Wireless Infrastructure Association President Jonathan Adelstein and board members asked the FCC to harmonize rules on compound expansions. WIA met with Commissioners Mike O’Rielly and Jessica Rosenworcel to seek further refinements of infrastructure rules. “Members continue to face regulatory hurdles when applying for Eligible Facilities Requests (EFRs) under Section 6409 of the Spectrum Act,” said a filing in docket 17-79. “WIA emphasized the importance for the FCC to correct the misinterpretations of Section 6409 and the Commission’s previous infrastructure streamlining decisions.” The changes are important to speed the buildout of FirstNet, the group said.

GPS tracking isn't a radiolocation service, the FCC Wireless Bureau said Thursday, denying Air-Tel's petition for reconsideration. The company challenged a previous bureau denial of Air-Tel's request for declaratory ruling that its GPS-assisted location service constitutes radiolocation under FCC rules, or alternately a waiver to let it resume providing those services under its radiolocation service license. Air-Tel outside counsel didn't comment Friday.

A high-resolution audio technology company envisions expanding its reach in smartphones through chip makers. Ken Forsythe, MQA head-partner development, said the holy grail is to crack big four U.S. music streaming services Amazon Music Unlimited, Apple Music, Google Play Music and YouTube, and it needs broad-based hardware support to do it. The Master Quality Authenticated technology has support from the major labels -- Sony, Warner, Universal and global digital rights agency Merlin -- and high-fidelity music streaming service Tidal. The gap “is mass distribution of content,” Forsythe told us in Denver at an industry event. "We have to win the big services, so we’re putting a lot of focus there.” MQA needs a “more accessible, mainstream product,” Forsythe said. MQA is embedded in a chip that's already going into LG smartphones. The company is working on “another brand of phones," Forsythe said.

California launched review of Sprint buying T-Mobile, while the FCC gathered more information. California Public Utilities Commissioner Cliff Rechtschaffen released a scoping memo Thursday for the state’s review. “The fundamental issue presented by these applications is whether the proposed merger of two of the four largest national wireless service providers is in the public interest of the residents of California,” and the agency will decide if conditions are needed, he said. The CPUC plans public hearings in Q4 and an evidentiary hearing Feb. 6-9. Opening briefs are due March 1, with replies March 15, and the agency plans to release a proposed decision in Q2, Rechtschaffen said. Consumer advocates had awaited the scoping memo after filing protests urging a detailed review (see 1809200038). The memo "raises many important issues that we believe the Commission must consider to determine if this very important merger is in the public interest of millions of California customers," emailed The Utility Reform Network Managing Director-San Diego Christine Mailloux. Public participation hearings will allow citizens to "directly voice their opinions," she added. The FCC asked Altice and C-Spire for information and documents so the agency can complete its review of T-Mobile buying Sprint, said documents posted Thursday in docket 18-197. Wireless Bureau Chief Donald Stockdale asked Altice to respond by Oct. 17 and sought C-Spire data by Oct. 18. The Altice request included questions about the cable company’s mobile business and any plans to develop a facilities-based network or acquire spectrum, plus how the deal might affect Altice’s wireless, TV or internet businesses. In the C-Spire request, the FCC asked what the deal might mean on the company’s wireless business and what spectrum issues that carrier may be facing. Major carriers got FCC queries earlier in the week (see 1810040021). Wednesday, Sprint submitted to the FCC a hard drive with additional information it gave to DOJ for the department's review. T-Mobile made phone calls Tuesday to FCC Chief of Staff Matthew Berry and T-Mobile/Sprint Transaction Team Director David Lawrence, said an ex parte posted Friday. The buyer said it didn't object to extending reply comments, consistent with precedent. The FCC questioning cable about wireless services “offers evidence that the FCC is at least somewhat considering the fact that the New TMUS will directly compete with home broadband and that the wireless business should be looked at through a wider lens,” said Wells Fargo analysts in a Friday note. “Based on these actions we believe the FCC is going to great lengths to get a sense of what the market will look like longer term. While we still expect spectrum divestures will have to be made, we see this development as a positive for the… transaction."

LG’s V30+, V35 ThinQ and G7 ThinQ smartphone models now support streaming with Master Quality Authenticated, LG said Thursday. It said the V40 ThinQ was tuned by MQA parent Meridian “to produce a balanced sound signature that comes extremely close to the quality of an original recording.” Live music streaming channel nugs.net also enabled MQA on Android and iOS devices, MQA said.

FirstNet subscribers gained access to 72 dedicated deployable network assets for planned events or emergencies, AT&T said Thursday. They include satellite cell on light trucks. Such equipment this year supported about 100 emergency and event responses, including for Hurricane Florence.

The FCC Wireless Bureau expanded review of T-Mobile buying Sprint, asking competitors questions. The bureau Wednesday asked Verizon for relevant documents on the “potential effect of the Proposed Transaction on the Company’s core wireless business, wireless data business, and any potential business plans, including, but not limited to, fixed wireless and video” and “the competitive positioning of the Company and other mobile wireless service providers (e.g., price and quality relative to others) for any Relevant Service or any Relevant Product in any Relevant Area (including any surveys conducted by the Company or any third party),” among other questions. Similar letters went to AT&T, U.S. Cellular, TracFone, Charter Communications and Comcast. Responses are due Oct. 17 in docket 18-197.

A federal court set a briefing schedule for tribal challenges to a March FCC wireless infrastructure order in United Keetoowah Band v. FCC, No. 18-1129, at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (see 1808310038). Keetoowah and Natural Resources Defense Council briefs are due Oct. 12, while the Blackfeet Tribe’s is due Oct. 15, the D.C. Circuit said (in Pacer). The FCC must respond by Nov. 28 and respondent-intervenors must reply by Dec. 5. Petitioners must reply by Dec. 19 and Dec. 21, respectively. Final briefs are due Jan. 9.

Display Supply Chain Consultants forecasts the display industry will ship 3.1 million foldable units globally next year after Q1 debut of foldable smartphones from Samsung and Huawei, said the company Wednesday. By 2022, DSCC sees the foldable market for all applications at 63 million units, with such displays then a nearly a $9 billion market.

An FCC ban on local moratoriums of wireless infrastructure deployments from August’s 3-1 order drew a lawsuit Tuesday by Portland, Oregon, at the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Like earlier-filed petitions for reconsideration at the FCC (see 1809050029), the appeal doesn’t seek review of the part of the order requiring one-touch, make-ready for pole attachments. Tuesday was the 60-day deadline to seek court review of the FCC’s declaratory order on moratoriums. “The Ruling exceeds the FCC’s statutory authority; is arbitrary and capricious and an abuse of discretion; and is otherwise contrary to law,” Portland said. The city council authorized the city attorney to file a complaint or join as a co-plaintiff, the city said. “Not only is the FCC invading local authority, but its overreach in favor of billion-dollar wireless corporations will not close the digital divide and could negatively affect the city’s ability to fund programs that seek to bring affordable internet access to the estimated 15% of Portland households without it,” Mayor Ted Wheeler (D) said. Portland wants to bridge the divide but “is also dedicated to receiving fair value when corporations generate profit from placing infrastructure in our community’s public assets,” he said. Earlier that day, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan (D) said it will participate in a local government challenge in federal court of the FCC infrastructure order aimed at speeding 5G buildout by targeting state and local hurdles to small-cell deployment (see 1810020041). The FCC didn’t comment.