The FCC Wireless Bureau approved a conditional waiver allowing the NFL to continue to operate its coach-to-coach communications system in the citizens broadband radio service band in the “limited circumstance” of an internet outage at stadiums during games. The league must have a “valid and active authorization” from a spectrum access system operator, said Friday's order. The league must use "at least two independent, unaffiliated” ISPs “with separate physical connections at each NFL stadium throughout the season,” it said.
GeoBroadcast Solutions geotargeted radio broadcasting went online the week of June 28, the company told FCC Media Bureau Audio Division Chief Al Shuldiner and an aide to acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, per a filing posted Thursday in docket 20-401: The test is being done at Universal Media Access' KSJO(FM) San Jose, with engineering consultants Robertson and Associates. Comprehensive measurements by a larger team is next, followed by a report to be shared with FCC staff, the filing said.
Wireless ISP Association President Claude Aiken spoke with Commissioner Brendan Carr on WISPA supporting FCC efforts "to make broadband mapping more accurate and more granular,” said a filing posted Thursday in docket 20-34. “Developing accurate data about ‘where broadband is and is not’ is a necessary first step before awarding subsidies.”
The FCC and Universal Service Administrative Co. should seek additional funding to extend the emergency broadband benefit program “for as long as necessary,” or at least until Lifeline reimbursement is increased, said a draft resolution to be considered by NARUC during its July 18-21 meeting. The draft recommends Congress phase out the program’s bypass of the state eligible telecom carrier designation process and the FCC address problems with enrolling eligible households through the national verifier. The draft also seeks Lifeline revisions. Also under consideration is a broadband expansion task force recommendation to prioritize areas with less than 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps up (see 2106250048). It more participation in NTIA initiatives and the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service. It recommends a “centralized database of carriers” that don't meet USF obligations, and regularly testing network speed, latency and reliability for carriers receiving federal or state funding. NARUC will consider whether to urge the FCC to make the EBB program more permanent, as well as a resolution backing the California Public Utilities Commission’s petition to reconsider the confidentiality of filings in the network outage and disaster information reporting systems. NARUC’s telecom panel unanimously supported the CPUC's petition in November (see 2011100033). The FCC didn’t comment Wednesday.
Comments are due Aug. 6, replies Aug. 23, in docket 21-282 on Gogo Business Aviation's requested waiver of effective radiated power limits for air-to-ground operations in the 849-851 MHz and 894-896 MHz bands, said an FCC Wireless Bureau public notice Wednesday. The bureau said Gogo claims it needs the waiver for transition to an orthogonal frequency division multiplex technology system that will improve coverage, reliability and throughput for inflight connectivity in North America.
The FCC seeks nominations by Aug. 10 for its rechartered diversity committee, now called the Communications Equity and Diversity Council, said a public notice Tuesday. The agency is seeking applications from representatives of the communications industry, state and local regulators, and consumer and community organizations. The FCC is “particularly interested” in representatives from organizations that serve disadvantaged communities, tech entrepreneurship support organizations, and minority-serving institutions such as historically black colleges and universities, among others. Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel encouraged members of the previous iteration to apply for the latest one (see 2106240072). The PN contains a revamped mission statement for the new committee, with differing emphasis from the 2019 chartering of the then-Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment. The 2019 ACDDE’s mission was to provide recommendations on “how to empower disadvantaged communities and accelerate the entry of small businesses, including those owned by women and minorities.” The 2021 entity will make recommendations “on advancing equity in the provision of and access to digital communication services and products for all people of the United States, without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, or disability.” The new committee will recommend “how to empower people of color and others who have been historically undeserved, including persons who live in rural areas, and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality,” to gain access to opportunities from networks and technology. The new charter ends June 29, 2023.
Commercial Drone Alliance representatives urged a rulemaking to develop service and licensing rules allowing drone use of the 5030-5091 MHz band, in a call with an aide to acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. The alliance supports allowing command and control operations in other flexible-use bands, said a filing posted Tuesday in RM-11798.
Amazon got Food and Drug Administration emergency use authorization for a COVID-19 test collection kit for at home, it said Tuesday. Amazon’s in-house lab processes the tests using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, which Amazon said is considered the “gold standard” diagnostic approach by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The kit grew out of Amazon’s in-house COVID-19 testing program. Though the kit was shown as “in stock” at Amazon.com, red lettering told us the item “cannot be shipped to your selected delivery location [New York]. Please choose a different delivery location.” A Washington, D.C., ZIP code showed it available for shipping. Amazon didn’t respond to questions.
Automakers urged the FCC to require reimbursement for relocating dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) out of the 5.9 GHz band, in replies posted Tuesday in docket 19-138. Disagreements continue on the 5-0 November order reallocating the spectrum for Wi-Fi and cellular-vehicle-to-everything technology (see 2011180043). The Alliance for Automotive Innovation wants a program in which unlicensed users in the lower 45-MHz would have to pay to move DSRC. The alliance cited costs incurred by states and cities. “The request for reasonable compensation is a bipartisan concern,” the group said: “It would be extraordinary for the Commission to transfer spectrum worth billions of dollars from traffic safety use by the auto industry to commercial use by the cable and unlicensed communities without at least requiring the new entrants to pay relocation costs.” The alliance wants more spectrum for auto safety. The Intelligent Transportation Society of America urged reimbursement “consistent with almost thirty years of precedent” that “any licensees displaced by the Commission’s action be provided with reasonable compensation of their expenses incurred in complying with an otherwise unfunded mandate.” Paying relocation costs would be “unworkable and unprecedented,” NCTA countered. Information from DSRC users “demonstrates that all or the vast majority of the asserted costs to those licensees are attributable to the transition from DSRC equipment and operations to C-V2X equipment and operations,” NCTA said: “None of the parties seeking to require consumers, schools, and businesses who purchase Wi-Fi devices to compensate them explain why the costs of shifting from DSRC to C-V2X should fall on broadband consumers.” There's “no obligation to reimburse incumbents for their investments in a failed technology … that never deployed and left virtually the entire … band vacant nationwide,” said Public Knowledge and New America. The auto industry is “shifting to C-V2X whether or not the Commission moved to reallocate the 5.9 GHz band,” the groups said. The Wi-Fi Alliance said a reimbursement program would require congressional action: When the FCC has required that moving costs be paid, it's “in the context of the reallocated spectrum being licensed through competitive bidding, to new entrants, with the new entrants paying relocation costs.” The 5G Automotive Association urged the FCC to act quickly on rules for C-V2X in the band. The group said there's broad agreement the proposed emission limit for the unlicensed use of the band outdoors won’t protect auto safety. T-Mobile sought “flexible technical rules that will allow C-V2X operators to innovate” and protections for safety from Wi-Fi interference.
Broadcom monopolized “markets for semiconductor components” for television and broadband internet services “through exclusive dealing and related conduct,” the FTC said, filing charges Friday. The company said it hopes to reach a resolution with the agency that's “substantially similar” to a previous settlement with the European Commission involving the same products. The agency issued a proposed consent order, in which Broadcom would need to “stop requiring its customers to source components from Broadcom on an exclusive or near exclusive basis.” The commission voted 4-0-1 with Chair Lina Khan abstaining. The complaint “is a step toward addressing that problem by pushing back against strong-arm tactics by a monopolist in important markets for key broadband components,” said acting FTC Competition Bureau Director Holly Vedova. Broadcom is a “monopolist in the sale of three types of semiconductor components,” the FTC said, citing chips that are the “core circuitry that run traditional television broadcast set top boxes, as well as DSL and fiber broadband devices.” The company “illegally maintained its power in the three monopolized markets by entering long-term agreements with both OEMs and service providers that prevented these customers from purchasing chips from Broadcom’s competitors,” the FTC alleged. Broadcom disagrees its actions “violated the law and [we] disagree with the FTC’s characterizations of our business, [but] we look forward to putting this matter behind us and continuing to focus on supporting our customers through an environment of accelerated digital transformation,” a company spokesperson said. “We are equally pleased that the FTC investigation into our other businesses has been closed without action.”