Tech companies said they met with staff for all FCC commissioners, except Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, to support the 6 GHz order teed up for a vote at the Oct. 19 meeting (see 2309280071). The proposed rule change “will enable American companies to build mobile devices that take advantage of the high speeds and low latencies made possible by 6 GHz unlicensed connectivity,” said a filing posted Friday in docket 18-295. Participating in the meetings were Apple, Broadcom, Meta Platforms, Google and Qualcomm. The order permits use of very-low-power 6 GHz devices anywhere without location awareness or automated frequency control. Edison Electric Institute representatives, meanwhile, met with staff for all the commissioners, except Anna Gomez, on utilities’ general concern that “the proliferation of unlicensed devices will render the 6 GHz band unusable for its members.” EEI stressed its support for automated frequency coordination. “Electric companies do not compete with providers of unlicensed devices,” EEI said: “Electric companies operate 6 GHz communications networks to provide for the safety of electric company personnel and to maintain the backbone of electric companies’ operations during emergencies and disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and wildfires.”

Federated Wireless filed a report at the FCC on lab tests of its 6 GHz automated frequency coordination system, a step toward full operation. In August, the Office of Engineering and Technology launched a process for testing AFC systems (see 2308250061) and last year provisionally approved 13 companies to be AFC operators (see 2211030066). The report “demonstrates that the Federated Wireless 6 GHz AFC system has successfully passed the lab test,” said a filing posted Friday in docket 21-352. The Wi-Fi Alliance also reported a successful test of its system.

Qualcomm, one of the first companies to open a portal for public tests of its 6 GHz automated frequency coordination system (see 2308300018), filed at the FCC a report on lab tests of its system. “The Report describes each test performed using WinnForum’s Test Harness,” said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 21-352.

The Wireless Broadband Alliance notified the FCC it’s opening a portal for public tests of its 6 GHz automated frequency coordination system (see 2308300018). The portal will be available Tuesday through Nov. 24, said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 21-352.

A new paper by the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance (DSA) urges regulators worldwide to take advantage of dynamic spectrum management systems (DSMS), like one being deployed in the U.S. in the 6 GHz band, and makes recommendations for faster adoption of sharing. “Regulators in a number of countries have authorized automated and even dynamic frequency coordination databases to manage assignments in shared bands,” the paper argues: “These dynamic spectrum management systems have proven they can protect incumbent operations, including military and public safety systems, from harmful interference.” Regulators should “work towards a dynamic shared access approach in any underutilized band (e.g., 6 GHz, 3.8-4.2 GHz) where coordinated sharing is appropriate and practical to implement,” DSA recommends. They should adopt clear rules “but not prescribe particular technologies or standards for DSMS,” the paper advises. Using a representative multistakeholder process “to develop and assist in implementing the DSMS can help to conserve agency resources and leverage industry expertise,” it said. Regulators should consider the adoption of best practices from industry or used elsewhere “particularly when that can speed time to market and promote harmonization regionally or globally,” the report says. Regulators should also “consider the benefits of certifying a private sector entity to manage the DSMS -- or, if demand justifies it, multiple and competing DSMS providers -- but always in strict adherence to agency rules.” Michael Calabrese, director of the Wireless Future Program at New America, wrote the report.

Steve Lang, who recently replaced Anna Gomez as head of the U.S. delegation to the World Radiocommunication Conference (see 2309120069), is already hard at work preparing for the conference, said Austin Bonner, deputy U.S. chief technology officer-policy, at the Mobile World Congress in Las Vegas last week. Lang has been “out on the road, meeting his counterparts to help pave the way for U.S. success,” she said. The WRC starts Nov. 20 in Dubai.

Broadcom representatives met with an aide to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on the company’s recently filed analysis of the interference risk of very-low-power operations in the 6 GHz band to electronic newsgathering operations (see 2309120051), said a filing posted Thursday in docket 18-295. Rosenworcel teed up a vote on 6 GHz VLP for the commission’s Oct. 19 meeting (see 2309280071). “We explained that the result of that study demonstrated that VLP devices are exceptionally unlikely to cause harmful interference to mobile ENG receivers, such as those mounted on news trucks,” Broadcom said.

Of the items teed up for a vote at the FCC’s Oct. 19 meeting, changes to rules for the 6 GHz band have gotten the most attention since Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced the meeting agenda Wednesday. The FCC released drafts Thursday for all the items at what will be the first meeting with new Commissioner Anna Gomez and the first 3-2 Democratic majority during the Biden administration. Among other items also on tap are Wi-Fi on school buses, improving maternal care, changes to wireless emergency alerts, video programming for the blind and visually impaired, and universal service in Alaska.

The FCC’s Oct. 19 meeting is packed, with items on 6 GHz rules, Wi-Fi on school buses, wireless emergency alerts, video programming for the blind and visually impaired, maternal healthcare and other items. That's aside from the NPRM on net neutrality, which is expected to grab most of the attention (see 2309270056). The meeting will be the first with new Commissioner Anna Gomez and the first with a 3-2 Democratic majority during the Biden administration.

The U.S. wireless industry invested $39 billion in infrastructure, and “America leads the world in 5G availability,” but leadership is in doubt unless more spectrum is allocated for industry to keep up with demand, CTIA President Meredith Baker said Tuesday at the start of the Mobile World Congress in Las Vegas. The U.S. is falling behind many other countries on mid-band for 5G, she said. Baker urged special focus on reallocating the lower 3 GHz, 4 GHz and 7 GHz bands for 5G.