Officials from the Open Technology Institute at New America and Public Knowledge asked about the status of two unlicensed bands, in calls with aides to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioners Geoffrey Starks and Nathan Simington, said a filing posted Thursday in docket 18-295. On 5.9 GHz, “we encouraged the Commission to move rapidly to authorize outdoor use at full Part 15 power levels just as soon as NTIA reports that it has resolved any remaining federal agency coordination issues,” the groups said: On 6 GHz “we encouraged rapid resolution of the critical issues in the [Further] NPRM, of which the authorization of Very Low Power devices and higher power for indoor-only use are particularly crucial for consumers and U.S. leadership in innovative next generation Wi-Fi.”

Tech companies met with an aide to FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington on a Monte Carlo analysis of the risk of very-low-power (VLP) operations in the 6 GHz band to fixed service incumbents, said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 18-295. The analysis was done in San Francisco. Companies at the meeting were Apple, Google, Meta Platforms, Microsoft and Qualcomm. They have been making the rounds at the FCC and previously spoke with other commissioner aides (see 2302280076).

A lawyer representing tech companies on proposed changes to 6 GHz rules said analyses offered by the companies on interference to incumbent operations in Houston and San Francisco (see 2302070040 and 2302280076) offer a more appropriate analysis than a recent study by electric utility Evergy (see 2303020077). HWG’s Paul Margie spoke with Ron Repasi, acting chief of the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology, said a filing posted Friday in docket 18-295. Margie represents Apple, Broadcom, Cisco, Google, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Meta Platforms and Microsoft in the proceeding.

Representatives of the Edison Electric Institute and Evergy met virtually with staff from the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology to discuss tests Evergy did last year on potential interference from 6 GHz low-power indoor operations to utility use of the band. The Kansas City-based utility offered a technical explanation of problems uncovered by the tests, said a filing posted Thursday in docket 18-295. “The participants emphasized that protecting existing 6 GHz networks remains a vital issue for electric companies,” EEI and Evergy said: “These 6 GHz communications networks are particularly necessary for the safety of electric company personnel and to maintain the backbone of electric companies’ operations not only day-to-day, but also, during emergencies and disasters such as ice storms, tornadoes, and hurricanes.”

Tech companies met with an aide to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on a Monte Carlo analysis of the risk of very-low-power (VLP) operations in the 6 GHz band to fixed service incumbents. The analysis was done in San Francisco. “The FCC’s interference analysis for VLP must be based on its inherent variability, lower power, and different use cases,” said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 18-295: “The Commission found that a static, worst-case analysis was inappropriate for [low-power indoor use]. It is even more inappropriate for VLP. Even in situations where a VLP device is in a position to theoretically exceed a given [interference-to-noise] level, it will only remain in that position for a short time -- even this worst-case situation will be temporary.” The filing was signed by Apple, Broadcom, Google, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Qualcomm and Salt Point Strategies.

Wi-Fi Alliance representatives spoke with the staff from the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology and an aide to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on a request for a waiver by the alliance that would allow an automated frequency coordination, once authorized by the commission, “to take building entry loss into account for a specific type of standard-power device that, by design, will be restricted to operate only indoors.” The alliance said it’s focused on composite devices “authorized to operate both in standard power and low-power indoor” modes in the 6 GHz band: “We noted that the waiver request is precisely the type of relief contemplated by OET in the Public Notice conditionally approving AFC system requests,” said a filing, posted Monday in docket 18-295.

NAB raised questions about Apple’s analysis of interference risks in the 6 GHz band for very-low- power (VLP) applications, which the company has been presenting to the FCC (see 2302100031). “The analysis was not intended to, and does not, address the potential for interference from unlicensed VLP operations to mobile licensed operations in the 6 GHz band,” NAB said in a Thursday filing in docket 18-295: “Whatever the merits or issues with Apple’s analysis with respect to fixed operations, the Commission cannot rely on or draw any conclusions from the analysis with respect to the potential for harmful interference to broadcasters’ mobile electronic newsgathering operations in the band.” Newsworthy events “frequently transpire in close proximity to crowds, whether indoors or outdoors” and “ENG operations could easily receive harmful interference from nearby VLP devices -- particularly when there is little or no physical separation between individuals who may be using VLP devices and ENG operations," NAB said.

Bluetooth Special Interest Group representatives met with FCC Office of Engineering and Technology staff about possible use of the 6 GHz band. Group members “outlined Bluetooth’s history of using the 2.4 GHz band, growing congestion in the band, and the potential for its members to also use the 6 GHz band,” said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 18-295: “Bluetooth is currently working on a new development project to define the operation of Bluetooth Low Energy in higher bands.”

Representatives of the Wireless Innovation Forum warned of recent irregularities in the FCC’s universal licensing system, which they said raises concerns for automated frequency coordination in the 6 GHz band, in a meeting with FCC staff. The FCC requires the AFC system to rely on the ULS for fixed microwave link data “when calculating and establishing the exclusion zones to protect those microwave links from harmful interference,” said a filing posted Friday in docket 18-295. The ULS must be available for AFC operations and “when availability issues arise … AFC system operators must be immediately informed by the FCC that there is an issue and provided complete information on the nature of the issue,” the WInnForum said. During the Aug. 1-Oct. 22 period, daily license files weren’t posted in ULS on Aug. 1-4, Sept. 10 and 22, and Oct. 6-10, the group said. Weekly license files were delayed the week of Oct. 9 and daily application files were never posted Sept. 10, 22 and 23 and Oct. 6-10, the group said. The FCC didn't comment.

More than 60 countries have moved to open the 6 GHz band for unlicensed use, and allowing standard-powered devices controlled by automated frequency coordination is an “integral part” of the FCC’s 2020 6 GHz order, Alex Roytblat, Wi-Fi Alliance vice president-worldwide regulatory affairs, said during a webinar Thursday. In November, the FCC conditionally authorized 13 AFC providers to operate in the band (see 2211030066). The webinar, by the alliance, the Wireless Innovation Forum and the 6 GHz Multi-Stakeholder Group, examined technical details of AFC system lab testing. Use of AFC offers “enhanced performance, which is achievable with increased power limits,” Roytblat said. “That is why our industry, collectively, stepped up to facilitate enablement of the 6 GHz standard-power operation.” The Wi-Fi Alliance and WInnForum “invested significant resources, thousands of man-hours, to develop a suite of specifications” for AFC, he said: “These specifications are already enabling development of a vibrant 6 GHz AFC ecosystem and I’m confident that the information that we share will assist regulators and other interested parties in validating AFC capabilities and functionalities.” Industry has spent “a good two years of work on just the testing alone,” said Mark Gibson, CommScope senior director-business development and spectrum policy. Wi-Fi in 6 GHz is “transformative,” with billions of devices likely to be deployed in the next few years, “many of which will be under control of the AFC,” he said: “We’re really working hard to get this right out of the box.”