The FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau is seeking comment on a petition for retroactive waiver of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act filed by Rita's Water Ice, said a public notice released in docket 02-278 Monday. Rita's wants a waiver of the prior-express-written-consent requirement for making automated telemarketing calls. Comments are due Jan. 13, replies Jan. 28.

The FTC said it's hosting a one-day workshop Jan. 19 on competition and other auto-related issues, including emerging trends such as car-sharing, connected cars (see 1511180051) and autonomous vehicles (see 1512080046). The workshop participants will discuss both federal and state regulations, including the relationship between automakers and dealers, the agency said Monday. Speakers weren't listed, but the workshop will be webcast on the agency's site.

The FCC and the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Employment and Training Administration plan a second workshop on tower climber safety Feb. 11, the agencies said Monday. Their first workshop was in October, at which FCC Wireless Bureau Chief Roger Sherman said tower deaths must not be viewed as inevitable (see 1410140172). Topics include best practices for improving tower climber safety and the comments received in response to OSHA’s request for information on communication tower safety (OSHA-2014-0018). FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler is to speak, a notice from the agencies said. The meeting will be 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the FCC Commission Meeting Room.

The FCC published in the Federal Register Monday proposed revisions to its Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) rules, approved by the commission at its November meeting (see 1511190053). The FCC is seeking comment on allowing longer WEA messages, inclusion of hyperlinks and narrower distribution of alerts. Comments are due Jan. 13, replies Feb. 12, the notice said. Comments on the proposed information collection requirements are due at the Office of Management and Budget, also on Feb. 12.

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) in Green Bank, West Virginia, handed out wrist-worn activity trackers to its staff, even though the devices could interfere with the massive radio telescope operated by the observatory, wireless lawyer Mitchell Lazarus of Fletcher Heald said in a Monday blog post. “Fitbits are good for radio astronomers,” he wrote. “But not so good for radio astronomy.” NRAO maintains an interference-free zone around the telescope. NRAO tested the devices, Lazarus wrote, finding their transmissions create a signal 10 billion times stronger than international recommendations permit. “The scientists who ran the tests note that a Fitbit can be carried safely if stuffed into a modified metal pill fob," he said. "But we’re guessing that most NRAO personnel, accustomed to measuring the Universe and its expansion with the most sophisticated equipment known to science, will go back to measuring their own expansion with a tape measure and bathroom scale.” NRAO didn't comment.

NTIA released an NPRM seeking comment on its review and approval of fees imposed by FirstNet, the proposed broadband network for first responders. The notice is to be published in the Federal Register Tuesday and comments will be due 30 days later, NTIA said Monday. “When it enters the market, FirstNet will start with no market share and will have to compete for customers by distinguishing its product in terms of features, price, and reliability from products offered by commercial providers,” NTIA said in the notice. To succeed, “FirstNet will need to employ business strategies with flexibility and agility commonplace in the private sector.” NTIA said it proposed to focus on one area, consistent with the legislation that created FirstNet -- “whether the fees are, in aggregate and combined with other non-fee-based income, sufficient, but not in excess, of the projected funds FirstNet needs to carry out its statutory obligations in a given fiscal year.” NTIA said it plans to focus exclusively on “FirstNet’s projected income and expenses.” Otherwise, NTIA said it doesn't plan to look at whether the fees FirstNet charges are reasonable. “A reasonableness review of FirstNet fees is unnecessary as a matter of policy,” NTIA said. “The Act does not mandate or require any public safety entity to purchase services from FirstNet. FirstNet must compete for subscribers by offering a compelling value proposition to prospective public safety customers.” NTIA proposes to complete its review each year before FirstNet imposes fees. NTIA said it plans to make one of three determinations every year, that the proposed fees -- exceed, meet but do not exceed or do not meet FirstNet’s revenue requirements. If FirstNet’s proposed fees are too high or too low, they can't be assessed, the agency said. NTIA also proposed to allow FirstNet to determine the level of working capital funds it should keep on hand. “By doing so, NTIA will not, in its fee review and approval process, assess whether or what level of funds FirstNet should maintain in reserves, capital accounts, or other funding categories,” NTIA said. “FirstNet’s routine budget, auditing, and accounting processes will presumably determine the need for such capital reserve funds.” NTIA said it expects FirstNet to charge three categories of fees -- user fees, fees for leasing access to FirstNet spectrum and fees for access to FirstNet infrastructure and equipment, including antennas and towers.

Nine out of 10 millennials say their smartphone is always with them, said Mobile Future’s sixth annual "Mobile Year in Review," released Friday. Other statistics include that 61 percent acknowledge using their smartphone in the bathroom and 80 percent said they would give up alcohol or chocolate to get a lost phone back.

Delphi gave a peek Friday into CES plans for an automated vehicle showcasing its "vehicle 2 everything" technology. Among the features to be demonstrated: vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) detection that can see all cars in the immediate vicinity, including when an adjacent car abruptly moves into its lane; vehicle-to-pedestrian that leverages a chip in a smartphone, and warns of pedestrians not paying attention to traffic as they use their phone; blind corners, which manages for situations when street angles prevent drivers from seeing opposing traffic; and a ride-sharing feature that notifies designated contacts of the driver’s location so a ride can be requested, said the company. Delphi called the future of “truly automated driving” a “long-term” development but said next year its V2V technology will appear on the 2017 Cadillac CTS’ Super Cruise system. At CES, Delphi will show a touch-free cockpit that uses hidden infrared cameras to track eye movement to detect what a driver sees and infers what action should be carried out by the infotainment system.

The Consumer Technology Association worries that the Federal Aviation Administration will defy its own task force recommendation and impose a registration fee for small drones when the agency writes its final rules, Doug Johnson, vice president-technology policy, said in a statement. “To be successful, an efficient drone registration system with widespread compliance must be simple, easy and free.” Even a small fee would amount to a “drone tax,” and would “undermine” the FAA’s goal of widespread compliance, Shapiro said Thursday. “Simplicity” in drone registrations was the hallmark of recommendations in the Nov. 21 report of the task force, with two dozen members from CTA and aviation trade groups, and powerhouse names like Amazon, Best Buy, Google, GoPro and Walmart. “To encourage a high level of compliance with the registration requirement,” the task force believes the FAA “should not impose a registration fee,” and if it needs to do so for “legal reasons,” the charge should be a “de minimis fee” of 1/10th of one cent, the report said. FAA representatives didn’t comment Friday.

Verizon told the FCC it agreed to an alternate time frame to begin delivering 911 text messages to six public safety answering points in Hawaii, including the Big Island, Honolulu, Kuai and Maui. The FCC’s PSAP registry had designated these PSAPs as ready for text-to-911 service as of May 27, Verizon said in a filing posted Friday to docket 10-255. The carrier said it worked out an agreement with the Hawaii E-911 Board to instead start delivering emergency texts this month on a phased-in basis.