A joint advisory from DOJ, the FAA, the Department of Homeland Security and the FCC on federal laws and regulations on drones (see 2008170056) didn’t break new ground but is "significant," lawyers at Hogan Lovells blogged Friday. “There is a great deal of confusion surrounding how federal laws will apply to this new and growing industry and the advisory confirms the federal government's view on the applicability of federal laws and regulations to [unmanned aircraft systems] detection and mitigation technology,” they said: “The advisory highlights the importance of understanding the legal and regulatory framework for UAS detection and mitigation systems.” The FAA said Friday it plans to evaluate at least 10 technologies and systems that could “detect and mitigate potential safety risks posed by unmanned aircraft.” Evaluations are planned to begin later this year, and will initially occur at the FAA’s William J. Hughes Technical Center adjacent to the Atlantic City International Airport in New Jersey.

Act as early as possible to allocate part of the 5.9 GHz band for Wi-Fi, Michael Calabrese, director of the Wireless Future Program at New America, told an aide to FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly. As the roughly 100 wireless ISPs using that spectrum “to expand capacity for fixed wireless broadband in rural areas have demonstrated, because 5.9 GHz is immediately adjacent to the U-NII-3 band, its general availability can immediately enhance broadband connectivity at a time when Americans are struggling to work and learn from home,” said a filing posted Friday in docket 19-138. Some expected an October vote (see 2008200040).

High-tech companies spoke with FCC Office of Engineering and Technology staff on Wireless Research Center of North Carolina studies on the interference risk posed by body-worn devices. The companies presented “measurements of signal attenuation caused by the human body related to proposed very-low-power device operation in the 6 GHz band and the difference between far-field body loss and on-body link loss measurements,” said a filing posted Friday in docket 18-295. The FCC is considering changes to accommodate use of the devices (see 2007280033). Representatives of Broadcom, Cisco, Facebook, Google, Intel, NXP Semiconductors and Qualcomm were on the call. The Wi-Fi Alliance sought action in a call with an aide to Chairman Ajit Pai. “The Commission’s action opening the 6 GHz band for unlicensed operations has strengthened U.S. technological leadership while also prompting other countries to take similar actions,” the alliance said.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said the FCC can't further extend the priority window for tribes to apply for 2.5 GHz licenses beyond the recently approved 30-day extension through Sept. 2 (see 2007310027). Tribal groups sought a six-month extension. “The Commission cannot start the process of issuing licenses to eligible applicants until after the window closes, because we will not know the extent of mutually exclusive applications for as long as the window is open,” Pai said in letter posted Friday to members of the House and Senate, including Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, both Virginia Democrats: “A much longer extension would therefore substantially delay our award of licenses to Tribal entities and thus delay their ability to use this spectrum to connect those consumers living on Tribal lands.”

The commercialization of 5G is “progressing” well and on track to add “an estimated 190 million subscribers in 2020,” said Keysight Technologies CEO Ron Nersesian on a fiscal Q3 investor call Thursday. The company markets 5G test solutions and is making strategic investments in next-generation “semiconductor process technology” for 5G smartphones. Device design and development investments in 5G “continue to be strong, driven by the large-scale ramps in Asia,” said Nersesian. “As 5G deployment expands and ongoing innovations gain customer interest, we continue to see strength in R&D.” Keysight’s “end-to-end solutions for the 5G life cycle” for wired and wireless “are enabling the ecosystem to scale from product development to deployments,” he said. Its 5G platforms are in use at “all the leading test houses worldwide,” he said. That’s helping “rapid adoption” of open radio access network (ORAN) technologies, he said. The “bulk” of the 5G opportunity is “ahead of us, and millimeter-wave commercialization is “still in its early days,” said Nersesian. Keysight’s recently launched PathWave software suite “accelerates 5G design, simulation and verification workflows” that “speeds time to market,” he said. The 5G industry “continues to progress in a very strong manner,” said Satish Dhanasekaran, president of Keysight's Communications Solutions Group. “There have been some pushouts in some parts of the world, acceleration in others.” Keysight’s long-term 5G outlook “remains unchanged,” he said. “We look at it both from deployments and actually the number of devices that are going to be manufactured this year. So pretty strong from that point of view.” Keysight has “some strong drivers going” for its 5G business, including the ORAN toolkit it just launched “to enable developers there,” said Dhanasekaran. Though there isn't a “big player yet that's emerging” in ORAN, “there's a lot of customers,” he said. Dish Network bills itself as the only U.S. company building a 5G network to ORAN standards, and doing so from "a clean sheet of paper" (see 2008070046). The stock closed 6.8% lower Friday at $95.88.

The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology asked for comment Thursday on a waiver request from Bosch for its Wallscanner D-Tect 200 frequency-hopped ultra-wideband wall imaging system. Comments are due Sept. 21, replies Oct. 19, in docket 20-268. The device operates between 1.8 and 5.7 GHz, OET said. Bosch describes the D-Tect 200 as a tool “used for detection and inspection of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, electric cables, wooden beams, plastic pipes, and for identification of structural flaws within construction materials,” OET said. It said the company needs waiver of several FCC rules to market the technology.

The FCC Wireless Bureau granted licenses Thursday in the 37, 39 and 47 GHz band auction won by Blue Ridge Wireless. The bureau approved a single license in the 24 GHz auction won by Atlantic Seawinds Communications.

The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology sought comment on a waiver request by Tesla to market a sensing device that would operate in the 60-64 GHz band at a higher power than specified in FCC rules. Comments are due Sept. 21, replies Oct. 19, in docket 20-264. “Tesla indicates that its device would be focused on the interior of automotive passenger vehicles for applications such as child safety systems and seatbelt reminders; however, it also states that the device may be able to scan up to 2 meters (6 feet) outside of the vehicle, and that millimeter-wave sensors can provide vehicle security benefits such as detecting a broken window or vehicle intrusion,” OET said Thursday. OET also sought comment on 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 than specified in FCC rules.

Energous is working with Xentris Wireless to develop ruggedized wireless charging for the military. Products will have freedom of alignment and the ability to monitor battery levels through software control, said the companies Wednesday. Xentris will supply the U.S. Army “mission-ready” charging technology, and the two companies will collaborate on next-generation wireless offerings.

Cree views 5G as a “multiyear expansion, with major traction coming,” said CEO Gregg Lowe on a Tuesday investor call. The company supplies silicon-carbide RF and power chips for 5G infrastructure applications. “There have been a number of recent announcements coming out of Asia pointing towards growing 5G momentum in that region. While the global pandemic has further delayed some rollouts in other regions, we continue to be well positioned to support this global expansion.” Cree stopped shipping to Huawei “for the better part of a year” after the Commerce Department’s export ban took effect, said Lowe: “We have no Huawei revenue plans in any of our future projections or forecasts.” Any “large impact” from Huawei, “we've basically taken it out of the picture,” he said. “We have developed good relationships with other players around the world and are repurposing the technology that we had developed for Huawei for those customers.” Lowe concedes the “Huawei situation was a pretty significant setback for us,” he said. “But we've adjusted our plans, we've adjusted our focus to go after non-Huawei customers.”