The FCC Wireless Bureau denied a waiver request by Kansas City Power & Light to use 900 MHz licenses it controls for fixed supervisory control and data acquisition. The FCC has a freeze since last year on new or expanded use of 900 MHz band frequencies (see 1809130064). KCPL says a new system “will improve the company’s ability to avoid and identify outages and other problems, improve the public’s safety, and increase the efficiency of KCPL’s operation” the bureau said Thursday: “It would not be in the public interest to authorize a new 900 MHz fixed system on a significant number of channels in a major metropolitan area while the Commission considers proposed rule changes to realign this land mobile band to support the provision of broadband” (see 1909120042).

CTIA told an aide to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai that work remains before carriers can consistently transmit vertical location data on 911 calls to public safety answering points. "Consider a phased-in approach that reflects the nascent and evolving state of commercially available vertical location technologies that will be demonstrated in the upcoming 9-1-1 Location Accuracy Test Bed LLC’s Stage Za,” it recommended, posted Thursday in docket 07-114. Carriers' June comments supported a 3-meter standard for indoor wireless 911 calls, saying technological challenges need solving (see 1906190011).

Gogo said mobile broadband operations introduced in 900 MHz mustn't cause harmful interference to air-to-ground radiotelephone service (ATG) in the adjacent 894-896 MHz. The FCC is looking at reconfiguring the 900 MHz band to allow broadband (see 1907030028). “Gogo’s engineering analysis shows that even a single mobile broadband device transmitting in the 900 MHz band within one kilometer of a Gogo base station can cause adjacent band interference with ATG base station receivers,” it filed, posted Thursday in docket 17-200: “This interference will either reduce the receive range of Gogo’s base stations or the capacity of ATG links.” The company urged protecting ATG with safeguards proposed for adjacent licensees in 901-902, 930-931 and 940-941 MHz.

The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology modified a 2018 waiver Proceq USA received (see 1803140062) of ultra-wideband rules for a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) device that enables “non-destructive testing of materials such as concrete, metals, rock and composites.” OET will allow Proceq to use an expanded range, 200-6000 MHz instead of 200-4000 MHz. That's "consistent with spectrum currently available for GPR devices and does not alter the technical and operational conditions included in the existing waiver,” OET said.

The 5G transition bodes well for the future of OLED smartphones, said Universal Display Chief Financial Officer Sid Rosenblatt. He thinks 5G will “spur new demand” for an upgrade “cycle” in premium smartphones, the market segment where OLED resides. Rosenblatt estimates OLED screens are in 25 percent of the 1.6 billion smartphones sold globally yearly. Reducing the screens' cost is “the only way you get” to 50 percent share, he said. “It's estimated that an OLED screen made on plastic substrates is anywhere from $55 to $75 per screen,” compared with $10 to $30 for LCD, he said. “If you talk to the OEMs, they all want OLED screens” in their smartphones because “it has the best picture quality and it has the best power efficiency,” he said. OLED isn’t a solution “looking for a market,” but “you need to get the price down,” he told a Deutsche Bank technology conference Tuesday.

The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology provided additional time for comments on a waiver request by Liberty Defense of Part 15 ultra-wideband rules to allow marketing and operation of its swept frequency UWB surveillance system (see 1907250045). Comments were due Aug. 14, replies Aug. 29, in docket 19-217. OET acknowledged the deadlines weren’t reflected in the electronic comment filing system until Sept. 9. New deadlines are Oct. 1 for initial comments, replies Oct. 16.

The Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Coalition raised concerns about the Aerospace Industries Association's June filing on a flexible regulatory framework that enables command and control operations to support drones. The coalition said AIA met with it and CTIA. “An overall concern with initiating this proceeding is that absent a clear understanding of its scope, decisions made in this proceeding could set precedent for decisions the Commission will be called upon to make in other proceedings related to UAS spectrum needs,” filed the Small UAV Coalition in RM-11798, posted Tuesday. “The Coalition was given assurances by AIA that it agreed with the concern.” AIA has emphasized throughout the rules should apply only to large drones at high altitudes, the UAV group said. The coalition disagreed with arguments the FCC needs a spectrum road map for drones. More important than a ‘roadmap’ is the Commission’s continued promotion of service and technical rules that promote flexible uses of spectrum and do not inhibit UAS operations without evidence of interference,” the coalition said. “Where specialized uses are found, spectrum rules designed to address those unique needs may be warranted.”

As Treasury yields have declined since early August, it's no surprise AT&T and Verizon stock rose, MoffettNathanson’s Craig Moffett told investors Tuesday. Moffett said the outlook for the wireless sector as a whole remains uncertain. “What, exactly, is the prevailing narrative of the wireless industry at the moment?” Moffett asks: “Two years ago, it was clear. The industry was still in the late stages of a price war, and there was broad consensus that things were, well, ‘bad.’ One year ago, the wireless industry was ‘improving,’ and there was broad consensus that competitive intensity was ‘moderate.’ There is no similarly clear narrative today.”

Lyft added access to 911 from its app, it emailed Tuesday. "Emergency assistance -- available to all riders today -- gives you a clear view of your current location and vehicle information, including the license plate, so you can quickly share with dispatchers." All app safety features will include "a way for both drivers and riders to reach 911," blogged President John Zimmer. The company got attention for not offering such capability, while Uber did (see 1902280029). Lyft didn't comment further now.

The first meeting of the newly reconfigured Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee is 2 p.m., Oct. 1, at Morgan Lewis, NTIA said. The announcement was expected (see 1909060042 and 1908120048). Also Tuesday, NTIA held a spectrum symposium (see 1909100063). CSMAC last met in July 2018 (see 1807240057).