Acconeer urged the FCC to “move quickly” on revised rules for short-range radars in the 60 GHz band, the topic of a July NPRM (see 2107130066). CEO Lars Lindell and others from the company spoke with Office of Engineering and Technology staff, said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 21-48. “Acconeer emphasized the great and growing demand by customers to use its 60 GHz sensor for use cases beyond what waivers presently allow,” the company said.
The FCC is seeking comment on rules for how often narrowband white spaces devices must check a database to operate, as expected (see 2201260016). The order, approved before Thursday’s commissioners' meeting, requires other devices operating in the TV bands to check the database at least once hourly. The main changes to the draft item come in a new Further NPRM exploring an issue on which Microsoft and NAB took opposing sides (see 2201210069). “Microsoft argues that requiring narrowband fixed white space devices used for IoT applications to comply with an hourly database recheck would negatively impact battery life, limit potential form factors, and increase the costs of those devices,” the FNPRM said. It asked how often check-ins should be required and the impact on licensed wireless mics that use the spectrum. “Should we require mobile devices to comply with the same hourly re-check interval as fixed devices operating in the TV bands, or would a different interval be more appropriate?” the FNPRM asked: “If so, what is the appropriate re-check interval?” Comment deadlines will follow in a Federal Register notice. No commissioners commented. The item rejected NAB’s reconsideration petition of 2018 approval of Nominet UK as a white space database administrator.
The Wi-Fi Alliance asked an aide to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel for quick action on a limited remand by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit of one part of the agency’s 6 GHz order (see 2112280047). The court instructed the FCC to address NAB concerns about interference in the 2.4 GHz band. The FCC should “respond to the 6 GHz Court Order by explaining that the underlying premise of the NAB’s assertion -- that contention-based protocols failed to protect licensed users in 2.4 GHz band -- simply lacks any merit because its claims are unsupported and the contention-based protocol requirement that it asserts failed to protect [electronic newsgathering] operations at 2.4 GHz does not exist,” said a filing posted Monday in docket 18-295. The alliance earlier spoke with staff from the Office of General Counsel and Office of Engineering and Technology.
The Wi-Fi Alliance asked the FCC to quickly act on a limited remand by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit of one part of the agency’s 6 GHz order (see 2112280047), in calls with FCC Office of General Counsel and Office of Engineering and Technology staff. The court instructed the FCC to address NAB concerns about interference in the 2.4 GHz band. Despite the court’s “strong affirmation of the 6 GHz Report and Order, the limited remand creates regulatory uncertainty in the market for unlicensed deployments in the 6 GHz spectrum,” said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 18-295: “That uncertainty may impede introduction of low-cost wireless connectivity solutions, frustrating the Commission’s intentions and harming American consumers.” The remand can be easily addressed by noting “that the use of a contention-based protocol is not required in the 2.4 GHz band, unlike the rules adopted in the 6 GHz” order, the group said.
The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology approved Bosch’s waiver request for its Wallscanner D-Tect 200 frequency-hopped ultra-wideband wall imaging system (see 2008200030). “We find that opening a path for the sale and operation of this next generation equipment will allow Bosch to deploy its system to enhance the through-wall imaging capabilities for construction professionals, in furtherance of the public interest,” OET said Tuesday. The device will be used by builders “for detection and inspection of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, electric cables, wooden beams, plastic pipes, and for identification of structural flaws within construction materials,” the docket 20-268 order said.
Qualcomm urged FCC action on sharing in the lower 37 GHz band and on the 70/80/90 GHz proceeding, in calls with aides to Commissioners Brendan Carr and Geoffrey Starks, said a filing posted Monday in docket 14-177. “Expanding mobile access to these important bands will enable new, highly reliable, advanced, diverse, and innovative uses, applications, and services in both indoor and outdoor environments.”
Verizon is “very, very confident, certain that the availability of C band is imminent,” said Ronan Dunne, outgoing Verizon Consumer Group CEO, at a Barclays virtual financial conference Wednesday. The C band will “augment our millimeter wave for the next push on 5G,” he said. Verizon and AT&T proposed temporary voluntary power limits and antenna restrictions on C-band deployments near airports as they seek to turn the band on (see 2111240062). Dunne said the recently closed Tracfone buy (see 2111230038) is also important to Verizon’s future and will allow the carrier to expand its customer base: “Our timing on Tracfone couldn't have been more perfect.” The buy means Verizon’s ability to bring in billions of dollars through the FCC emergency broadband benefit program is “significantly enhanced,” Dunne said.
NCTA and the Wi-Fi Alliance urged the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to reject challenges to an FCC order dividing the 5.9 GHz band (see 2110210031). The appeal “encourages this Court to second-guess the FCC” in areas where the court has shown deference, said their final brief filed Friday: That includes when the commission acts “as a spectrum manager," makes “predictive judgments within [its] … expertise” or acts on an issue requiring “a high level of technical expertise.” The FCC had a record on which to act, intervenors said. “The record underlying the Order -- going back 7 years … included thousands of pages of submissions from advocates on all sides.” Intervenors said the U.S. needs more spectrum for Wi-Fi and 5.9 GHz is uniquely suited to address demand. “The Order effectively expands that current 5.725-5.850 GHz Wi-Fi band to support wider, more efficient channels using the latest Wi-Fi standards,” they said: “Consumers can begin using the 5.9 GHz band more quickly and cost-effectively than other bands. Existing equipment can support use of the band with simple upgrades, and manufacturers can readily begin to produce new devices using the already-available 5.725-5.850 GHz spectrum.” Oral argument is Jan. 25. CTIA also filed (in Pacer) in support of the FCC. “Petitioners posit a fragmented scheme of spectrum-management authority that opens the door to conflicting agency judgments concerning the public interest,” the group says: “The FCC’s spectrum-allocation decisions frequently touch on areas regulated by other agencies -- but that does not deprive the FCC of its preeminence in spectrum management.” Continental Automotive Systems repeated (in Pacer) its earlier arguments against the order (see 2111120055).
Sennheiser said the FCC should act on its petition seeking a vacant channel for mics in every market (see 2101080050), and that an analysis it will soon file shows a channel is available in the 50 largest U.S. markets. “A vacant channel is critically important to wireless microphones and the content creation industry,” said a filing posted Friday in docket 15-146: “Otherwise, wireless microphone users may be less likely to create or adopt new technologies if the specter of a third round of obsolescence continues to loom.” Company representatives spoke with staff from the Office of Engineering and Technology and Media and Wireless bureaus. NAB wants to ensure some vacant channels remain available (see 2107280036). “Sennheiser continues its desperate efforts to concoct a plausible justification for overturning the Commission’s unanimous order closing the long-dormant vacant channel proceeding," an NAB spokesperson emailed: "Sennheiser recycles arguments that have already been soundly rejected while promising new ‘analysis’ that could have been previously presented to the commission and thus has no basis for reconsideration.”
CTA urged the FCC to act on revised rules for short-range field disturbance sensor (FDS) radars in the 60 GHz band (see 2110180062), in replies posted Tuesday in docket 21-264. “The Notice is an important step in the development of this band, as it proposes to expand the band’s use for emerging technologies while recognizing the value of the unlicensed and licensed operations that have long been permitted,” CTA said: “Take further steps to adopt final rules in this proceeding to provide the adequate level of certainty requisite to fostering innovation.” Protect other users, said Facebook, Intel and Qualcomm. “The record confirms that higher-power radar applications should be enabled only in a manner that allows for coexistence with communications applications,” they said: “Radar proponents agree that the Commission’s aim should be coexistence with other 60 GHz unlicensed technologies.” Google saw broad agreement that rules should be based on current European Telecommunications Standards Institute standards, as proposed in the July NPRM (see 2107140032). “ETSI standard EN 305 550 provides an ideal starting point,” Google said: “This harmonized standard, which has been in effect for more than six years, forms the basis of regulations for the 60 GHz band implemented by the European Commission and relied on in more than 66 countries.” Approve “flexible coexistence rules rather than a ‘one-size-fits-all’ requirement,” Apple said: Don't "impose a prescriptive duty cycle mandate for all devices that would treat successive transmissions of less than two milliseconds as ‘on time.’” The mandate “intended to provide stringent regulatory non-interference guarantees for a subset of unlicensed devices" is "inconsistent with the spectrum policies that have made Part 15 a resounding success,” Apple said. “There is broad, general agreement among radar proponents to adopt rules that align with the European regulations,” said Acconeer. The record makes clear “that the range of radar use cases -- in use or soon to be in use -- for the 60 GHz band requires great flexibility in the technical requirements to account for the technical needs of the different use cases,” the company said. The band has been allocated for FDS “in much of the rest of the world,” said IEE Sensing, noting others “urged the Commission to adopt rules that would be harmonized with the standards adopted in Europe and Korea.”