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).

T-Mobile has a buy one, get one free offer on the LG Wing 5G smartphone, arriving Nov. 6. The dual-screen phone works on 600 MHz and 2.5 GHz 5G spectrum, in addition to T-Mobile’s LTE network, said the company. It has a 6.8-inch, 2220 x 1080 main OLED display and a second 3.9-inch OLED screen, enabling two apps to run concurrently. A 64-megapixel camera headlines the triple camera array. The BOGO offer is available to new and existing customers for $41.67/month over 24 months, said the carrier.

The FCC must consider the effect of allowing electronic newsgathering (ENG) operations by very-low-power (VLP) unlicensed deviceuse in the 6 GHz band, NAB said in a filing posted Friday in docket 18-295. The FCC is expected to consider revised rules for the band in December (see 2010190040). “This is not merely a theoretical concern,” NAB said: Broadcasters covering the "spontaneous vigil" in front of the Supreme Court the night Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died "were directly in the crowd itself, with little or no physical distance between their equipment and mourners. Had members of the crowd been carrying VLP devices, those devices could easily have caused interference to these ENG operations.”

The potential for the 5.9 GHz band to give Wi-Fi and auto safety a major boost as the pandemic continues has been proven, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and other speakers said during a WifiForward virtual event Wednesday. The event came the same day the FCC posted its draft order, unveiled by Pai Tuesday (see 2010270065).

Qualcomm began sampling its next-generation Immersive Home Platforms, successor to its mesh networking platforms, said the company Tuesday. Its Wi-Fi 6 and 6E products are due in the market next year, it said. For consumers who lack a mesh network, the Immersive Home Platforms ensure “high-performance” gigabit connectivity is available anywhere in a home, emailed Nick Kucharewski, general manager-wireless infrastructure and networking. FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly called Qualcomm’s Wi-Fi 6E announcement “great news” and a “massive game changer.” With some more work by the FCC this year, “we can expand unlicensed opportunities in band even further,” he tweeted. Pending FCC certification, consumers will get the benefits of Wi-Fi 6E in mobile, at home and in the enterprise, said Kucharewski. Tri-band Wi-Fi 6 platforms are designed to simultaneously leverage all three spectrum bands to support 2.4 GHz IoT-class devices and current legacy 5 GHz media devices and to enable “congestion-relieving migration” of node-to-node backhaul traffic from 5 GHz to the 6 GHz band, Kucharewski said.

The FCC approved a 5G Fund as expected Tuesday, with partial dissents by Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks (see 2010230056). Commissioners also approved revised TV white spaces rules 5-0, raising additional questions in a Further NPRM, including on the use of the Longley-Rice irregular terrain model for looking at interference (see 2010220048).