Despite opposition from the Department of Transportation, ITS America and others, FCC members are expected to approve an order Wednesday that reallocates the 5.9 GHz band for sharing with Wi-Fi and vehicle-to-everything technologies. A few tweaks are expected. It's unclear how the FCC will address 5G Automotive Association and automaker complaints that they face delays deploying cellular V2X because of a transition of “indeterminate length” in the draft rules. Commissioners were waiting for a revised draft with final changes Tuesday.

A field test by CTIA and Southern Co. found interference is an issue for unlicensed low-power indoor and very-low-power outdoor use of the 6 GHz band, CTIA said in an FCC filing posted Monday in docket 18-295. The test focused on a 6 GHz link between Fortson and Columbus, Georgia. Because commercial devices aren’t available, “the testing emulated unlicensed devices by using a vector signal generator, with programmable power levels, modulation, channel size, and duty cycle to replicate the expected radio transmissions of an unlicensed 6 GHz device,” CTIA said: The tests found a device can “reduce the microwave link fade margin by a considerable amount, by 3 to 4 dB in indoor tests, and 5 to 11 dB outdoors.” Commissioners could take up a further 6 GHz order in December (see 2011130045).

Don’t adopt the exclusion zones proposed by NTIA in the 5.9 GHz band (see 2010260024) but instead seek comments in a Further NPRM, the Wireless ISP Association said in calls with FCC commissioner aides. “In addition to seeking comment on NTIA’s recommendation, the Commission also should seek comment on alternative means to protect federal radiolocation facilities from harmful interference, such as automated frequency coordination that has been approved for the adjacent 6 GHz band,” WISPA said, posted Friday in docket 19-138. WISPA indicated in filings that it met with aides to Commissioners Mike O’Rielly, Brendan Carr, Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks.

An order allowing very-low-power (VLP) devices to use the 6 GHz band appears to be in doubt for the Dec. 10 FCC meeting. More will be known soon. Chairman Ajit Pai is to offer his blog post on the meeting Wednesday, with draft items to circulate Thursday. Wi-Fi advocates reported numerous calls, particularly with Office of Engineering and Technology staff, in recent days to discuss the rule changes, teed up in an April Further NPRM (see 2004230059). Incumbents hope for a delay.

Facebook representatives spoke with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai on revised 6 GHz rules, widely expected to get a commissioner vote Dec. 10 (see 2010190040). The company wants to allow very-low-power devices to operate across the band at power levels of at least 14 dBm, said a filing posted Thursday in docket 18-295. “VLP devices are poised to offer exciting applications and yet-to-be-imagined advancements in such areas as healthcare, augmented reality/virtual reality, automotive, and fitness,” Facebook said. “Anything lower would result in dropped connections, high latency, and battery drain.”

The FCC is getting oppositions (see 2011030053) on draft rules, set for a commissioner vote next week, allowing Wi-Fi to share 45 MHz of the 5.9 GHz band. Filings were posted Monday in docket 19-138. Facebook opposes exclusion zones there. The proposal relies on “profoundly flawed analysis of federal radar operations authorized in the 5.9 GHz band -- an analysis whose assumptions about Wi-Fi operation are both inaccurate and inconsistent with the Commission’s own assumptions in the 6 GHz Order,” Facebook said: “Because the NTIA analysis did not appear in the record until very recently (Oct. 23rd), the parties have not yet had a meaningful opportunity to study and respond.” The order would “cement in place” cellular vehicle-to-everything “as the presumptive technology standard for all future automotive communications technologies,” Continental Automotive Systems said. “Because in many cases licenses to the technology at the core of C-V2X cellular standards are not directly available to many automotive industry participants in the supply chain, or if so are often subject to unreasonable terms, the exclusive use proposal generates the potential for patent holders to abuse and distort the market for the next-generation of automotive communications,” Continental said: “The Commission should have a full understanding of the consequences to the automotive supply chain in this regard.” The company spoke with Office of Engineering and Technology and Office of Economics and Analytics staff.

House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone of New Jersey and other Democratic committee leaders are expected to ask the FCC to stand down work on any further controversial matters during a potential transition from President Donald Trump’s administration if Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s leads hold in several marginal states, communications sector observers told us. No similar call from Senate Commerce Committee Democrats is expected, since the party doesn’t have control of the chamber, and the majority in the next Congress remains in doubt (see 2011050056), lobbyists said.

Apple representatives urged approval of revised 6 GHz rules allowing very-low-power devices at 14 dBm effective isotropic radiated power, in a call with FCC Chief Technology Officer Monisha Ghosh. “This power level is essential to ensuring that VLP devices are functional in typical high body loss cases,” said a filing posted Thursday in docket 18-295. “Allowing 6 GHz mobile standard-power access points in the U-NII-5 and U-NII-7 bands controlled by Automatic Frequency Coordination systems will provide significant benefits while protecting incumbents.” Verizon asked aides to Chairman Ajit Pai and Commissioners Mike O’Rielly, Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks to act on its petition for reconsideration seeking higher power for unlicensed standard-power 6 GHz access points subject to AFC control (see 2011030021). Southern Co. raised 6 GHz interference concerns. A recent cable industry study “underestimates the number of Very Low Power devices, their transmissions, and a variety of other link budget parameters to falsely support the claims that licensed fixed microwave systems would be protected from harmful interference,” the utility said. NAB raised concerns about proposed test procedures for unlicensed devices in the band, speaking with Office of Engineering and Technology staff. It’s “unclear what division of OET was making final determinations on those procedures, which is troubling given that the Laboratory Division’s draft publication appears to include arbitrary requirements that are not found in the Commission’s order in this proceeding and will fail to protect licensed users of the band,” NAB said. The FCC didn't comment.

The Office of Engineering and Technology is keeping up with demand, as much of the FCC spectrum agenda flows through his office, said Ron Williams, chief of OET’s Laboratory Division. There’s a lot going on “behind the curtain to make sure the show goes on,” he told FCBA Thursday. “I know sometimes it seems like it’s hard to get an answer, but I’ve been chartered to streamline the processes.”

CTA and tech companies asked the FCC to act on revised rules for very low-power devices in the 6 GHz band, in a call with Commissioner Brendan Carr. “Appropriate power levels for VLP, specifically 14 dBm [effective isotropic radiated power], which is the minimum power level needed to overcome body loss and channel fading associated with portable operations,” are important, CTA said Monday in docket 18-295. That's “approximately four times less power than permitted for typical smartphones, laptops, and tablets, and five times lower power than already allowed for low power indoor client devices.” Intel, Google, Broadcom, Apple, Facebook and Microsoft officials participated. The Wi-Fi Alliance urged action in calls with aides to Chairman Ajit Pai and Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. Verizon spoke with a Carr aide about a petition for reconsideration requesting higher power for unlicensed standard-power 6 GHz access points subject to automatic frequency coordination. Commissioners are expected to consider rules in December (see 2010190040).