning to develop the land,” said Tuesday's order. “Based upon the showing made by Ione Band, treating this undisputedly rural land as eligible Tribal land under the Tribal Window would be consistent with the Tribal Window’s purpose.” The bureau approved a similar waiver for California’s Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation.
The FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau delayed the due date for December queries asking Cellcom, Nex-Tech Wireless, GCI Communication, Southern Linc and Viaero Wireless about their request to waive the June 30 deadline to offer real-time text (see 2012220031). Responses from carriers represented by the Competitive Carriers Association were extended to Feb. 3 from Wednesday, said Tuesday's order in docket 16-145. Appalachian Wireless got the same.
The FCC said it will lift the T-band freeze after President Donald Trump signed into law (see 2012280052) the FY 2021 appropriations and COVID-19 aid omnibus bill, which includes a repeal of the mandate that the FCC auction the spectrum. “Now that the Commission is no longer required to implement the T-Band Mandate, the rationale for the suspensions no longer exists,” said Tuesday's order by the Wireless and Public Safety bureaus. Within 30 days, bureaus will resume processing such applications for license renewals and “process all other pending T-Band applications, but dismiss without prejudice any pending applications that include a request for waiver of the Suspension Notice,” the order said.
The FCC Wireless Bureau OK'd a waiver for Aura Network Systems and A2G Communications to provide additional, non-general aviation air-ground service, including to drones, in the 450 MHz band. “We are very pleased with the FCC’s quick action and this decision will enable AURA to proceed full speed to provide critical command and control information for Beyond Visual Line of Sight drone operation at all altitudes and everywhere in America,” emailed Peter Pitsch, executive vice president-regulatory and government affairs. “We find that it would serve the public interest, convenience, and necessity to grant limited waiver relief,” said the order in Friday's Daily Digest: “AURA currently is operating a nationwide general aviation air-ground service, and its nationwide network effectively gives Petitioners exclusive use of the band. As Petitioners point out, in the last ten years, other parties have not shown interest in operating in the band and have overwhelmingly supported Petitioners’ steps to grow and modernize their existing network.”