The FCC Wireless Bureau approved a waiver for Maine’s Passamaquoddy Tribe to use 2.5 GHz spectrum for wireless connections on 94,000 acres of trust lands. “According to the Tribe, most of the trust lands are in areas lacking state municipal governments and where ‘there is a general lack of basic infrastructure, and there is simply no telecommunications infrastructure like cell phone or radio towers,’” said Tuesday's order. The rules exclude trust lands, but “strictly applying" that "would be inconsistent with the Tribal Window’s purpose of providing wireless communications services in rural Tribal areas,” the bureau said. Staff also OK'd a waiver sought by the Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California for several parcels of fee lands owned by the tribe adjacent to or near their reservation.

Comments are due April 8, replies April 15 on the NFL’s request for waiver of citizens broadband radio service rules to use its “coach-to-coach communications systems” during an internet outage, said a public notice in Tuesday's Daily Digest on docket 21-111. The organization needs the waiver for situations when internet service goes down just before a scheduled game but after a spectrum access system administrator has granted authority to operate the NFL’s CBRS system for that game, the PN said.

Verizon said Tuesday it will shutter its 3G CDMA network at the end of next year. Verizon noted it has said it would shut the network down since 2016, with an original target of 2019. “We worked for the past several years to help those who still have 3G devices transfer to devices capable of accessing the 4G LTE or 5G networks and continue to actively work with remaining 3G customers to migrate them to new devices and technology,” the carrier said: Fewer than 1% of its customers use 3G.

Deadline on flexible-use services in the 12 GHz band were extended a month, with comments due May 7, replies June 7, in an FCC Wireless Bureau order in Tuesday's Daily Digest. Delay was requested by the Computer & Communications Industry Association, Incompas and others (see 2103190065).

Global eSIM device installations will reach 3.4 billion by 2025, up 180% from the 1.2 billion projected for 2021, reported Juniper Research Monday. Juniper predicts global eSIM deployments across “consumer verticals” will increase by 170% over the next four years, “with widespread adoption reliant on backing from network operators,” it said. “Fragmentation of hardware vendors in the cellular IoT device market will require each vertical to adopt a combination of wireless technologies, hardware, and management tools.”

Acconeer asked the FCC to approve its request for a waiver allowing marketing of its 60 GHz short-range radar system at higher power than specified in agency rules. Acconeer cited support from other commenters in its Monday filing in docket 21-48. The system would be used for passenger detection, seat belt and intruder alarms, and gesture control for vehicle access, the company said.

Update Part 22 rules, as requested by the Enterprise Wireless Alliance (see 2103160036), the Utilities Technology Council, New York State Electric & Gas and consultant Trott Communications urged the FCC. “We agree with EWA that action in the Part 22 Public Notice proceeding is ‘long overdue,’” said a filing posted Monday in docket 20-241.

Deere representatives told an aide to acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel that there's a need for more broadband on farms. “Many areas of active agricultural operations do not have reliable access to high-speed mobile broadband that is necessary to support working farms and high precision agriculture technologies,” said a Monday posting in docket 10-90. The reps noted the importance of protecting GPS from interference. Deere began exhibiting at CES two years ago (see 1901090024).

Southern Co. is having problems getting cooperation from Wi-Fi proponents on 6 GHz interference tests, it told the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology. “Manufacturers and proponents of unlicensed use continue to ignore or reject repeated requests to participate in any field testing and continue to decline ... to provide any prototype or sample devices that could be used in such testing,” said a filing posted Monday in docket 18-295.

Comments are due April 28 on an FCC notice of inquiry on open radio access networks and securing the communications supply chain, says Monday’s Federal Register (see 2103190063). Replies in docket 21-63 are due May 28.