Purchase interest in smartwatches, not yet a mainstream category, is on the rise, said Parks Associates analyst Kristen Hanich, in a Wednesday report. The percentage of consumers interested in buying a smartwatch grew from 3 percent in Q1 2016 to 9 percent in Q2 2017, Hanich said. New models from Apple and Fitbit will drive consumer demand, she said. A migration to 5G cellular networks will create more low-power cellular connectivity options for device OEMs, helping consumers find new use cases for the devices, she said.

The Broadband Access Coalition told the FCC that as a first step on mid-band spectrum, it should approve high-throughput, licensed, point-to-multipoint (P2MP) fixed wireless broadband in the 3.7-4.2 GHz band. “These P2MP links can facilitate the rapid deployment of much-needed gigabit and near-gigabit fixed broadband service to rural and other underserved areas,” the group said in docket 17-183. The newly formed coalition made that proposal in a June filing at the FCC (see 1706210044). “Implementing P2MP services can be done rapidly and simply, using existing Part 101 frequency coordination procedures,” the coalition said now. “The Commission can implement rules now for the immediate deployment of P2MP broadband that will not preclude later entry into the band by mobile services.” The coalition said it has nearly 30 members led by Mimosa Networks, the Wireless ISP Association and New America’s Open Technology Institute. Electric utilities opposed opening the 6 GHz band for broadband. It's “heavily used by utilities for mission critical operations,” said the Edison Electric Institute and Utilities Technology Council jointly. The interference mitigation approaches the FCC is considering “would not be effective as a practical matter, particularly in the long term due to increases in the noise floor that would cause interference from the proliferation of unlicensed devices operating in the bands.” CBS, Disney, Scripps Networks Interactive, Time Warner, 21st Century Fox and Viacom said the FCC needs to protect the 6 GHz band. “The Content Companies rely on fixed satellite service transmissions in the C-band to ensure the reliable distribution of compelling programming to more than 100 million American television households,” they said.

The Apple iPhone 7, followed by the iPhone 7 Plus, outsold all other smartphones worldwide in the first six months of 2017, with volume down vs. iPhone 6s in the year-ago period, IHS Markit reported Tuesday. Samsung’s Galaxy Grand Prime Plus came in third, followed by the iPhone 6s, Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus. Five Samsung models, four iPhones and one Oppo smartphone made up the top 10.

Requiring railroads to collect and disclose pole-attachment information is “inappropriate and counterproductive,” said an Amtrak ex-parte letter Tuesday in docket 17-84 about Monday meetings with FCC Commissioners Mike O’Rielly and Brendan Carr. Railroads play an “insignificant role in the last-mile distribution of broadband services over public rights-of-way,” Amtrak said: Imposing such requirements would “impair free market negotiations for use of the limited railroad ROW that is available for third-party communications purposes, and would inflict unnecessary and significant costs and burdens on railroads.”

Wireless mic makers and users urged the FCC to change rules so smaller users can operate in TV white spaces spectrum. The FCC is looking at whether to expand eligibility for Part 74 licenses to include professional wireless mic users that don't routinely use 50 or more microphones. Microsoft dissented, saying wireless mics already have a lot of spectrum to use and rules don’t need to change to accommodate them. “The Commission has recognized that wireless microphones are vital to a large component of the U.S. economy,” said Sennheiser, one of the main mic makers. “They are essential to the production of virtually all content creation in the U.S., a one trillion dollar industry.” Sennheiser said in docket 14-166 the FCC should be somewhat liberal in rules for qualifying for the licenses. “Any entity that has the wherewithal to prepare, pay for, and file an FCC license application and regulatory fees, with accompanying information to demonstrate eligibility, is most likely a professionally-run organization able to comply with the responsibilities of being a FCC licensee,” the company said. “Absent a rule modification, the focus of many important events remains at risk,” said wireless mic maker Shure. The Performing Arts Wireless Microphone Working Group asked the FCC to change rules so more members qualify for Part 74 licenses. “Audiences pay for and expect high-quality professional audio, free from interference that can ruin the performance experience,” it commented. “Wireless devices are used for intercoms and cue and control devices, often involving the movement of scenery and large set pieces.” Microsoft opposed expanding eligibility for Part 74 licenses. If the FCC opts to do so, “it should at minimum create rules that assume that microphone operators will take advantage of efficient technologies already available in the marketplace, and will not unnecessarily waste spectrum resources,” Microsoft said.

The National Public Safety Telecommunications Council’s Common Channel Naming Working Group seeks volunteers for its LTE Nationwide Interoperability Talkgroup Naming Project. After the American National Standards Institute approved the standard on common channel naming in January, the working group took a break, NPSTC said in a Monday news release. “With the advent of FirstNet, the Working Group will reactivate to develop common names for nationwide LTE interoperability talkgroups. Mission Critical Push to Talk will include LTE talkgroups that will function in a similar fashion to [land mobile radio] interoperability channels.”

The U.S. District Court for Arizona said the SEC is entitled to summary judgment against Glendale, Arizona-based Janus Spectrum and others for allegedly defrauding investors by offering to help clients apply for licenses in the 800 MHz expansion and guard bands, claiming "money from thin air" when the potential payoff was likely very small. The SEC filed in the federal court in April 2015 (see 1504070034). The action was taken against Janus Spectrum, David Alcorn Professional Corp. and Kent Maerki, said an order in docket CV-15-609-PHX-SMM. “The Court has reviewed and considered all of the pleadings and finds that the SEC is entitled to summary judgment.” The parties couldn’t be reached for comment. “It may serve to influence those who may be thinking about launching similar efforts to think twice before they trade in spectrum under false promises,” Mark Crosby, president of the Enterprise Wireless Alliance, told us.

States and territories that opt out of FirstNet must do so by Dec. 28, said an FCC public notice Monday. It follows a similar one from FirstNet Friday (see 1709290040). FirstNet delivered final state plans the previous week but couldn’t start the clock until NTIA provided funding level determinations (FLDs) (see 1709270056). Friday, NTIA posted the FLDs for each state and territory. “To establish each FLD, NTIA used an estimate of the number of terrestrial sites (towers) in each State and territory necessary to achieve baseline coverage objectives based on National Institute of Standards and Technology technical modeling,” NTIA said. Those that don't opt out are considered to be part of the national network and don't have to notify the government.

The FCC mid-band spectrum inquiry, asking for advice on bands from 3.7 GHz to 24 GHz that might be suitable for 5G, has run into concerns from public safety groups worried about the 6 GHz band, one of the bands targeted. Commissioners approved 3-0 a mid-band spectrum notice of inquiry Aug. 3 (see 1708030052). The NOI asked about 3.7-4.2, 5.925-6.425 and 6.425-7.125 GHz, but also for suggestions on other suitable spectrum. APCO asked the FCC to move with care, saying the 5.925-6.425 GHz and 6.425-7.125 GHz bands, used for fixed point-to-point microwave links, are essential to public safety agencies. “To avoid negatively impacting public safety communications, APCO urges the Commission to consider bands other than 6 GHz to achieve its flexible spectrum use goals,” the group commented in docket 17-183. “The 6 GHz bands are the most ideal for long haul microwave transmissions for public safety, in some cases throughout entire states. By comparison, higher frequency bands available for public safety use, such as 11 GHz are not as useful given the shorter path lengths and susceptibility to signal attenuation from environmental factors like rain.” The National Public Safety Telecommunications Council said public safety had to move some critical functions to the 6 GHz band now in the agency’s sights. In the early 1990s, the FCC reallocated another critical microwave band, 1.8-2 GHz range “for emerging technology services and required public safety and other critical users to relocate from that band,” NPSTC said. “The 5.925-6.425 GHz band now under consideration for ‘additional flexible use’ is the home to which many of the microwave links were relocated, albeit at increased costs.” The National Academy of Sciences, through its Committee on Radio Frequencies, noted that radio astronomy researchers and others do research on many of the bands being studied for 5G. "As the Commission has long recognized, radio astronomy is a vitally important tool used by scientists to study the universe,” the filing said. “It was through the use of radio astronomy that scientists discovered the first planets outside the solar system, circling a distant pulsar. … Radio astronomy has also enabled the discovery of organic matter and prebiotic molecules outside our solar system, leading to new insights into the potential existence of life elsewhere in our galaxy, the Milky Way.”

Representatives of the Wireless Infrastructure Association pressed FCC Wireless and Wireline bureau officials on the importance of pending siting rules, said a filing in docket 16-421. WIA said the FCC should use its authority under sections 352 and 332 of the Telecom Act to reduce delays and help “provide the connectivity necessary to meet exponentially increasing data demands.”