LAS VEGAS -- This year will be one of “execution” on making more spectrum available for 5G and Wi-Fi, FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly said in an interview at CES. O’Rielly and Commissioners Geoffrey Starks and Brendan Carr spoke on a panel, after remarks by Chairman Ajit Pai. Pai wasn’t asked about and didn’t provide any additional details on the 6 GHz band or C band (see 2001070054).

LAS VEGAS -- FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said Tuesday the U.S. will lead in 5G. He didn’t offer any update on when the FCC would act on the C band for licensed and 6 GHz for unlicensed use. Pai said the FCC is evaluating the latter band and plans action this year. FTC Chairman Joe Simons called for a new federal privacy law, noting that the FTC must use one that's 100 years old. As is the tradition at CES, both answered questions in a sit-down with CTA President Gary Shapiro.

LAS VEGAS -- New technologies and apps are creating excitement among manufacturers and other businesses, said CTA Vice President-Research Steve Koenig during an annual trends to watch presentation Sunday. “It’s not because it’s cool and fun,” he said: “It’s because it’s a very competitive marketplace, and businesses around the world are looking for an edge. Technology provides that.”

The FCC is moving forward to clear spectrum in the 3.7-4.2 GHz C band for 5G and to take other actions to speed deployment, as leadership changes at other agencies raise questions about whether spectrum policy disarray continues elsewhere in President Donald Trump's administration. Trump recently moved Robert Blair from the State Department to oversee the administration’s 5G push under National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow (see 1912240015). Blair is the latest in a line of advisers to fill that role.

Just in time for CES, the Wi-Fi Alliance introduced Wi-Fi 6E Friday, to identify Wi-Fi 6 products able to operate in the 6 GHz band. “Unlicensed spectrum stands out as one of the FCC’s most successful policy experiments,” the alliance said: “By allowing permissionless innovation in a band of spectrum, we’ve seen billions of dollars of economic value created, millions of people and devices connected and terabytes of critical data sent via technology like Wi-Fi.” Commissioner Mike O’Rielly said the agency should move forward on the 6 GHz proceeding. “Must conclude @FCC proceeding ASAP, including parameters to protect incumbents, getting multiple unlicensed layers … into innovators' hands," he tweeted. "Unlicensed in 6 GHz will be transformative!”

With CES next week, CTA urged the FCC Thursday to open the 6 GHz band for sharing with Wi-Fi and other unlicensed devices. Amid moving to 5G, "demand for connected devices, higher-speed applications, and more data-intensive services" continues growing, CTA said in docket 18-295. “Consumers increasingly rely on devices that run on unlicensed spectrum.” Chairman Ajit Pai is expected to circulate a 6 GHz item, most likely for the March commissioners’ meeting (see 1912310039).

The Wi-Fi Alliance assured members of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that Wi-Fi in the 6 GHz band won’t pose a threat to power companies. Last month, all three FERC commissioners wrote the FCC to express concerns (see 1912190082). “Wi-Fi Alliance recognizes the need for and supports rigorous protection of electric utilities and other critical incumbent operations in the 6 GHz band,” said a filing, posted Tuesday in docket 18-295. “To the contrary, there is no question that unlicensed devices operating in the 6 GHz band must protect existing operations. That is why Wi-Fi Alliance supports mandatory testing and certification of all [automated frequency coordination] systems prior to implementation in the 6 GHz frequency band.” The alliance proposed “a comprehensive set of regulatory parameters for AFC systems and recommended that AFC systems must demonstrate their ability to fully protect licensed incumbent fixed service links such as those used by electric utilities,” the group said: “One of the components of AFC certification will certainly be testing and evaluation -- processes the FCC has recently undertaken with respect to similar geo-location database-driven spectrum access solutions in the 3.5 GHz band.” Wi-Fi advocates see the 6 GHz band as critical to meeting growing demand for unlicensed spectrum (see 1906250015).

CES will give FCC Chairman Ajit Pai an opening to further lay out plans for commission action on the C band, industry officials said. It's the first CES since the broader launch of 5G in the U.S., and numerous federal policymakers are expected to speak. Most policymakers stayed home for the 2019 show because of the prolonged federal shutdown. Industry officials said 2020 is shaping up to be a big year for spectrum and 5G, and for Wi-Fi and unlicensed. Pai is expected to circulate a 6 GHz item, the key Wi-Fi band, most likely for the March meeting.

The Fixed Wireless Communications Coalition filed at the FCC a response to a question in a recent meeting with Office of Engineering and Technology Chief Julius Knapp and OET staff on FWCC concerns about uncontrolled radio LAN devices in the 6 GHz band. “During the meeting, a question arose regarding how the FWCC reached its determination that ‘every 10 dB of RLAN incursion into fade margin increases [fixed service] outage times tenfold,’” FWCC said in an ex parte filing posted Monday in docket 18-295. It filed a response with technical data by telecom consultant George Kizer, also president of the National Spectrum Management Association.

CTIA and carriers are pushing the FCC to move some 6 GHz incumbents to spectrum above 7.125 GHz, but it’s unclear that approach will work. NTIA has been scoping the 7125-8400 MHz band since the summer (see 1908010065). NTIA officials now say they think federal agencies, particularly DOD, are active in the band and their systems would be difficult to relocate, said industry officials active in the proceeding. Some uses of the band are classified.