The GPS Innovation Alliance sought reconsideration and clarification of a November order that granted in part and denied in part European Commission-sought waivers for receivers for Galileo's E1 and E5 signals, which transmit in the same radionavigation satellite service bands as GPS' L1, L2 and L5 signals (see 1811140008). “This action will remove uncertainty regarding operation of those devices, enhance their utility, and promote the global harmonization” of U.S. Global Navigation Satellite System operations, the alliance petitioned Monday night in docket 17-16. "Instead of denying the EC request that receive-only stations be permitted to receive signals in the 1240-1300 MHz band, the Commission should defer action on that issue until it assesses whether GNSS devices can co-exist with potential operations in the adjacent 1300-1350 MHz band when these possible uses are better defined. The Commission should also clarify that the Commission’s decisions (or lack thereof) in intergovernmental waiver proceedings only address the issue of whether the users of devices which receive foreign signals can invoke the benefit and protection of U.S. law.”
Microsoft President Brad Smith met FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel to update her on the company’s Airband Initiative, which brings broadband to rural areas through TV white spaces. Microsoft previously committed to reaching 2 million unserved Americans by 2022, and is increasing it to 3 million, said a filing Friday in docket 16-56. “Microsoft and its partners are well on their way to achieving this goal with deployments in 17 states," said the filing. Other attendees included former FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell of Cooley, it said.
ATIS recommended government take more actions to ensure GPS and global navigation satellite system security, amid vulnerabilities. They are: establish a positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) program for civilian infrastructure; publish GPS disruption analysis; develop a self-assessment tool that helps organizations and individuals discover how and where they use and depend on PNT; monitor for GPS/GNSS disruptions; and enhance efforts to enforce spectrum violations. ATIS’ Sync committee suggestions stemmed from an April GNSS Stationary Timing Receiver Resilience Workshop, “and represent the views of government, industry and GPS/GNSS users,” said ATIS CEO Susan Miller Wednesday. The suggestions were sent to DOD, the Commerce, Homeland Security and Transportation departments, the National Security Council, National Space Council and Office of Management and Budget. Putting the recommendations “into action will speed development of solutions to mitigate the risks to the systems that are the critical backbone for precision timing for so many industries,” Miller said, and is part of ongoing work. The FCC last month approved U.S. nonfederal devices accepting signals from Europe’s Galileo GNSS system, though Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel raised security concerns (see 1811150028). During the federal government's closure Wednesday, her office and the FCC didn't comment. Trimble didn't comment, and Garmin referred our query to the GPS Innovation Alliance. That group "strongly" backs "enhanced enforcement against spectrum violations and welcome[s] efforts that facilitate the sharing of information, raise awareness and collaboration of stakeholders to improve the resilience of critical systems," said Executive Director David Grossman.
Two groups asked the FCC to waive requirements that 3650-3700 MHz licensees complete the transition to Part 96 citizens broadband radio service rules by April 17, 2020. "In light of the delays in opening the 3550-3700 MHz band for commercial service under the CBRS rules and the uncertainty created by the subsequent and ongoing rulemaking proceeding, Licensees will require more time," petitioned the Wireless ISP Association and the Utilities Technology Council, posted Monday in docket 18-353. They requested extension through Jan. 8, 2023, when "the last 3650-3700 MHz license expires."
The FCC needs to end uncertainty about the 5.9 GHz dedicated short range communications (DSRC) allocation and make clear it's for transportation safety, said the Maryland Department of Transportation in a docket 13-49 posting Monday. Maryland "is at the forefront" in adopting technology for vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications that need the full spectrum band, and the FCC needs to ensure that band stays dedicated to DSRC and not allow unlicensed use, it said. An FCC Further NPRM on the band is expected (see 1811140061).
The FCC Enforcement Bureau reached a $50,000 settlement agreement with Gable Signs & Graphics over violations of FCC rules on LED signs, said a consent decree Tuesday. Gable “violated the Equipment Marketing Rules by marketing LED signs without the required equipment authorization, labeling, and user manual disclosures, and by failing to produce certain required test records,” the settlement said. “Gable admits that it violated the Commission’s rules." A compliance plan includes regular compliance reports and a training program for employees. The agency has settled 21 cases involving noncompliant LED signs since March, said a release. “The settlements yielded approximately $850,000 in penalties paid to the U.S. Treasury and commitments to ensure compliance with the law." Gable didn’t comment.
Wireless Communications Association representatives met an aide to FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly and with Wireless Bureau staff to urge the FCC to adopt the group's proposed approach on 2.5 GHz educational broadband service spectrum. WCA wants the FCC to “rationalize” existing EBS geographic service areas to the country boundary, open eligibility in the band to commercial licensees and then auction remaining EBS white spaces. “Unlike alternative proposals, this approach is most likely to result in auctioning of the EBS white space without the years of delay that otherwise would be required to identify the specific spectrum available at auction,” the group said. WCA opposes an incentive auction, here and here, posted in docket 18-120 Thursday. Voqal and the North American Catholic Educational Programming Foundation also held a series of meetings on EBS. They “explained how the Commission can best achieve its goal of intensive use of EBS spectrum while promoting both rural deployment and educational use by modernizing, but retaining, its educational eligibility and usage rules, and automatically rationalizing existing license areas along county lines for all licensees.” They met with aides to the commissioners, except O'Rielly, and Wireless Bureau staff.
The FCC Public Safety Bureau said LoJack can file one application to modify national stolen vehicle recovery system authorizations operated by different police agencies. The company said it needs to change terms of licenses as they move from wideband to narrowband to allow higher power levels. It asked to make a single master, not 53 for different areas. The bureau said in Thursday's Daily Digest it sought comment but got none: “We find it administratively efficient to grant LoJack’s request.”
Forty-four carriers, equipment providers and rural broadband advocates sought a Further NPRM on changing TV white spaces rules. “Our deployments are giving us real-world experience in how a set of pragmatic changes to FCC rules would allow us to reach even more Americans, without causing harmful interference to incumbent licensees,” said a letter to commissioners posted Friday in docket 16-56. The group said the changes it's seeking are consistent with arguments by Microsoft. Axiom, the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative, Nominet, Rise Broadband, Rural Wireless Association, Windstream and the others seek “higher power for fixed devices in rural areas where we can operate without causing harmful interference to broadcasters,” freedom to place antennas at taller heights “governed by a new protection mechanism,” narrowband IoT supporting such applications as precision agriculture and environmental sensing and “geofenced operation on moving vehicles.”
The dynamic sharing framework the FCC adopted for the 3.5 GHz citizens broadband radio service band may not translate elsewhere, said a Friday report to Congress. The FCC responded to instruction in the Spectrum Pipeline Act and earlier took comment on rule changes and on proposals to open 1 GHz of spectrum between 6 GHz and 56 GHz (see 1809120043). Commissioners didn’t vote on the 14-page report, by the Wireless Bureau and Office of Engineering and Technology. Work on the 3.5 GHz band is bearing fruit, the report said. “Intended to protect incumbent uses while encouraging innovative technologies and services," it "has fostered significant investment in the 3.5 GHz band,” the FCC said. “Most comments … coalesced around the adoption of a wait-and see-approach before the Commission decides to apply these techniques elsewhere.” Groups like the WinnForum are looking at similar sharing in other bands, the FCC said. “It is too soon to know whether other bands may be suitable for licensed or unlicensed use based on the techniques used in the 3.5 GHz band.” The 3.5 GHz rule changes were approved 3-1 at the October commissioners' meeting (see 1810230037). The staff report defends the changes. They "set the stage to: (1) promote investment in the band; (2) encourage rapid and robust network deployment; and (3) protect federal and non-federal incumbent users,” the report said. On proposals to reallocate spectrum for broadband above 6 GHz, the regulator “has made spectrum available for unlicensed use of the 64-71 GHz band and licensed fixed and mobile use in the 24 GHz, 28 GHz, 37 GHz, 39 GHz, and 47 GHz bands,” the report said. It notes the 6 GHz NPRM also approved in October (see 1810230038). The document said fixed service operators “heavily” use that band. “More than 27,000 licenses are issued for point-to-point operations” there, it said: “This proceeding has not been finalized and may not ultimately require use of automated frequency control systems throughout the band or involve a full one gigahertz of spectrum."