T-Mobile raised technical concerns about Aerospace Vehicle Systems Institute's November report on the potential threat of 5G on the C band to radio altimeters (RAs). It “contains numerous technical and analytical errors that lead to inaccurate conclusions and thereby greatly overstates the potential protection required,” T-Mobile said in FCC docket 18-122, posted Thursday: Don't "overprotect RA use of the 4200-4400 MHz band at the potential cost of limiting full access to the C-band for terrestrial use.” The institute didn’t comment.

The tribal window to apply for 2.5 GHz licenses was a big topic last month at a conference the American Indian Policy Institute (AIPI) hosted at Arizona State University with the National Tribal Telecommunications Association and Gila River Telecommunications, AIPI filed, posted Wednesday in FCC docket 18-120. AIP said tribes are grateful for the opportunity to get free spectrum licenses, but the 2.5 GHz band won’t solve the digital divide in their areas. Attendees opposed “adoption of a rural Tribal Lands definition, which excludes Tribal lands that are not located in an urbanized area with a population of less than 50,000 people,” AIPI said: “This decision abrogates the Commission’s federal trust responsibility to all Tribal Nations -- which applies regardless of population density -- in that it arbitrarily and disproportionately affects Tribal Nations and their respective citizens and communities.” All future spectrum opportunities “should be acted upon consistent with the trust responsibility the Commission has with all Tribal Nations,” the institute said. The 2.5 GHz band is also limited, the filing said: “A Tribal Priority should be analyzed for extension to all commercial licenses, given the communications challenges facing Tribal Nations.” The FCC’s six-month window opens Feb. 3 (see 2001140059).

NTIA recommended protections for DOD mobile ground-based radar systems operating below 3.5 GHz that need safeguarding from citizens broadband radio service interference. In a letter to FCC Wireless Bureau Chief Don Stockdale and Office of Engineering and Technology acting Chief Ronald Repasi posted Thursday in docket 17-258, NTIA said there are 40 of those mobile radar system locations. It said for some, NTIA will maintain a list of locations for CBRS spectrum access system operators to use. It said for others, dynamic protection areas that are always activated would be a way of protecting them, as it would limit maximum aggregate received power from CBRS devices at the radar antenna aperture. It asked the FCC offices to act to effectuate that protection.

Motorola Solutions is developing a 900 MHz private broadband network. It “will offer critical infrastructure entities high-power and interoperable communications,” said the company Wednesday. Last summer, the FCC took comment on a proposal to reconfigure the band to allow for broadband (see 1907030028).

Microsoft officials met FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly on the company’s Rural Airband Initiative and how “White Spaces technologies can provide broadband access to underserved and rural Americans,” said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 14-165. Microsoft said the agency should act on its May request for a Further NPRM (see 1905030050). Attendees included ex-Commissioner Robert McDowell, now at Cooley.

Google filed to expand where it acts as spectrum access system operator in the 3.5 GHz citizens broadband radio service band as part of its initial commercial deployment (ICD). Google filed to add Brooklyn, New York; Nashville; Spokane County, Washington; and Harris County, Texas, among other areas, in FCC docket 15-319, posted Wednesday. CommScope wants to expand its ICD as a SAS to also cover Wake County, North Carolina. CommScope will operate there “consistent with our original ICD Proposal submission,” the company said, noting it’s awaiting approval for full commercial deployment.

Communications Workers of America opposed AT&T's proposed $1.95 billion cash sale of its wireless and wireline operations in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to Liberty Latin America (see 1910090005). “The transfer threatens considerable harm to the public interest by endangering potentially hundreds of jobs, harming workers and reducing customer service,” CWA said in FCC docket 19-384, posted Wednesday. Liberty’s “strained financial position” raises questions about deployment of FirstNet and 5G, CWA said. CWA represents about 37 workers employed by AT&T Mobility in the U.S. Virgin Islands and 840 in Puerto Rico. AT&T didn't comment.

Attorney General William Barr urged the new President’s Commission on Law Enforcement Wednesday to explore the threat of technology. Barr noted the last such commission was in 1965. “The incredible pace of technological change has meant the rapid evolution of new ways to commit and conceal crimes,” he said. Barr cited warrant-proof encryption of devices and use of “the dark web to sexually exploit the most vulnerable members of society.” President Donald Trump’s tweeted (see 2001150019) last week that Apple should “unlock phones used by killers, drug dealers and other violent criminal elements.” Apple and Google must voluntarily provide better device access, or Congress will force them to alter encryption standards, Senate Judiciary Committee members said during a December hearing (see 1912100039). “Barr and other government officials have called for tech companies to create intentional vulnerabilities,” Engine blogged now: Justice officials “upped their anti-encryption rhetoric in the last few weeks after locating two locked and encrypted iPhones belonging to the shooter in the Naval Air Station Pensacola shooting last month that killed three U.S. Navy sailors.”

The iPhone 11 series was 69 percent of Apple's December-quarter smartphone sales, with the leader 11 model comprising 39 percent, reported Consumer Intelligence Research Partners Tuesday. IPhone 11 is the leading model in the Apple smartphone line, said analyst Josh Lowitz, while the 2018 model XR remains popular at its reduced price. The research firm estimates the weighted average retail price (WARP) for iPhones in the U.S. at $809, up from $783 in Q3 and off the peak of $839 in Q4 2018. WARP reversed a downward trend during 2019, said analyst Mike Levin. CIRP surveyed 500 U.S. who bought an iPhone, iPad, Mac computer or Apple Watch October-December.

The Wi-Fi Alliance met an aide to Chairman Ajit Pai and Office of Engineering and Technology staff on the importance of the 6 GHz band. "The Wi-Fi ecosystem is ready to support the growing demand for wireless connectivity and new applications, but lacks the necessary spectrum capacity,” the alliance said in docket 18-295, posted Tuesday. Also that day, Commissioner Mike O'Rielly said such an FCC item may be forthcoming soon (see 2001210028).