An AT&T representative urged the FCC to consider 6 GHz interference concerns raised by Southern Co. (see 2106240075), in a call with an aide to acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. The FCC allowed the use of low-power indoor devices without automated frequency coordination based on “theoretical studies by some proponents for unlicensed use that purported to show that such use would be unlikely to cause harmful interference to microwave incumbents,” said a filing posted Monday in docket 18-295. Southern provided “data from real-world tests of commercial, off-the-shelf 6 GHz unlicensed devices and an actual operating microwave link, and the data show harmful interference to primary, incumbent microwave licensees is inevitable,” AT&T said.

Representatives of Broadcom, Cisco and Facebook spoke with Office of Engineering and Technology acting Chief Ron Repasi and others from OET about launching the Open Automated Frequency Coordination Software Group for the 6 GHz band (see 2108100022), said a filing posted Friday in docket 18-295.

Broadcom, Cisco and Facebook announced the launch of the Open Automated Frequency Coordination Software Group, as part of the Telecom Infra Project, to spur the commercialization of 6 GHz Wi-Fi devices. The group hopes to “develop a common reference open source software for an AFC system,” said a Tuesday news release: “The AFC will be used by unlicensed devices in the newly available 6 GHz band to operate outdoor and increased range indoor while ensuring incumbent services are protected.” Many applications and use cases “we’re just beginning to dream up with the introduction of Wi-Fi 6 and the 6 GHz spectrum will rely on standard power, greater range and reliability,” said Rakesh Thaker, Cisco vice president-wireless engineering: “This software group will play an important role in ensuring those applications can become reality, while also protecting important incumbent services.”

Shure and Sennheiser back an FCC proposal to allow wireless multichannel audio systems (WMAS) for wireless mics, in comments posted Tuesday in docket 21-115. Others urged caution; comments were due Monday on an NPRM OK’d 4-0 in April (see 2104220056). "Users have been burdened by significant reductions in available spectrum as a result of the Commission’s repurposing and repacking of TV band spectrum while the demand for wireless microphone support for a wide range of productions and events has only increased,” Shure said. “WMAS has the potential to enable wireless microphone users to pack far more wireless microphones into the same amount of spectrum and achieve the same high quality performance with no adverse interference impact to adjacent band and co-channel users.” OK WMAS for Part 74 licensed and Part 15 unlicensed, the company said. WMAS “allows the wireless microphone operator to maximize the available spectral resources,” Sennheiser commented: It "utilizes the spectral resources only" when needed. Remove the 6875-6900 and 7100-7125 MHz bands from the list of eligible frequencies for wireless mics, Microsoft said: “These bands have been unused by wireless microphones for years.” Microsoft urged a channel bandwidth limit of 6 MHz, a spectral efficiency of three mics per MHz for high-performance devices and power limits consistent with Part 74 rules. Cisco and Facebook asked that 6 GHz and 7 GHz mics be excluded, citing interference risks. “Steer clear of spectrum policy decisions that unnecessarily promote uncertainty impacting the future use of unlicensed technology that the Commission is so clearly relying on as a key ingredient in its recipe to advance the nation’s broadband goals,” they said. The Aerospace and Flight Test Radio Coordinating Council said it doesn’t have concerns on WMAS using the 1.4 GHz aeronautical mobile telemetry band, on a secondary basis, provided protections remain.

Tech companies fired back at Southern Co report from last month, warning of interference from low-power indoor unlicensed devices for electric utility operations in the 6 GHz band (see 2106240075). “We were disappointed to see that, more than a year after the Commission’s unanimous decision to authorize unlicensed low-power indoor devices in the 6 GHz band, Southern continues to focus its efforts on undermining that decision,” the companies said, posted Friday in docket 17-183: “The result of this approach is yet another set of advocacy-driven tests.” Apple, Broadcom, Cisco, Facebook, Google, Hewett Packard Enterprise, Intel, Microsoft and Qualcomm filed. Southern declined comment.

The FCC Wireless Bureau accepted for filing waivers from six tribal groups to use the 2.5 GHz band for broadband or next-generation wireless, the bureau said Tuesday. The bureau has already granted 262 licenses following an application window last year, the bureau said. Applications from the Sitka Tribe of Alaska and the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska were among the six.

Commissioners OK’d a Further NPRM proposing revised rules for short-range radars in the 60 GHz band 4-0 Tuesday, as expected (see 2107090047). But Commissioner Brendan Carr questioned whether the FCC is moving aggressively enough on opening spectrum for 5G and unlicensed use. The FNPRM explores new rules for the 57-64 GHz portion and asks questions about using the broader 57-71 GHz band.

The Utilities Technology Council, Edison Electric Institute and Southern Co. urged the FCC to pause further certification for unlicensed equipment in the 6 GHz band, pending further interference testing, in a call with aides to acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “The probability of interference to licensed microwave systems and the risk to the safety, security, and reliability of critical infrastructure energy and water utilities, as well as public safety and commercial communications systems which rely on 6 GHz microwave systems is simply too great,” said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 18-295.

The FCC should focus on coordination and outreach to federal agencies when identifying future commercial spectrum, said Commissioner Nathan Simington in a virtual talk for WifiForward Monday. “Communication with other federal agencies is key,” Simington said. He compared finding new spectrum to a real estate developer building in “greenfield” versus one putting up buildings in Paris or New York. “No matter where you want to build, you are going to have to deal with prior efforts.” He said he would like to see the FCC’s November 5.9 GHz order remain in effect, but it isn’t clear whether the dedicated short-range communications industry and the Department of Transportation will succeed in having aspects of that order changed. “I haven’t heard any rumblings at the commission, but you never know.” Simington said “light-touch regulation” drove innovation in unlicensed spectrum bands, and the agency should hold to that philosophy going forward: “We have to be a little bit humble about what we can see in our foggy crystal balls.” The world “is in a pivotal place” for the future of the 6 GHz band, Simington said. He said it's likely China will raise the matter of Wi-Fi on the band at the 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference, and it's up to the U.S. to persuade European Union countries to “stay the course.” The more countries that adopt 6 GHz for Wi-Fi, the better the environment for advances in the technology, he said. Asked about concerns that the U.S. could be falling behind other countries in internet technology, the Canadian native said the U.S. spawned most of the fundamentals of modern telecom, and it should “buck up.” Americans have a “tendency to have low self-esteem in some of these areas,” Simington said: American innovation was “fantastic in the past and will be fantastic in the future.”

A Southern Co.-backed report on South, Lockard & White-Electric Power Research Institute testing of the impact on unlicensed low power indoor devices’ use of the 6 GHz band proves “the FCC’s decision to permit that unlicensed access into the 6 GHz band will cause harmful interference to existing users” (see 2008310049), said Utilities Technology Council CEO Sheryl Osiene-Riggs in a statement. The Southern report, filed Wednesday in docket 18-295, said LPI devices “will cause harmful interference to licensed fixed microwave systems, including those used to monitor and protect the electrical grid and for public safety operations.” Unlike “prior testing that utilized simulated equipment and configurations, these measurements used commercial off-the-shelf, FCC-approved 6 GHz LPI access points and mobile devices,” Southern said. “Several of the testing locations were co-located with existing Wi-Fi access points, thus making these measurements representative of actual locations used by consumers with real-world devices.”