With one appeal filed of the FCC cable local franchise authority order, multiple other plaintiffs are expected to appeal and intervene by the Oct. 28 deadline, 60 days after the LFA order was in the Federal Register. Coalitions of local communities and states are seen as possible plaintiffs.
The Aerospace Industries Association hopes the FCC acts soon on its longstanding request for technical and operational rules for using the 5030-5091 MHz band for unmanned aircraft systems controls. The FCC reallocated the band in 2017 in an order in docket 15-99 implementing changes from the 2012 World Radiocommunication Conference. AIA petitioned in February 2018 asking the FCC to follow up.
Low expectations for the 11 series of iPhones, sans 5G (see report, Sept. 11), carried over to carrier and retailer advertising Wednesday. Apple launched new phones, smartwatches, an iPad and $5 monthly game and video services Tuesday. Preorders begin Friday for the three new iPhones, with Sept. 20 availability.
Tech industry representatives and experts disagreed about the wisdom of legislation from Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., to “strengthen” the U.S. patent system. Introduced in July, the Support Technology and Research for Our Nation's Growth and Economic Resilience (Stronger) Patents Act (S-2082) would alter the Patent and Trademark Office inter partes review system and partially reverse the Supreme Court’s 2016 eBay decision.
The FCC needs to move forward on its stalled look at the 5.9 GHz band, a Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) event was told Tuesday. Chairman Ajit Pai was expected to circulate a Further NPRM on the band in May, but pulled it after Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao objected (see 1906180072). Among the options is sharing with Wi-Fi.
House Communications Subcommittee members voiced near-universal interest in legislation to improve the federal government's collection of broadband coverage data, as expected (see 1909100064). Subcommittee members' support likely sets the stage for a swift potential markup of a combined bill soon. Witnesses backed a package that includes all or part of the five bills House Communications examined, including the Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability (Data) Act (HR-4229).
Broadcasters and ATSC 3.0 advocates are focused on establishing a “beachhead” in the home and in TVs rather than on mobile uses or chips in handsets, said Pearl TV Managing Director Anne Schelle at an FCBA event Tuesday. Consortiums Pearl and Spectrum Co see 3.0 consumer devices rolling out in 2020, she said.
DOD and other federal officials assured an NTIA spectrum symposium Tuesday the paradigm is changing and they're willing to share. Questions occurred repeatedly over the future of some bands, especially 5.9 GHz, now allocated to automotive safety, and the 6 GHz band, a top target for sharing with Wi-Fi.
House Communications Subcommittee leaders appear to be eyeing ways to combine language from at least five bills on improving the federal government's collection of broadband coverage data, before a planned Wednesday hearing on the subject, communications sector officials and lobbyists told us. The lawmakers are aiming to make progress on broadband mapping legislation, an issue that drew bipartisan interest. That's amid slower progress on other House Commerce Committee communications policy priorities to clear spectrum in the 3.7-4.2 GHz C band for 5G and Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act reauthorization (see 1908050037 and 1908230049).
Enforcers in 50 states and jurisdictions are investigating Google’s advertising business for antitrust violations, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) and 12 other AGs announced Monday, as expected (see 1909030053). Texas launched the probe Monday, issuing civil investigative demands to Google, South Dakota Jason Ravnsborg (R) told reporters after a news conference in Washington.