Add to the 3.45-3.55 GHz NPRM questions on whether sharing similar to that in the citizens broadband radio service band would work there, the Open Technology Institute at New America urged an aide to FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks. “The NPRM should at a minimum solicit comment on important elements of the CBRS framework that could enhance more intense, efficient and diverse use,” said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 19-348: “Regardless of the Commission’s tentative proposals, the record should reflect a robust consideration of options including smaller licensing areas (e.g., counties), authorizing opportunistic use of spectrum in areas where licensees are not providing service, and harmonizing the technical rules with CBRS in general.” Commissioners vote Wednesday (see 2009210056).

FCC technical rules for 5.9 GHz should focus on protecting vehicle-to-everything and other safety-critical intelligent transportation system messages, NCTA said in an FCC filing posted Wednesday in docket 19-138. Don't "consider non-safety-critical ITS applications, or another round of promised future ITS applications that history suggests will never emerge,” the group said. “Static analyses based on hypothetical corner cases are not useful in assessing the real world impact of adjacent-band Wi-Fi.” Commissioners are expected to consider an order as early as October (see 2009090058).

Major County Sheriffs of America, AT&T and others asked the FCC to pull the 4.9 GHz order from the Sept. 30 commissioners’ meeting. Public safety agencies use the band for their mission critical communications, wrote Kimberly Wagner, executive director of the sheriffs group, posted Wednesday in docket 07-100. “Local public safety agencies have spent millions of dollars investing in networks on the 4.9 GHz band. These systems are particularly important now during our nation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, large scale wildfires, and hurricanes.” AT&T, which is building a network for FirstNet, said adoption “would be unlikely to lead to more efficient use” of the band, in calls with aides to Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel, Brendan Carr and Geoffrey Starks. “Saying the band has ‘fallen short of its potential’ is not an accurate statement,” said the Kansas Emergency Medical Services Association. “The FCC did very little, if anything, to promote or ensure this frequency band was being utilized to its potential,” said the Missouri Emergency Medical Services Association: “Public safety agencies nationwide are constantly faced with difficult financial decisions and a project this size takes a tremendous amount of time and planning.” Public safety groups raised similar objections Tuesday (see 2009220056); the agency hasn't been commenting. The Wireless ISP Association supported the draft. “Despite many attempts to maximize use of the band, it remains largely unused outside of metropolitan areas,” said Louis Peraertz, vice president-policy: “This leasing model will streamline use of the vastly underutilized band without compromising the ability of public safety users to access the spectrum.”

Qualcomm highlighted HDR gaming and on-device artificial intelligence in its new 750G 5G mobile platform. Devices powered by Snapdragon 750G support multi-gigabit connections with fast upload and download speeds, said the company Tuesday. The 5G platform enables low-latency game play, multiplayer gaming and streaming from 5G cloud gaming platforms. It enables “intuitive interactions” for smart camera and video, voice translation, advanced AI-based imaging and AI-enhanced gaming experiences, it said. Its 4.0 trillion operations per second is a 20% improvement from the Snapdragon 730G, it said.

The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology extended through March 31 a waiver of the push notification requirement for fixed and mode II personal/portable TV white space devices, set to expire Sept. 30, said an order in Tuesday’s Daily Digest. The original waiver was approved in an August 2015 order on Part 15 rules.

Tesla's request to market a sensing device for the 60-64 GHz band at higher power than specified in FCC rules for applications including child safety systems and seat belt reminders (see 2008200027) got general support in comments posted through Tuesday in docket 20-264. Commenters also supported an Infineon Technologies waiver request, with the same deadlines, in docket 20-263, for in-vehicle child safety systems that operate in the 57-64 GHz band at higher power. “Granting Tesla’s request … will be in the best interest of the public by creating significant safety and security benefits through advanced vehicle safety applications” and won’t pose interference risks, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation said. “Children unknowingly left in or independently accessing ‘hot cars’ result in tragic, yet preventable, fatalities,” said Advocates for Highway & Auto Safety. Infineon's waiver would “accelerate the advancement and availability of such devices” and “will not increase the potential for interference to other spectrum users,” Tesla said. ADC Automotive Distance Control Systems said "the Commission should encourage the development and deployment of in-cabin technologies such as the chip technology proposed by Infineon."

T-Mobile fired back at AT&T and Verizon for suggesting its spectrum holdings should be subject to the FCC spectrum screen relative to the C-band auction (see 2009180029). “Incredibly, last week the two behemoths, who dwarf T-Mobile in revenues and market cap, actually teamed up to petition the government to thwart T-Mobile’s competitive access to wireless spectrum,” blogged CEO Mike Sievert Tuesday. “AT&T and Verizon are facing real competition from a company that is committed to shaking up the status quo and bringing true choice to consumers.” T-Mobile said in a filing that neither has the standing to challenge its 600 MHz leases. “Verizon sat out the 600 MHz spectrum auction and AT&T sold its 600 MHz licenses to Columbia Capital,” T-Mobile said: “Their efforts to raise spectrum screen issues concerning T-Mobile’s acquisition of spectrum going forward are not really about the Columbia Capital leases or protecting the mobile wireless marketplace from excessive spectrum aggregation. Rather, they are efforts to slow down T-Mobile as a competitor and to game the upcoming C-band auction.” AT&T and Verizon didn't comment.

The International Association of Fire Chiefs asked FCC Chairman Ajit Pai to withdraw an order changing how the 4.9 GHz band is used, set for a Sept. 30 vote (see 2009090048). “The public safety communications operations on the 4.9 GHz band provide critical mission-support functions for local public safety agencies and will serve as an important network for future public safety technologies,” said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 07-100. “Work with the national public safety organizations to develop a proposal that protects the operations of incumbent public safety agencies.” Other groups weighed in. “Clearly believing that the 4.9 GHz band is needed for meeting mission-critical requirements, public safety convened task forces and special committees, and submitted multiple public comments with the Commission,” said APCO, the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council, International Association of Chiefs of Police, Major Cities Chiefs Association, Major County Sheriffs of America and more: “Yet the Commission ignored public safety’s requests without explanation, issuing multiple notices of proposed rulemakings rather than making the needed regulatory changes.” The Enterprise Wireless Association welcomed the change but has concerns about the details. “What is not clear is how the FCC intends to monitor progress in that regard,” said a news release. “While market forces generally drive private enterprises to maximize the value of their assets, governmental entities may not share that motivation or the time urgency that drives the marketplace,” EWA said: “Is there an end date by which the state must confirm the identity of its State Lessor if it is not the single, current 4.9 GHz statewide licensee? Is there any end date by which the state needs to establish a spectrum leasing process?” The FCC didn't comment.

The Public Safety Spectrum Alliance raised concerns about a draft order on the 4.9 GHz band, in a filing posted Monday in docket 07-100. Commissioners vote Sept. 30, while public safety representatives objected in a webinar last week (see 2009160067). “The recommended actions of the Commission to permit states to take control of and lease to commercial and other non-public safety entities" the band "places existing and future public safety broadband communications, and the communities they serve at risk,” PSSA said. This “represents an unprecedented abdication of one of the Commission’s core responsibilities,” it said. PSSA wants the spectrum to be reallocated to FirstNet.

APCO made its case for why the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit should stay the FCC’s April order allowing Wi-Fi and other unlicensed users to share the 6 GHz band (see 2004230059), in a filing (in Pacer) Friday in docket 20-1190. “The Commission has a statutory mandate to protect public safety,” APCO said: “It failed to honor that mandate, and that failure is likely to endanger the nation’s public safety communications systems.” The FCC argued (in Pacer) against a stay, saying the order was “based on its expert judgment and thorough consideration of the administrative record, including the needs of public safety operations in the 6 GHz band.” The Edison Electric Institute, Utilities Technology Council, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and American Public Power Association supported (in Pacer) the stay. Opponents argue that there's "no indication that any interfering devices will be on the market in the near future, and that a stay will harm the public because the devices must be allowed on the market as soon as possible,” the utility groups said: “Respondents cannot have it both ways. If the devices will not be on the market in the near future, then staying the Order while the Court determines the merits of the petitions presents no harm.”