T-Mobile CEO John Legere said on an earnings call Tuesday he remains optimistic the company will get regulatory approval to buy Sprint. “We have a lot of respect for the regulatory process, which is not yet finished,” Legere said. “We have completed a number of major milestones and remain optimistic and confident that once the facts are reviewed by regulators they will recognize the significant pro-competitive and pro-consumer benefits.” Legere noted the formal comment period at the FCC closes Wednesday and that more than half the state public commissions reviewing the deal have signed off. “We’re making progress,” he said. “We continue to expect this merger to close in the first half of 2019.” T-Mobile continues to grow more quickly than its competitors, adding a net 774,000 branded postpaid phone customers in Q3 with 1.6 million total net additions. The carrier also had record adjusted earnings of $3.2 billion, 15 percent above the year-ago quarter, and revenue of $8.1 billion, an increase of 8.2 percent. T-Mobile had 2.6 times as many net adds as Verizon. Legere said T-Mobile is offering 21 devices that use 600 MHz spectrum it bought in the TV incentive auction and the equipment being installed on its towers is upgradable to 5G with a software update. The company said 600 MHz is available in more than 1,500 cities and towns in 37 states and Puerto Rico. Wells Fargo’s Jennifer Fritzsche sees a 70 percent chance the deal will be approved, up from 60 percent, she wrote investors. “Our recent DC checks make us more confident that the … merger will be approved,” she said. “While the DoJ is admittedly a walled garden, most contacts we spoke [to] have not heard chatter coming out of the agency which would suggest there exist insurmountable barriers in completing this marriage.” She expects regulators to demand spectrum divestitures. Sprint reports quarterly earnings Wednesday.

A study from HighSpeedInternet.com released Monday says 5G will save the average listener more than three hours when downloading a Spotify library containing up to 10,000 songs and movie viewers up to seven minutes every time they download an HD movie. Gamers will save almost seven hours on average on large game downloads, and social media users will save about two-and-a-half minutes a day, it said.

Localytics described methods for retailers to get customers to frequent their ecommerce sites or apps. In a Monday blog post, Justina Perro, senior content marketing manager, advised using mobile tools -- location-based, push and in-app messaging -- to target consumers on mobile devices, which are expected to account for more than half of all purchases this holiday season (see 1809120022 and 1809120020). The marketer encouraged cart abandonment push notifications to drive shoppers back to an ecommerce app to complete a purchase.

The Wireless ISP Association supported calls for a renewed look at the 5.9 GHz band (see 1810230038). But WISPA reminded the FCC that Wi-Fi isn’t the only issue. Making the band available would be helpful to WISPs, said a filing posted Monday in docket 13-49. “Members have made extensive and intensive use of the 5 GHz band, which is used to serve millions of consumers that lack other alternatives to terrestrial broadband,” the group said. “Equipment can be easily adapted to operate in the 5.9 GHz band.”

Blooston Rural Carriers backs a draft order, set for a vote at the Nov. 15 commissioners’ meeting, changing how industry reports availability of hearing-aid compatible handsets, including lifting Form 655 requirements. “Eliminating the Form 655 HAC report would have a measurable impact on their bottom line and will help to ensure that smaller rural service providers are able to continue offering wireless handsets -- as well as local ‘try before you buy’ testing experiences,” filed the group of Tier III carriers, posted Monday in docket 17-228.

AT&T officials met with FCC staff on the proposed design for a 39 GHz auction. Among those at the meeting was Wireless Bureau Chief Donald Stockdale. "Parties discussed the Commission’s proposed pre-auction voucher exchange, including issues specific to incumbents who exchange vouchers with an intent to participate in the auction and incumbents who exchange vouchers with an intent to retain their existing spectrum holdings without participation in the clock phase,” said a filing posted Monday in docket 14-177.

With initial comments due Monday on the 3.7-4.2 GHz C-band, Intel reported on meetings with FCC Wireless Bureau Chief Donald Stockdale and aides to Commissioners Mike O’Rielly, Brendan Carr and Jessica Rosenworcel. Asha Keddy, general manager of the Next Generation and Standards Group, discussed “the state of 5G, various efforts Intel has undertaken to trial and develop 5G, what other leading countries are doing to promote 5G and the consequent importance of enabling terrestrial mobile use on 3.7-4.2 GHz band expeditiously,” said a filing in docket 17-183. It underscored the advantages of a “market-based” approach. The Competitive Carriers Association said Monday the FCC should make the band available for licensed use. “Mid-band spectrum offers tremendous opportunities for carriers to deploy next-generation technologies, and the 3.7-4.2 GHz band is particularly well-suited for 4G and 5G deployment,” said CCA President Steve Berry. He asked the agency to be "mindful of protecting incumbents that serve unserved" and underserved consumers.

The wireless industry is going to court to challenge the FCC September wireless infrastructure order aimed at speeding 5G buildout by targeting state and local hurdles to small-cell deployment. Cities also are challenging the order (see 1810250055). AT&T told the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit the order doesn't adopt a “deemed granted” remedy for cases where a state or local government doesn’t act on a request for authorization (case 18-1294). “Delays on requests for authorization to construct postpone deployment of wireless facilities,” the carrier said. "AT&T seeks review of the Order on the grounds that it is arbitrary, capricious, inadequately reasoned, or otherwise contrary to law. AT&T requests that this Court hold unlawful, vacate, enjoin, and set aside the Order, and that it provide such additional relief as may be appropriate." Sprint challenged the order in the 10th Circuit also because it didn’t provide a deemed-granted remedy (case 18-9563).

AT&T said it successfully completed the world’s first millimeter-wave mobile 5G browsing session using a standards-based device on a mobile 5G network. The test took place Thursday night using a Netgear Nighthawk 5G Mobile Hotspot, the carrier said Friday. The development is “a seminal moment in the advancement of mobile 5G technology,” said David Christopher, president-AT&T Mobility and Entertainment. “This proves we are well on our way to the promise of mobile 5G for consumers.”

The Enterprise Wireless Alliance supported a Utilities Technology Council petition seeking reconsideration or clarification of the Wireless Bureau’s September freeze on new or expanded use of 900 MHz band frequencies (see 1809130064). EWA represents 900 MHz band incumbents “who, like the entities described in the UTC Petition and other licensees in this band, may need to respond to changing business requirements while the FCC determines its next steps,” said a filing in docket 17-200. “A modified freeze, one modeled after the earlier 900 MHz Band freeze, would accommodate the legitimate needs of band incumbents, without opening the door for speculative applications that compromise spectrum management and efficiency objectives.” EWA asked that the freeze be modified to allow incumbent licensees to change existing systems by relocating or adding both sites and frequencies, even if doing so adds to the “spectral landscape.”