Tessera Technologies is seeking a ban on imports of Samsung mobile devices allegedly infringing its patents, the semiconductor packaging technology supplier said in a Tariff Act Section 337 complaint (login required) Thursday in International Trade Commission docket 3262. Tessera seeks orders against Samsung devices containing semiconductors, including “power management IC” chips in the “flagship” Galaxy 8 and Note8 smartphones: “These exemplary Samsung products are representative of many other Samsung products imported, sold for importation, and/or sold in the United States after importation by Samsung that feature the same or substantially similar infringing functionality as the exemplary accused products.” Samsung didn't comment Friday.

Representatives of the Performing Arts Wireless Microphone Working Group reported on FCC meetings to express general appreciation for seeking comment on expanding eligibility to use TV spectrum (see 1709010038). “Members have a demonstrable need for high-quality audio, both delivered directly to audiences and through hearing assistance systems in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and reliable intercom, cue, and control devices to prevent accidents and injuries to backstage personnel, actors, and audience members,” said a filing in docket 14-166. “The current licensing threshold of 50 wireless microphones in regular use is an ineffective proxy for actual need, which should be based on uses that cannot reasonably be replaced with wired devices or other technology. We provided examples that demonstrated that no new threshold based on the number of wireless devices would be practical.” The group met with Office of Engineering and Technology Chief Julius Knapp and aides to Commissioners Brendan Carr, Mignon Clyburn and Mike O’Rielly.

Mattel's new artificial intelligence-enabled baby monitor raised privacy issues from Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, and Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., in a Thursday letter to CEO Margaret Georgiadis. The device, called Aristotle, "appears capable of recording and transmitting personal and sensitive information about a child's development back to" the company, said a Friday news release. The product -- which can track feeding and sleeping patterns -- "has the potential to raise serious privacy concerns" because it can create an "in-depth profile of children and their family," said the lawmakers. They asked Mattel to provide information such as: Will Aristotle use facial recognition software or take videos and photos? Will audio files be recorded and saved and stored on Mattel's servers? Will the company encrypt data it collects and will it delete personally identifiable information? Does it plan to share or sell the data? Does Aristotle have a privacy policy and is it compliant with the Children's Online Privacy and Protection Act? The letter seeks responses by Oct. 18. The company didn't comment.

T-Mobile asked for a waiver allowing it to provide wireless priority service (WPS) over its LTE network in Q3 2018. T-Mobile said it will offer WPS, allowing public officials priority to make calls, under an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Emergency Communications. But OEC is requiring that WPS be available at all times and not just on a per-call basis, the carrier said. “Because T- Mobile is able to deploy WPS over LTE while also preserving sufficient capacity for non-priority users, grant of a waiver would be in the public interest,” T-Mobile said in a petition for expedited waiver. “T-Mobile asks the Commission to grant it a waiver of the per-call activation requirement for WPS over LTE until two years after OEC provides funding for the necessary network development.” Carriers offer WPS on a voluntary basis.

AT&T officials led by Senior Vice President Joan Marsh updated Chairman Ajit Pai and other commissioners on the carrier’s response to Maria (see 1709290050) and other recent storms. “We discussed AT&T’s efforts to prepare for and respond to Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria,” said a filing in docket 17-79 on the Pai sit-down. “We also discussed the challenges associated with the restoration of service in Puerto Rico, most notably the logistical issues associated with the transport of communications equipment and personnel to Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.” In meetings with Commissioner Brendan Carr and Mike O’Rielly, the executives discussed the storms, plus 5G and the need for high-frequency spectrum. A meeting with Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel included a discussion of FirstNet, which just gave governors 90 days to decide whether to participate (see 1709290040). “AT&T is committed to the success of FirstNet and building the first nationwide public safety broadband network,” a filing said. “AT&T is still actively answering questions for states that have not elected to opt-in to FirstNet and starting the build process for states that have opted in.”

LG's flagship LG V30 and V30+ smartphones will be available at major carriers within two weeks, and the V30 works with Google’s Daydream View virtual reality headset, with a joint bundle promotion "soon" on the phone, headset and content, LG announced Thursday.

Representatives of the ATIS Wireless Technologies and Systems Committee (WTSC) spoke on the phone with staff from the FCC Public Safety and Enforcement bureaus on the group’s work to advance wireless emergency alerting. “Completion of WEA specifications in support of the Commission’s existing rules is the main focus of WTSC efforts,” said a filing in docket 15-91. “WTSC has also started work on device-based geo-targeting to examine how such geo-targeting may be performed by a well-managed WEA application. ATIS noted that it is engaging with other stakeholders, including [the Federal Emergency Management Agency], which have significant roles in device-based geo-targeting.”

CTIA expressed general support for an FCC Wireless Bureau notice on the process for determining which areas are being served by 700 MHz licensees and for relicensing areas deemed unserved. In August, the bureau sought comment on rules for relicensing of 700 MHz lower A-, B- and E-block and the upper C-block spectrum returned to agency's inventory for licensees’ failure to meet construction requirements (see 1708280052). The FCC should give licensees flexibility to accurately determine coverage “by declining to adopt a specific field strength limit and allowing 700 MHz licensees to instead provide a coverage showing that is based on real-world service,” CTIA commented in docket 06-150. The FCC should streamline the application process and “afford parties the time necessary to reach agreements to resolve mutually exclusive applications or attempt to reach a settlement,” CTIA said. The field strength metric proposed for determining coverage isn’t the right approach, the group said: “The 40 dBμV/m field strength limit proposed by the Bureau … was designed to protect adjacent-area licensees (i.e., for interference protection), not to predict coverage.” As a company interested in buying spectrum, it's very focused on the rules, T-Mobile said. “T-Mobile encourages the Commission to simplify required demonstrations and rigorously enforce its performance requirements so that spectrum not in use can be quickly recaptured to provide service.” But, the carrier said, proposed mapping requirements are “unnecessarily burdensome and will complicate relicensing of unused spectrum.” The Rural Wireless Association opposed a proposal to treat any modification, cancellation or assignment of a license as a failure to meet the 100 percent buildout requirement, leading to automatic license termination. “While RWA understands the Bureau’s concern with use of the spectrum relicensing process to engage in spectrum warehousing and other activities that contravene the public interest, the proposal fails to recognize the legitimate reasons that may prompt a need for a license modification during the relicensing process,” the group commented. “Due to the vagaries of RF radiation, it is difficult for a licensee to ensure that it provides the requisite level of signal coverage to every square inch of its license territory. In some instances, real world propagation may not allow a licensee to duplicate predicted coverage.”

NTCA signed on to the Broadband Access Coalition, which is asking the FCC to authorize a licensed, point-to-multipoint fixed wireless service in the 3.7-4.2 GHz band (see 1708100037). BAC's supporters have faced an uphill climb, squaring off against a rival proposal led by Intel (see 1708100037). “Introduction of the BAC and its petition to the FCC will provide another important ‘tool in the toolkit’ in our shared national mission to accelerate the deployment of robust and affordable broadband in rural areas that are the most challenging to serve,” NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield said in a news release. Mimosa Networks, the Wireless ISP Association and New America’s Open Technology Institute are original BAC co-founders.

A National Retail Federation new quarterly report shows smartphones' effects on shopping, Katherine Cullen, NRF director-retail and consumer insights, told a news conference webcast Wednesday from the group's e-commerce show in Los Angeles. Toluna Analytics canvassed 3,002 U.S. adult consumers in late July, finding much consumer research on products happens earlier via online and mobile, she said. Customers are coming through the door “with information, they know their options, they often know where they can find the best price, they know where else they can buy," she added.