The FCC remains focused on opening the 3.1-3.45 GHz band for 5G, acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel told the Americas Spectrum Management Conference Tuesday. Other speakers said the U.S. is making progress on 5G, but it's a time of uncertainty and change on spectrum policy. Promoters had planned an in-person event but took it virtual with the rise in COVID-19 infections.

Emergency communications have improved since the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001, including the launch of FirstNet, but problems persist, said Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.), chair of the House Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery Subcommittee, during a virtual hearing Thursday. The Homeland Security Committee panel heard from first responders who warned of funding shortfalls and that many areas are falling further behind as technology advances.

The Wireless Innovation Forum warned of potential problems with data in the universal licensing system, which is to be used for locating fixed microwave links in 6 GHz under FCC rules for automated frequency control. “There are inherent issues with the ULS and some of the data contained in it,” including blank, conflicting and uncollected data, WInnForum said. Members of the forum reported on a call with FCC staff, in filings posted Wednesday in docket 18-295.

Infrastructure companies should view Wi-Fi not as a threat but a way of making networks more efficient, said Kevin Robinson, Wi-Fi Alliance senior vice president-marketing. The Wireless Infrastructure Association conference where he spoke Tuesday was both in person and streamed from Orlando. Wi-Fi and 5G compete with each other but more often work together to “deliver more value to the end customer,” Robinson said. When data is shifted from a smartphone to Wi-Fi, it means “a better user experience” for those still on the network, he said.

MediaTek’s new Filogic series of chipsets, targeted for broadband routers, mesh systems, enterprise access points and retail routers, has Wi-Fi 6 and 6E support, and “ushers in a new era of smart Wi-Fi solutions” with “extreme” speeds, low latency and peak power efficiency, said the chipmaker Thursday. Devices using Wi-Fi 6 connections in the 6 GHz band “are designed to make use of wide 160 MHz channels and uncongested bandwidth” for rendering “multi-gigabit, low latency Wi-Fi,” it said. The Wi-Fi Alliance picked MediaTek as the Wi-Fi 6E test bed in January, said the company.

FCC commissioners approved an NPRM on making networks more resilient during disasters 4-0 Thursday, as expected (see 2109280051). Commissioners said more mandates could come as a result of the investigation. Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said the FCC plans a virtual field hearing as part of the Oct. 26 meeting on Hurricane Ida. Rosenworcel and Commissioner Brendan Carr traveled to Louisiana this week to tour areas hit by the latest storm. Commissioners also unanimously adopted an order on foreign ownership and an NPRM about closing two methods for scammers taking control of victims' mobile phones, SIM swapping and port-out fraud. Such actions were as expected (see 2109280009).

The House Communications Subcommittee plans an Oct. 6 hearing on the newly filed Spectrum Innovation Act (HR-5378), Martha Wright Prison Phone Justice Act (HR-2489) and 10 other telecom-centric bills aimed at “strengthening” U.S. networks, the House Commerce Committee said Wednesday. Communications Chairman Mike Doyle, D-Pa., and Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., filed HR-5378 Wednesday as a vehicle for enacting language to authorize an FCC auction of at least 200 MHz on the 3.1-3.45 GHz band separately from the Build Back Better Act budget reconciliation. Commerce advanced its portion of reconciliation earlier this month with the spectrum language, plus $10 billion for next-generation 911 and $4 billion for the FCC Emergency Connectivity Fund (see 2109140063). Doyle’s office touted support from the Competitive Carriers Association, NCTA, New America’s Open Technology Institute and Public Knowledge. The other bills on Communications’ hearing docket: the Protecting Critical Infrastructure Act (HR-1042), Federal Broadband Deployment in Unserved Area Act (HR-1046), Expediting Federal Broadband Deployment Reviews Act (HR-1049), Wireless Resiliency and Flexible Investment Act (HR-1058), Data Mapping to Save Moms’ Lives Act (HR-1218), Spectrum Coordination Act (HR-2501), Communications Act Section 331 Obligation Clarification Act (HR-4208), Information Sharing and Advanced Communication Alerting Act (HR-5028), Broadband Incentives for Communities Act (HR-5058) and Preventing Disruptions to Universal Service Funds Act (HR-5400). The partly virtual hearing begins at noon EDT in 2123 Rayburn.

FCC commissioners OK’d a public notice on automated frequency control in 6 GHz 4-0 ahead of Thursday’s meeting, as expected (see 2109240048), it posted in Wednesday’s Daily Digest. The 6 GHz order in docket 21-352 “has already sparked a wave of low-power products utilizing the band indoors, offering increased Wi-Fi speeds that benefit consumers and businesses that rely on unlicensed spectrum for their homes and operations,” said Geoffrey Starks in the only commissioner statement: “This item is another step towards fully unleashing the potential of the 6 GHz band.” Initial proposals are due Nov. 30, comments on proposals by Dec. 21. The band “will be put to tremendous use, in particular helping WISPA members provide more capacity for their customers, as well as enabling them to connect more Americans in rural and exurban areas to broadband services,” the Wireless ISP Association said Wednesday. “Implementation of smart AFCs in the 6 GHz band will unlock an untold number of use cases for the next generation of Wi-Fi -- from faster stadium connectivity to lower latency Wi-Fi on school buses,” said WifiForward: “Spectrum is a limited resource, so quickly certifying and deploying innovative spectrum-sharing technology like AFC is essential to our wireless future.”

ACT|The App Association cited the importance of broadband maps, finalizing rules for the 6 GHz band and other issues in a conversation with FCC acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, said a filing posted Monday in docket 21-233. ACT urged making more spectrum available for 5G and Wi-Fi: “Resolve remaining issues in its 6 GHz band proceedings as soon as possible based on the well-developed record” that “proposed unlicensed use will not result in harmful interference,” the group said.

Southern Co. disputed Wi-Fi Alliance (WFA) arguments that Wi-Fi 6E certification ensures devices “would now default to use bands other than the 6 GHz band to discover networks operating in 6 GHz.” The alliance made its case at the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology last month. “We support any and all updates that would reduce harmful interference to 6 GHz incumbent uses,” the utility said in a filing posted Friday in docket 18-295: “Unfortunately, based on the information WFA has provided, their proposed changes will do no such thing.” Wi-Fi 6E is the latest version of the standard, which incorporates the 6 GHz band. The alliance didn’t comment.