Logging into hot spots and updating firmware were the “biggest customer support needs” of consumers 34 and younger who bought the Samsung Galaxy S7, while simply learning how to make calls or setting up voice mail were the worries of those 65 and older. So said the data analytics firm DeviceBits, which said Galaxy S7 demographic trends can be used to predict the “customer service issues we can expect on Galaxy S8."

Twitter launched a pared down mobile web version that minimizes data usage, takes up less than 1 megabyte on a device, loads faster on slower connections and is "resilient on unreliable mobile networks," wrote Product Manager Patrick Traughber in a Thursday blog post. With "Twitter Lite," he said, the site will be accessible globally to millions more people who may operate on slower networks or lack storage on their devices. He said the new version still provides key features such as a user's timeline, tweets, direct messages, trends, profiles, media uploads and notifications. Traughber said a "data saver mode" will further reduce the amount of data used.

The FCC established a pleading cycle on the proposed sale of a lower 700 MHz C-block license from Dycom and a cellular license from Wilkes, both to AT&T. The licenses cover a local market in Georgia, said a public notice. “Applicants maintain that acquiring the Lower 700 MHz spectrum would provide AT&T with additional spectrum that would enable it to increase its system capacity to enhance existing services, better accommodate its overall growth, and facilitate the provision of additional products and services in Cellular Market Area (CMA) 374 (Georgia 4 -- Jasper).” The cellular license would help AT&T “fill in gaps in its network,” the companies said, according to the PN. Petitions to deny are due April 27, oppositions May 4, replies May 11 in docket 17-82.

The FCC Wireless Bureau asked both companies a series of questions on Alaska Wireless Network’s proposal to lease two 800 MHz licenses in Alaska from Sprint. “For the Commission to complete its review of the application and make the necessary public interest findings under Section 310(d) of the [Communications] Act, we require additional information, documents, and clarification of certain matters discussed in the applications and other information provided to the Commission,” said a letter. “If necessary, we will follow up with additional requests for information.” The bureau sought initial responses by April 19.

Nextlink met with aides to Commissioners Mignon Clyburn and Mike O’Rielly about proposed changes to rules for high-frequency spectrum. The FCC approved its 5G spectrum frontiers order in July (see 1607140052), but Nextlink sought changes. “The June 2024 performance deadline for incumbent UMFU [upper microwave flexible use] licensees is too onerous and may deter development of mobile technology,” the company said in a filing in docket 14-177. “Standards for 5G are unlikely to become available until 2020 or 2021. Meanwhile, the state of the art of several components of 5G technology, including beamforming and antenna form factor, must advance significantly for next-generation mobile networks to become viable. Extending incumbent licensees’ performance deadlines will not give them any advantage over new UMFU licensees because these new county-based licenses will require significant construction by incumbents and new licensees alike.” CEO Lisa Youngers and other officials were at the meetings.

Sprint representatives encouraged the FCC to move forward with a proposal on wireless infrastructure siting delays faced by carriers. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai circulated an NPRM and notice of inquiry on wireless infrastructure deployment for a vote at the April 20 meeting (see 1703300060), and it refers to a petition by Mobilitie, asking the agency to pre-empt local authority over rights of way. Sprint said it met with acting Wireless Bureau Chief Nese Guendelsberger and others from the bureau. “Sprint expressed its support of Mobilitie’s Petition for Declaratory Ruling to reign in the excessive fees charged by some local governments for the siting of small cell wireless facilities,” said a filing in docket 16-421. “Sprint also expressed its support of additional Commission action to reduce barriers to infrastructure deployment as reflected in the proposed Notice of Proposed Rulemaking circulated last week. We discussed the need to reign in fees and delays from all sources, whether imposed by local governments or through environmental and historic review processes.”

Samsung, Vizio and LG were cited by Electronic Recyclers International (ERI) Tuesday for participating in a New York City recycling effort that produced more than 10 million pounds of e-waste. New York’s e-cycleNYC recycling program is a joint effort of ERI, New York’s Department of Sanitation and “proactive manufacturers,” said the announcement. The average American household owns 28 electronic devices, and 55 percent of households in New York City have no vehicle access to unload their e-waste, said ERI, which offered the New York program as a “workable model for how such partnerships can lead to tremendous results.”

With nearly half of U.S. homes wireless only, and the number growing, Americans put a premium on availability of robust wireless service as they shop for a new home, CTIA said Wednesday. “Even we were surprised at how high Americans now place reliable wireless coverage on the list of must-haves when moving to a new community,” said a news release. “Americans rank reliable wireless service (67 percent) higher than good schools (65 percent), reasonable home prices (60 percent), and good commuting times" (41 percent), according to a Morning Consult survey: "In fact, only quality health care and hospitals outranks it.” The message is clear, CTIA said: “Realtors check your coverage maps, and, more importantly, mayors and county executives make sure your community is wireless investment ready.” It's based on a survey of 2,000 registered voters with a margin of error of 2 percent.

The National Public Safety Telecommunications Council released a report Wednesday on broadband deployable systems. NPSTC's report identifies 54 public safety technical requirements as FirstNet gets ready to launch. “The principal purpose of this document is to define, from the perspective of NPSTC, public safety requirements for the operation and use of LTE Broadband Deployable Systems (BBDS),” said the report. “A secondary purpose of this report is to establish the baseline for an iterative process to develop successively more detailed public safety requirements for BBDS as the [national public safety broadband network] evolves based on FirstNet’s decisions in deploying, administering, operating, and maintaining the NPSBN.” The report was jointly written by a working group of NPSTC and Defence Research and Development Canada's Centre for Security Science.

The wireless industry too often ignores the way its infrastructure installations look and that plays a big role in public opposition to siting requests, said Marcus Spectrum Solutions in a filing in docket 17-79 as the FCC considers revisions to siting rules (see 1703300060). Marcus included photos of installations. One shows a typical white “pizza box” installation. “The basic ugliness of this installation is due to the mounting brackets and the mass of black cables that stream in various directions,” Marcus said. “This installation was on a 1 story building in Manhattan so was readily viewable from street level. The new 5G ‘pizza boxes’ will likely be [even] lower and their messiness more readily apparent.” Industry can build “truly aesthetic” base stations, but does so only when forced to by either local governments or property owners, the consultant said. “The general focus on infrastructure construction and maintenance for decades has been cost containment and speed of installation,” Marcus said. “There seems to have been little or no accountability for aesthetics.”