The Office of Justice Programs can procure and operate drones only in a manner “that promotes public safety, protects individuals’ privacy and civil liberties, and mitigates the risks of cyber intrusion and foreign influence,” DOJ said in a revised policy issued Thursday. It applies to grants for the purchase and operation of foreign-made unmanned aircraft systems. Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen cited risks from “foreign-made UAS and the potential for related data compromise.”
Antitrust authorities cleared the way for Ericsson to acquire CradlePoint. An FTC early termination notice dated Wednesday and released Thursday ended the Hart-Scott-Rodino waiting period.
The 5.9 GHz band should be reallocated for vehicle-to-everything communications, with no allocation for Wi-Fi, argued a Panasonic white paper filed at the FCC. The commission is expected to consider the band in November (see 2009090058). “Reallocating 45 megahertz of 5.9 GHz spectrum for unlicensed use" would require forgoing "the significant safety benefits associated with next-generation V2X applications,” said the paper, written by Wiley. “Sensor sharing messaging (aka cooperative perception messaging) would require at least an additional 20 megahertz,” it said: “Likewise, maneuver coordination messaging would require at least an additional 20 megahertz, and truck platooning 10 megahertz more. It is mathematically impossible to support these life-saving V2X applications, in addition to the Basic Safety Message, in only 30 megahertz of spectrum.” The paper was posted Wednesday in docket 19-138.
RKF Engineering's statistical Monte Carlo analysis demonstrates very-low-power unlicensed devices at 14 dBm “will not create harmful interference to licensed services” in the 6 GHz band, tech companies told the FCC. “RKF’s study contained sensitivity analysis across multiple factors, including the number of active VLP devices,” said Apple, Broadcom, Cisco, Facebook, Google, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Intel, Microsoft, NXP Semiconductors and Qualcomm, in a filing posted Wednesday in docket 18-295. Commissioners are expected to consider rules in November (see 2008200040), responding to an April Further NPRM (see 2004230059).
Mangata defending its 791-satellite non-geostationary orbit Ka- and V-band constellation plans (see 2009250004) shows no evidence it can compatibly operate with authorized NGSO systems, O3b said in an FCC International Bureau reply Monday. O3b, which has petitioned to deny Mangata's application, reiterated its push for any approval to come with conditions regarding protection of other NGSO systems (see 2009090003). Mangata didn't comment Tuesday.
The FCC posted the dates of next year's monthly commissioners' meetings, a spokesperson noted Tuesday. He declined to say whether the listings having the location of 45 L St. NE means they will be in person and at the new agency headquarters; so far during the pandemic, the gatherings have been virtual. The 2021 dates are Jan. 13 (see here); Feb. 17 (here); March 17 (here); April 22 (here); May 20 (here); June 17 (here); July 13 (here); Aug. 5 (here); Sept. 30 (here); Oct. 26 (here); Nov. 18 (here); and Dec. 14 (here).
Providers were receptive to the FCC’s Keep Americans Connected pledge, launched in the early days of the pandemic (see 2003130025), because they want to do the right thing and it makes business sense, Chairman Ajit Pai said in a speech Tuesday to the International Regulators’ Forum. “In trying times, most people want to do the right thing, not just for their company and customers, but for their fellow citizens." The market “creates powerful incentives for companies to do the right thing in times of national crisis,” he said: “If your company doesn’t step up for you, or even worse, engages in bad behavior, you’ll be much more likely to turn to the competition in the weeks, months, or years ahead.”
PTGi International Carrier Services, which transits international long-distance voice and data traffic on a wholesale basis, is being sold by parent HC2 to GoIP Global, PTGi said in an International Bureau application posted Tuesday asking for FCC OK. After the transaction, holding company GoIP plans to rebrand itself as TransWorld Enterprises, PTGi said, adding that no workforce or management changes are planned related to the deal. PTGi said the sale is needed due to a secular decline in its business over the past five years as consumers and businesses switch to such options as VoIP and software-driven video applications -- an issue its new business structure will help it address.
SpaceX not providing complete information when it addresses challenges to its latency claims "speak[s] volumes," Viasat said in an FCC International Bureau post Monday: While SpaceX claims to have done considerable testing on consumer-grade equipment (see 2009300001), it hasn't shown any evidence of or data regarding its ability to provide fast service reliably. The company said SpaceX satellites have unexplained high failure rates. SpaceX didn't comment.
Don’t “exclude mobile-satellite service providers" from the 2022 5G Fund auction if they can deliver in unserved or underserved areas to "technical and performance standards,” AST & Science said in calls with FCC staff. “Encourage the use of advanced technologies to deliver universal service funding to the most difficult to serve areas by earmarking a small portion (10% to 15%) of the 5G Fund for qualified applicants who commit to use innovative, non-traditional systems to serve areas that otherwise are highly unlikely to receive service.” Monday's posting is in docket 20-32.