T-Mobile said Scam ID and Scam Block are available to customers of its low-cost subsidiary MetroPCS at no extra cost. Both work on all MetroPCS devices because the technologies are built directly into T-Mobile’s nationwide network. “Since T-Mobile launched Scam ID and Scam Block in April 2017, the Un-carrier has already identified and flagged or blocked over 243 million calls for customers,” said a news release. “Though scammers succeed with only 0.2 percent of all calls, a successful scam can cost victims an average of $274 per person according to a study from Truecaller.”

The FCC released language that must be used in consumer disclosure forms required in a 2015 wireless mic order. “In adopting a Consumer Disclosure requirement, the Commission explained that consumers will need to be informed of the changes that will affect their use of wireless microphones in the portion of the TV bands that is being repurposed following the broadcast television incentive auction, the conditions associated with their continued use of the 600 MHz service band during the 39-month post-auction transition period, and their need to cease operations in the 600 MHz service band no later than the end of this transition period,” said a Monday order in docket 14-166. The notice must be displayed "at the point of sale in a clear, conspicuous, and readily legible manner" and by mic makers on their websites, the FCC said. The order is by the Consumer and Governmental Affairs and Wireless bureaus and the Office of Engineering and Technology. The FCC requires the notice to say: “This particular wireless microphone device operates in portions of the 617-652 MHz or 663-698 MHz frequencies. Beginning in 2017, these frequencies are being transitioned ... to the 600 MHz service to meet increasing demand for wireless broadband services. Users of this device must cease operating on these frequencies no later than July 13, 2020. In addition, users of this device may be required to cease operations earlier than that date if their operations could cause harmful interference to a 600 MHz service licensee’s wireless operations on these frequencies.”

The FCC is under pressure not to make major changes to rules for the 3.5 GHz shared band and complicate launch of services. Commenters filed in docket 12-354 on T-Mobile and CTIA petitions seeking changes to rules (see 1706200081). Sony said rules for spectrum access system administrators and others already are settled and changes would mean delays in launch of the much-anticipated band. “The Commission should not undertake rule changes that would result in new or different certification obligations for SAS administrators,” Sony said Friday. “Such changes would waste already invested resources, unnecessarily raise costs, and inevitably delay the SAS certification process.” Broadband Corp., a wireless ISP in Minnesota, said it invested $1 million in the Citizens Broadband Radio Service spectrum, but stopped investing in light of recent uncertainty. “That one of the petitioners is a major mobile carrier, and the other is an association of mobile carriers I find concerning, these are the same large companies who have collectively increased the costs of spectrum to the point that only large mobile carriers can afford it, pricing spectrum out of range for companies like ours,” wrote Vice President Anthony Will. Tampa-based WISP Rapid Systems said it also made big investments and needs the band to open. “The ability to access up to 100 megahertz of mid-band spectrum is desperately needed to enable higher service tiers for our rural customers,” the company said. The WISP Association called the CTIA and T-Mobile petitions “ill-conceived and destructive” and said the FCC should reject them. The proposals would transform 3.5 GHz into a “5G-only” band and “decelerate the provision of fixed broadband service to those that lack access and choice, foreclose innovative uses, stifle investment, and damage the ability of existing broadband customers to continue receiving service,” WISPA said.

Initial 5G trials are starting small and will ramp up gradually before commercialization in 2020 and the effects also will be slow to arrive for industry, Raymond James analyst Frank Louthan said in a Friday report. “We view 5G as a buzzword seeking a technology standard that is still seeking a market, and we do not envision 5G stimulating meaningful growth for the wireless equipment industry for several years.” U.S. carriers will likely take different approaches, he said. T-Mobile has discussed rolling out 5G in its incentive auction spectrum and Sprint is focused on its 2.5 GHz holdings. “Samsung is clearly attempting to use the 5G technology transition to expand its share in the base station market judging by trial activity,” he wrote. “As in previous wireless generation shifts, we expect South Korea, Japan, and the U.S. will be the earliest adopters, along with China in this new cycle.” The launch of 5G also means wireless companies are encroaching on wireline markets, the report said. “The initial end market for essentially all announced trials is fixed broadband access at 1Gbps+ download speeds.”

The FCC set a pleading cycle on a key 5G deal -- Verizon’s buy of spectrum licenses of Straight Path. The licenses include 735 millimeter wave spectrum licenses in the 39 GHz band, 133 licenses in the local multipoint distribution service bands at 28, 29 and 31 GHz, nine common carrier point-to-point microwave licenses and one nonexclusive nationwide license in the 3650-3700 MHz band. “Applicants state that Verizon plans to use mmW spectrum to launch 5G services,” said a Friday public notice. “Applicants claim that Verizon is driving the 5G ecosystem towards rapid commercialization with testing, standards development, fiber deployment and acquisitions for backhaul, and the planned launch of 11 precommercial 5G fixed wireless trials in 2017.” Petitions to deny are due Aug. 11, oppositions Aug. 18 and replies Aug. 25. Verizon outbid AT&T for Straight Path (see 1705110052).

FirstNet plans to announce Friday the availability of the final programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) for the West region. The document evaluates the potential environmental impacts of the proposed nationwide public safety broadband network in Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. The region is one of five that will have a separate PEIS. “Now that this PEIS has been completed and once a Record of Decision (ROD) has been signed, the proposed FirstNet projects can begin to submit the site-specific environmental documentation to determine if the proposed project has been adequately evaluated in the PEIS or whether it instead warrants a Categorical Exclusion, an Environmental Assessment, or an Environmental Impact Statement,” the notice in the ​Federal Register said. The Senate Communications Subcommittee held a hearing Thursday on the network (see 1707200042). This is the second PEIS published by FirstNet. In June, the authority released one on the "Non-Contiguous Region" -- Alaska, Hawaii and the U.S. territories.

The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology sought comment on an ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB) request to expand its scope of recognition as an body that accredits test labs under commission rules. ANAB is already so recognized in the U.S. but hopes also to be recognized to accredit labs in non-mutual recognition agreement countries, said a Thursday public notice. The U.S. has negotiated seven such agreements, including with Israel, Japan and Mexico and with groups of countries in Europe, Asia and the Americas. Comments are due Aug. 21, replies Sept. 16, in docket 16-313.

AT&T filed at the FCC notice on an agreement it worked out with the Navy covering AWS-1 operations around Marine Air Corps Stations (MCAS) at Cherry Point, North Carolina, and Yuma, Arizona. “AT&T agreed to vacate channels and create guard bands at the edges of each AWS-1 block and [the Navy] agreed to use these vacant channels and guard bands to prevent interference with AT&T's use of the AWS-1 band and to allow for the reduction of the protection zones around MCAS Cherry Point and MCAS Yuma,” said an ex parte filing in docket 00-258: It's “a step forward in finding ways to make efficient use of valuable spectrum holdings.”

T-Mobile needs more high-frequency spectrum for 5G and also is interested in the 3.5 GHz band, Chief Technology Officer Neville Ray said near the end of a lengthy earnings call (see 1707190055) Wednesday. “Industry needs more millimeter wave spectrum for urban hot spot-like deployment,” Ray said. “We have some, we would like to see more and will push on the regulatory front to make sure that that happens.” Ray also said T-Mobile is very interested in the 3.5 GHz shared band. Last month, T-Mobile went further than its peers in seeking changes to the rules for the band (see 1706200081). “If you want to talk about where is the most formative block of spectrum emerging globally for 5G, it’s in the 3.5 GHz to kind of 4 GHz range,” he said. Ray said the carrier is looking for spectrum blocks of at least 40 MHz and “ideally” 60 MHz.

Qualcomm holds the "high ground” in the patent fight with Apple, CEO Steve Mollenkopf said on a Wednesday earnings call. The chip company last week at the International Trade Commission alleged iPhones are imported into the U.S. in violation of patents (see 1707120023). “Fundamentally, these issues are driven by commercial interests and contract negotiations and we will continue to work to reach resolutions as we have,” he said. The company has had “a strong relationship with Apple for many years," Mollenkopf said. “We intend to continue to provide them with our industry-leading products and technologies as we always have and do our best to remain a good supplier to Apple even while this dispute continues.” It typifies “a number of the ones we have resolved in the past and we expect to be able to do that again here,” President Derek Aberle said. Apple “has interfered with our license agreement with its contract manufacturers by instructing them not to pay the royalties they owe” for sales of Apple product, Aberle said. Qualcomm made “several offers to Apple to have an independent third-party ... set the royalty terms of a direct license,” he said. “Apple has refused those offers.” Apple representatives didn’t comment Thursday.