Wireless charging could “radically change the market landscape,” but it likely will be years “before these technologies become a mainstream solution,” ABI Research said in a Monday report. “Mobile leaders” like Apple and Samsung “are moving wireless charging forward by integrating inductive charging into smartphones and wearables,” said the firm. “But most wire-free charging technologies still need to meet regulatory approval, which could significantly delay product launches or even derail any momentum.”

The FCC should proceed with care on proposed rules for wireless emergency alerts (WEAs), especially in any requirement to embed URLs, the Competitive Carriers Association said in a meeting with Public Safety Bureau Chief David Simpson and other FCC officials. CCA reported on the meeting in docket 15-91. “Though technology has evolved since the adoption of the WEA rules, it is unclear at this time whether and how embedded URLs in every WEA alert could affect network capacity,” CCA said. “CCA therefore cautioned the Commission against requiring the use of embedded URLs for every WEA message at this time.” Instead, the FCC should first study the effect on networks, CCA said. The association in general supports proposals to increase the maximum WEA length from 90 to 360 characters, CCA said. But here, too, “CCA cautioned the Commission to ensure that any requirements to expand character lengths are conditioned upon a carrier network’s technical capability to support additional content.” The agency proposed at commissioners' November meeting to allow longer WEA messages, inclusion of hyperlinks and narrower distribution of alerts (see 1511190053).

The FCC posted its online tutorial on bidding in the forward part of the TV incentive auction. The tutorial covers the structure of the forward auction's clock phase and provides demonstrations on how to use the system in the clock rounds, the tutorial said. Another tutorial on the auction's assignment phase will be posted later, the FCC said. The agency said the tutorial isn't a substitute for reviewing all of the orders, rules, public notices and policies released by the commission on the auction.

When NTIA considers grants for alternative public safety network plans by states opting out of FirstNet, the federal agency may consider costs incurred by FirstNet from lost efficiencies as compared to a network with no opt-outs, NTIA said in a notice expected to be published in Tuesday's Federal Register. NTIA sought comment on preliminary guidance about how an opt-out state may apply to NTIA for authority to enter into a spectrum capacity lease with FirstNet and receive a grant to construct its radio access network (RAN). Comments are due 30 days after publication. NTIA will provide more details on the application process in a forthcoming federal funding opportunity and other further notices, it said. "NTIA may take into consideration cost increases FirstNet will incur should a state assume the responsibility to conduct its own RAN, and may reduce a final grant award accordingly,” the agency said. “For example, FirstNet may incur increased costs to mitigate additional operational risks to the [nationwide public safety broadband network (NPSBN)], and losses of cost efficiencies, if a state assumes responsibility for the construction and operation of the RAN within its boundaries. Additionally, should a state conduct its own RAN, FirstNet may bear increased expenses related to interconnection of the state RAN to the NPSBN and mitigation of potential interference by the state RAN to the NPSBN operations in a bordering state.” Other financial factors also may affect the grant award, it said. NTIA plans to consider state applications on a rolling basis, it said. "We recognize that making timely decisions on a state’s application is critical to ensuring the NPSBN is deployed and operational in every state -- regardless of the party ultimately responsible for conducting a RAN in a given state,” the agency said. "NTIA’s role is limited to determining whether a state has demonstrated compliance with the required technical, financial, interoperability, programmatic, and qualitative criteria so that it can authorize the state to enter into a spectrum lease with FirstNet.” Once a state receives a proposal from FirstNet, it will have 90 days to opt out, then 180 days to submit an alternative plan for FCC approval. Once the commission approves the plan, the state can apply to NTIA for a grant.

Alcatel began preorders Friday for the Idol 4S smartphone including a free virtual reality Alcatel-branded goggle bundle with pre-sale orders. The Android 5.5-inch phone, with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor, has a Sony sensor that supports 4K video recording, it said.

Toshiba and Western Digital commemorated Friday the completion of a 297,000-square-foot semiconductor plant in Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture, Japan, to mark the transition from 2D NAND to 3D flash memory production. Flash memory in smartphones, solid-state drives and other applications is driving growth of the global flash memory market due to higher densities and better device performance, said the companies. First-phase production at New Fab 2 began in March for 3D flash memory and the companies plan an additional $8 billion investment to expand operations depending on market conditions, they said. Yokkaichi operations will use big data processing to analyze over 1.6 billion data points each day to improve manufacturing efficiency, they said.

AT&T is “reviewing next steps” after failing to reach a new healthcare contract with union workers represented by the Communications Workers of America, a company spokesman said Friday. “Employees continue to be covered under the terms of the current benefits contract, which does not expire until Dec. 31 and includes a no-strike provision.” CWA is “talking with AT&T about next steps and about moving forward to reach a new tentative agreement,” a union spokeswoman said. The failed four-year contract would have covered healthcare and other benefits for more than 40,000 AT&T Mobility employees with the union, AT&T said in a Wednesday news release. Wages, pension and work rules are negotiated under separate contracts. At least 36,000 CWA and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers members struck Verizon's landline operations earlier this year (see 1605270050).

An FCC wireless hearing aid compatibility draft order builds on HAC rules and a proposal the agency issued in November (see 1511190032), Chairman Tom Wheeler said Thursday in a blog post highlighting one of the items on the agency's tentative agenda for commissioners' Aug. 4 meeting. "The new order would enshrine a consensus plan [(see 1511130027)] developed collaboratively by the wireless industry and groups representing people with hearing loss that puts us on the path to achieve hearing aid compatibility for 100 percent of new handsets within eight years," he wrote. "This evolution will greatly expand options for people with hearing loss, simplify the task of finding handsets that work with hearing aids and ensure that people with hearing loss have full access to innovative handsets. At the same time, the implementation time line would ensure that manufacturers and service providers will include HAC features from the earliest stages of the design process." Groups representing deaf and hard-of-hearing people recently asked the FCC to move forward on rules to improve access to HD voice-enabled phones and better noise-canceling technology (see 1606230053). Wheeler also summarized a second draft order to make permanent a pilot National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program: "Known as 'iCanConnect,' this program provides equipment needed to make telecommunications, advanced communications and the Internet accessible to Americans who have significant vision and hearing loss. The new NDBEDP would be able to spend up to $10 million annually to distribute equipment to low-income individuals who are deaf-blind. The program would also provide training and other technical support, including individual assessments of each consumer’s specific accessibility needs, to help low-income people who are deaf-blind better utilize the communications equipment they need to fully participate in society." A third draft order would raise inmate calling service rate caps to account for "reasonable" correctional facility costs (see 1607140087).

The FCC Enforcement Bureau and Blue Jay Wireless settled an investigation into whether the company improperly enrolled Hawaii customers into enhanced tribal support options under the USF Lifeline low-income program. Under an order approving a consent decree, Blue Jay will reimburse USF about $2 million and undertake compliance measures, said an agency release Friday. "This settlement makes clear that no Lifeline provider should turn a blind eye to potential fraud on the program," said Enforcement Bureau Chief Travis LeBlanc. The bureau found the company incorrectly requested and received the extra tribal funding (up to $25 extra per subscriber monthly) for consumers not residing in the Hawaiian Home Lands, the release said. Despite being informed in 2014 by Hawaii state regulators that the number of tribal subscribers it was claiming appeared to exceed the number of households in the Hawaiian Home Lands, Blue Jay continued to seek tribal support while it gathered more information, it added. The consent decree said Blue Jay admitted that from May to August 2014, it certified that it obtained tribal certifications from some subscribers who were later determined by Blue Jay to be nonresidents of the Hawaiian Home Lands. Commissioner Ajit Pai said the settlement confirms Lifeline still contains waste, fraud and abuse: "I can confirm that Blue Jay Wireless is one target of my ongoing investigation and that I flagged further suspicious conduct for the Enforcement Bureau’s investigation earlier this year. I will continue to work with my colleagues, the Enforcement Bureau, the Inspector General, and the Universal Service Administrative Company to end the abuse of taxpayer money by unscrupulous wireless resellers." The commission last year sought public comment on whether to require additional evidence of tribal residency beyond self-certification and on how providers should provide proof in order to prevent waste, fraud and abuse, said the FCC release. Blue Jay said the settlement memorializes its process for verifying subscriber self-certifications, which included building its own geo-mapping tool. "USAC concluded that this process was 'conservative to the Fund' because FCC rules require only applicant self-certification," Blue Jay said in a statement. "The settlement also allows Blue Jay to make good on a prior commitment to 'make the Fund whole.'" CEO David Wareikis said that the carrier "made the commitment to make the Fund whole because it did not want to be seen as benefiting in any way from erroneous self-certifications made by subscribers." The agreement "contains no finding or admission of wrongdoing by Blue Jay, and affirms Blue Jay's good standing" as an eligible telecom carrier, he said. "The consent decree shows that Blue Jay took voluntary proactive efforts to protect against possible fraud and would never turn a blind eye to potential fraud in the program.”

Asus released in Taiwan Thursday the 6.8-inch ZenFone 3 Ultra with DTS Headphone:X, the first smartphone with 7.1-channel surround sound, said DTS. The ZenFone 3 Ultra is one of 15 mobile devices expected to ship with Headphone:X in coming months, CEO Jon Kirchner has said.