NAB asked the FCC to reconsider September approval of Nominet UK, which otherwise administers the .uk domain name registry, as a TV white spaces database administrator (see 1809190015). NAB found "hundreds of errors, including incorrect channel information for at least 200 television stations,” said Friday's filing in docket 04-186: “Nominet’s continued noncompliance with FCC rules also raises concerns about the Commission’s overall mechanism to reliably evaluate database administrator efficacy.” Nominet UK didn’t comment. The NAB said FCC procedures were apparently “insufficient to catch fundamental errors that would cause the database to return faulty information."

The Enterprise Wireless Alliance and others concerned about the 800 MHz band sought changes to the draft order on public land mobile radio use of the band, set for a vote at Tuesday’s FCC commissioners' meeting (see 1810020050). EWA, APCO, Forest Industries Telecommunications and the Utilities Technology's letter was posted Friday in docket 16-261. They asked the FCC to change course and agree to the Land Mobile Communications Council recommendation the agency use F(50,50) curves “to assess both coverage and interference contours for 800 MHz interstitial channel assignments.” They asked the FCC to remove a contour matrix, developed by the LMCC in 2015, from the rules and place it in an appendix. If the matrix becomes part of the rules, it would have to be modified later through an additional rulemaking, they said. “The matrix is already more than three years old and does not reflect any equipment updates in the interim. It may be outdated even before adoption, an analysis that will require discussion with the vendors whose equipment operates on this spectrum.”

The FCC greenlit a wireless emergency alert and emergency alert system test in Routt County, Colorado. The Public Safety Bureau Thursday granted a limited waiver in dockets 15-91 and 15-94 allowing broadcasters and mobile providers participate in the combined test scheduled for Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. MDT. It conditioned the waiver on enough public outreach.

The iPhone XS and XS Max each had 8 percent of U.S. iPhone sales for the quarter ended Sept. 29, reported Consumer Intelligence Research Partners. The iPhone X had 14 percent of sales, while the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus were the best-selling models at 16 and 17 percent in the quarter, which tracked an “unprecedented” 10 models, CIRP said Thursday. The analytics firm calculated U.S. weighted average retail price (reflecting wholesale discounts and promotional pricing Apple offers to retailers and carriers but not including international results) at $796, vs. $751 in the June quarter and $705 in the year-ago quarter. The increase in U.S.-WARP suggests a similar rise for average selling prices, said analyst Mike Levin. The most expensive iPhone XS and XS Max models captured early premium demand, while other upgraders may wait a month for the less expensive iPhone XR, which could moderate U.S.-WARP this quarter, Levin said. CIRP surveyed 500 U.S. Apple customers who bought an iPhone, iPad, Mac computer or Apple Watch.

CTIA Meredith Baker spoke by phone with FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly in support of proposed new rules for the 3.5 GHz citizens broadband radio service, urging the “investment-friendly changes,” said a filing posted Thursday in docket 17-258. “The Draft Report and Order would provide for longer license terms; a balanced, compromise approach to license geographic areas; and an expectation that licenses will be renewed -- while largely leaving unchanged the unique framework.” The Public Interest Spectrum Coalition called for smaller license in the band, meeting an aide to Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. “The current proposal makes licensed spectrum unobtainable for small providers eager to serve rural and other underserved areas," the group said.

Samsung said it bought artificial intelligence-based network and service analytics company Zhilabs, part of a $22 billion strategy to boost investment in companies to drive growth in AI, 5G, automotive electronic components and biopharmaceuticals. The acquisition lays the foundation for 5G offerings in automation and network analytics, it said Wednesday. AI-based automation will enable new services in connected cars and industrial IoT to analyze user traffic, classify applications and improve service quality, Samsung said. “5G technology will disrupt the communications landscape for the better, but it will only be successful if the quality of the networks transferring the information can be measured and improved," said Joan Raventos, CEO at Barcelona-based Zhilabs, which will operate under its own management.

Iota told Commissioner Mike O’Rielly the FCC should approve as circulated the draft report and order on public land mobile radio use of the 800 MHz band, set for a vote at Tuesday’s meeting (see 1810020050). A representative discussed the company’s plan for building a narrowband IoT network using 800 MHz specialized mobile radio expansion band (EB) and guard band (GB) channels. “Iota is eager to complete the construction of its IoT network but is restricted in doing so unless and until the FCC releases the channels in the EB and GB,” filed TeleMedia Policy's Justin Lilley, posted Wednesday in docket 16-261.

Ericsson officials spoke with the FCC team reviewing T-Mobile buying Sprint at the team’s request. Ericsson said it focused on a “technical understanding of 5G networks.” Issues discussed included “different upgrade scenarios for existing cell sites, the potential changes needed to retrofit a site, and the flexibility designed into the Ericsson Radio System,” said a filing Wednesday in docket 18-197.

The FCC doesn’t need to act beyond its recent toll-free number declaratory ruling (see 1809260047) to protect consumers from unwanted messages, CTIA officials asked an aide to Chairman Ajit Pai, said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 18-28. “Text messaging is an interstate information service -- and the record confirms that the Text-Enabled Toll Free Number NPRM’s proposal to impose regulations in the messaging market would be inconsistent with the Commission’s light-touch regulatory approach to interstate information services.”

Airline industry-owned Aviation Spectrum Resources Inc. (ASRI) petitioned the FCC for a ruling that aeronautical operational control (AOC) communications be allowed in the lower 136 MHz band. “With the growth of data centric applications and automation within the aviation industry, datalinks have increasingly augmented existing voice networks,” ASRI said Tuesday (undocketed). But the lower part of the band is available only for such uses as automatic weather observation, automatic terminal information, air-to-air corridor advisory and airport control tower communications, the company said. “Grant of the requested change would serve the public interest by facilitating the deployment of advanced aeronautical communications systems,” ASRI said. “Data communications provide for greater clarity. Messages transmitted … appear on a screen in the cockpit, can be printed, and can be transferred by the pilot or co-pilot into the aircraft’s flight computer.”