Southern Co. representatives spoke with aides to all five commissioners about its concerns about 6 GHz rules, said a filing posted Monday in docket 18-295. The FCC “authorized unlicensed low power indoor operations in the 6 GHz band without any testing having been conducted whatsoever,” the utility said. “Manufacturers and proponents of unlicensed use have consistently ignored or rejected repeated requests to participate in any field testing (and continue to do so), and manufacturers continue to decline to provide any prototype or sample devices that could be used in such testing even though some parties have already received certification for unlicensed 6 GHz devices and many have already begun marketing efforts.” Commissioners approved rules and a Further NPRM 5-0 in April (see 2004230059).

Ajit Pai, who leaves the FCC Wednesday, had one of the busiest conclusions to a chairmanship in recent history as he closed out many items. That was deliberate, Pai said in an interview. We’re “sprinting to the finish," he said Friday evening. Pai said all the big things he wanted to do he started in his first three years. “We didn’t want to leave significant items lingering out there for the last year,” he said: “Things can fall through the cracks before you know it.”

The Ajit Pai FCC had success in opening spectrum bands for 5G because it was willing to take on other agencies, Commissioner Brendan Carr told an American Enterprise Institute webinar Thursday, less than a week before Pai leaves and a new administration begins. There was a lot of noise about fights with DOD over Ligado and with other agencies, he said. “These disputes have always been there, but prior [FCCs] kept it below the headline level because they didn’t want to take on the fight,” he said.

The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology seeks further comment about 6 GHz rules, specifically whether to allow client-to-client device communications, said a Monday notice in docket 18-295. OET said unlicensed proponents requested the change. “We invite comment on whether the Commission should permit 6 GHz … client devices to directly communicate when they are under the control of or have received an enabling signal from a low-power indoor access point,” OET said. “Commenters should explain how they define an enabling signal, what characteristics it must have, how it is similar or different from signals, such as beacons, that access points already used to connect with client devices, and the degree to which an enabling signal would tether a client device not under the direct control of an access point to that access point,” it said. Dates will be set in a Federal Register notice. Commissioners approved new 6 GHz rules and a Further NPRM 5-0 in April (see 2004230059).

CTIA, AT&T, Southern Co., UScellular and Verizon representatives spoke with FCC Office of Engineering and Technology staff on a recent report raising 6 GHz interference concerns (see 2011160032). “This report is the first field test assessment of how untethered low power indoor and very low power devices in the 6 GHz band would affect incumbent Fixed Service links and shows there is a significant and material risk of harmful interference to incumbent Licensees,” said a filing posted Monday in docket 18-295.

Both houses of Congress were expected to vote Monday night on the combined FY 2021 appropriations and COVID-19 aid omnibus bill (HR-133), after Hill leaders reached a deal on the measure, which includes $6.82 billion for broadband and a raft of other tech and telecom policy provisions. HR-133 also includes increases in annual funding for the FCC, FTC, NTIA and other agencies compared with FY 2020. The Senate was, meanwhile, set to hold a revote on invoking cloture on FCC inspector general nominee Chase Johnson after failing a first try Saturday.

Further changes to rules for the 6 GHz band could wait for the next administration, some speculated in interviews last week. Chairman Ajit Pai declined to seek a vote at the Dec. 10 commissioners' meeting and it's unclear if he will do more before he leaves Jan. 20 (see 2011180065).

In its first 100 days, President-elect Joe Biden’s administration should prioritize FCC finalization of rules for opening up access to the 3.45-3.55 GHz, 5.9 GHz and 6 GHz bands, increasing broadband funding and expanding ISPs’ ability to gain access to poles and other critical infrastructure under Communications Act Section 224, the Wireless ISP Association said Wednesday.

Three years after commissioners voted 3-2 to repeal net neutrality regulation from the Obama administration (see 1712140039), FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said the results show it was right to act. The FCC may take on a few other issues before he leaves Jan. 20, Pai said Wednesday during an Institute for Policy Innovation webcast.

Increase power levels for 6 GHz devices while requiring standard-power access points (AP) operating with effective isotropic radiated power higher than 36 dBm to “have the capability to cease transmission immediately upon notification” of interference, Nokia asked FCC Office of Engineering Technology staff, said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 18-295. In practice, the higher-power links could operate successfully to maximize the benefits of unlicensed operations in the band while addressing concerns regarding causing harmful interference to fixed service (FS) incumbents,” the filing said. “Various use cases could leverage the higher power APs.”