The FCC Wireless Bureau approved a waiver of its hearing aid compatibility rules for Southern Linc. In a December petition for a limited waiver, the carrier said despite best efforts, and circumstances beyond its control, it has been able to offer to the public only one hearing aid-compatible handset model over the iDEN air interface, which isn't "T-rated" for inductive coupling capability, the bureau said in the Tuesday order in docket 07-250. Southern Linc acknowledged it wasn't in compliance with FCC inductive coupling benchmarks. “It would be unduly burdensome for it to offer iDEN handsets rated T3 or higher, and Southern Linc has shown that it has no reasonable sourcing channels to procure T-rated hearing aid-compatible handsets until it can transition completely to its LTE network,” the bureau said. “It would not serve the underlying purpose of the hearing aid compatibility rules for Southern Linc to comply with the rules by discontinuing the offering of all handsets to the public because it is not able to obtain any T-rated hearing aid-compatible handset models.”

Wireless Infrastructure Association President Jonathan Adelstein and others from the group met with new FCC Wireless Bureau Chief Donald Stockdale on what WIA sees as the big issues before the agency. “To provide the connectivity necessary to meet exponentially increasing data demands, WIA discussed expediting the deployment of small-cell infrastructure within the public right-of-way so long as the equipment met defined height and volume limitations to maintain a responsible and transparent foundation in infrastructure deployment,” said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 16-421. “WIA encouraged the FCC to move swiftly on clearing Twilight Towers to further competitive broadband offerings and offer more opportunities for FirstNet collocations. Further, WIA sought adoption of finite timelines to reduce delays along with relief and standardization of Tribal fees, and modernization of the Tower Construction Notification System.”

The FCC Public Safety Bureau gave Cordova Wireless a waiver saying it need not meet 911 location accuracy and related reporting requirements until six months after the public safety answering point for Cordova, Alaska, requests Phase II accuracy data. The carrier argues it would be “economically burdensome and futile to require it to comply with the location accuracy rules until the only PSAP that it serves is actually capable of receiving location data,” said an order in docket 07-114.

NAB took another shot at Microsoft and its push for the FCC to set aside at least one blank TV channel in every market for white spaces devices and wireless mics after the TV incentive auction and repacking (see 1707050048). “There are only about 800 white spaces devices registered nationwide (the various database providers do not even agree on the number of devices registered, so no one can provide an exact figure),” NAB said in docket 12-268. “Not 800 types of devices. Many of these devices are ‘test’ devices, or do not actually appear to be offering any service. Moreover, one-third of the country’s states have three or fewer white spaces devices even registered, and 12 states do not have even a single white spaces device in operation.” Microsoft didn't comment.

Virginia became the first state to formally opt in to FirstNet. Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) said he signed a letter of intent Monday declaring the state will allow FirstNet and AT&T to proceed in the commonwealth. A big remaining question for FirstNet has been how many states will opt out and go their own way. AT&T officials said the company is ready to deploy after a state makes a decision to join the network. “While this is only the beginning of the process, I look forward to the continued coordinated efforts among Virginia, FirstNet, and AT&T to provide public safety officials with innovative new technologies that will help them keep Virginians safe," McAuliffe said.

AT&T received FCC approval to test prototype Ericsson licensed assisted access equipment in the 5150-5250 and 5725-5850 MHz bands in Indianapolis and San Francisco. The authorization runs Aug. 7-Feb. 7.

Comments are due July 17 at the FCC on FirstNet’s proposed criteria for the commission’s review of alternative state plans for “interoperability with the nationwide public safety broadband network.” Commissioners approved rules last month but said they would seek comment on issues raised by FirstNet (see 1706220019). The notice was published in the Federal Register Friday, establishing the due date, said an FCC notice. The docket is 16-269.

Harris and Motorola Solutions each won a five-year contract, worth up to $461.2 million, to help the U.S. Army update its land-mobile radio system infrastructure. “Two bids were solicited and two bids received,” on each contract the DOD said in a news release. “Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 6, 2022.”

If Dish Network and Amazon are in talks, as has been rumored, the end goal is likely creation of a fifth national wireless network, Macquarie analyst Amy Yong said in a note to investors Thursday. Yong also said any such discussions are "clearly preliminary," and Amazon could opt into wireless via another route and a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) "with traditional players is still an optimal outcome." A Dish partnership would help Amazon by allowing it to offer a wireless plan as an additional benefit for Prime customers and to beef up its IoT offerings, plus possibly hasten deployment of drone delivery, Yong said. Such a deal would let Dish meet its spectrum requirements and help it monetize its spectrum holdings. The cons to building such a network include the cost -- as much as $20 billion, she said. An outright purchase of Dish seems unlikely given regulatory scrutiny and Dish's business model, Yong said, saying Amazon reaching an MVNO agreement with a wireless carrier would be the fastest and least risky route.

Michael Calabrese, director of the Wireless Future Project at New America, is seeking a tweak to the FCC order and further notice on wireless microphones, teed up for Thursday’s commissioners’ meeting. The item has suddenly appeared controversial, heading into the meeting (see 1707060057). Calabrese said the rules, as proposed, could disadvantage TV white spaces (TVWS) devices. “Although the precise rules and process could be a topic for notice and comment, … the FNPRM should tentatively conclude that as a condition prerequisite to reserving (and thereby blocking) a 6 megahertz TVWS channel, all Part 74 licensees must make a showing that there is no other spectrum available to meet their needs at the location and during the hours of their performance,” Calabrese said in a filing in docket 14-165. “Requiring Part 74 microphone operators to use microphone spectrum first -- and, at worst, a TVWS channel as a last resort -- promotes efficient spectrum use and sharing.” Part 74 operators are able to coordinate as many as 16 microphones in a single 6 MHz TV channel, he said: “Since it’s unlikely that many hundreds of microphones will be operating within the same 1 kilometer protection area, the need to use one of the few TVWS channels in a metro market should be rare -- and not left up to licensed microphone operators who never paid for spectrum.” Calabrese met Thursday with Julius Knapp, chief of the Office of Engineering and Technology, and aides to the three FCC commissioners. The Aerospace & Flight Test Radio Coordinating Council, meanwhile, asked the FCC “to remove any ambiguity” in the order about requests for special temporary authority (STA) in the 1435-1525 MHz bands to support video production. The FCC should clarify for entities seeking STAs “the devices they propose to operate … must adhere to the same software controls and other requirements as set forth for regular licenses,” the group said in a filing. “This clarification will remove any doubt whether those integrated controls that the Commission correctly concluded are necessary to protect flight test operations from harmful interference that otherwise could be caused by wireless microphones are equally applicable to wireless microphone STA operations as well.”