The FCC precision agriculture task force's previous report to the FCC and USDA should be considered a "launching pad" to "give better insights [and] better recommendations" in its next report, Chair Teddy Bekele told the group during its virtual first meeting Thursday since being rechartered (see 2111100062). The panel has a “big task of helping rural America become more part of the internet and having connectivity,” said Vice Chair Michael Adelaine, South Dakota State University vice president-technology and security. She said all working group members should be involved and engaged in their group's discussions. Bekele is also Land O'Lakes chief technology officer.

Any relocations of low-power TV stations or future applications for new ones should be “scrutinized carefully for compliance” with FCC rules protecting land mobile operations, said the Land Mobile Communications Council in a letter to the Media Bureau Tuesday. It responded to comments from the Advanced Television Broadcasting Alliance in Communications Daily anticipating more flexibility for LPTV station moves (see 2112280050). LMCC said it doesn’t object to flexibility for LPTV but is concerned about possible interference: “A number of adjacent channel DTV stations on the current list of broadcast stations requiring protection from land mobile systems are closer than permitted” and “were granted without waiver.”

FCC draft rules for the $14.2 billion affordable connectivity program were widely welcomed as more consumer protection provisions were included and several ACP changes were made to reflect challenges seen during the emergency broadband benefit program, industry and advocacy groups told us. Some sought minor changes to rules governing participating providers and connected devices. Rules must be finalized by Friday as required by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The Enterprise Wireless Alliance urged the FCC to start accepting applications for 12.5 kHz bandwidth channels in the 809-817/854-862 MHz bands. “Because the rules governing these channels are fully effective, the only action required of the FCC is issuance of a Public Notice announcing the date when applications for them will be accepted,” said a Tuesday filing in docket 15-32: “The private land mobile community is eager to make productive use of this additional 800 MHz capacity and urges the FCC to take this final step as promptly as possible.” The FCC declared the 800 MHz rebanding complete in April (see 2104220056).

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The FAA is warning the public that safety concerns remain as Verizon and AT&T prepare to turn on 5G in the C band next week. New Street’s Blair Levin emailed investors Sunday that the carriers are expected to proceed, after the statement last week from President Joe Biden (see 2201040070). “There is obviously some lingering tension and work to be done,” Levin said: But “the Presidential statement reframes the dispute, essentially binding the [Department of Transportation] and FAA to what the President said the parties agreed to.” The FAA warned that planned buffer zones around U.S. airports aren’t as strict as those in France, on which the U.S. approach is modeled. U.S. zones “only protect the last 20 seconds of flight, compared to a greater range in the French environment,” the FAA said: “5G power levels are lower in France. In the U.S., even the planned temporary nationwide lower power levels will be 2.5x higher than in France. In France, the government required that antenna[s] must be tilted downward to limit harmful interference. Similar restrictions do not apply to the U.S. deployment.” The FAA released the list of 50 airports Friday that will have buffer zones. “Many airports are not currently affected by the new 5G deployment, even though they are not on this list,” the agency said: “These include airports not in the 46 markets where the new service will be deployed and airports that do not currently have the ability to allow low-visibility landings.” The National Air Carrier Association said airlines want "to ensure that the first phase of 5G C-band deployment does not result in significant operational disruptions and that all segments of the industry have input into the process as we move forward.” Airlines For America, meanwhile, withdrew a December petition (see 2201030063) at the FCC asking the agency to block the start of 5G operations in the band, in a filing posted Monday in docket 18-122.

Democratic former FCC Commissioner Gloria Tristani backed current Democratic commission nominee Gigi Sohn. “I have no doubt that [Sohn] will be an ally to those focused on equity, justice and economic fairness,” Tristani said in an opinion piece in The Hill. “She has a strong track record of promoting policies that make internet access more affordable for the poor, people of color and people living on tribal lands.” To “eliminate ongoing racial, ethnic, geographic and income-based disparities in internet access, we need a fully functional FCC,” she said. The Senate Commerce Committee is eyeing including a vote on Sohn on the agenda for a likely Jan. 26 executive session (see 2201070058).

The FAA is warning the public that safety concerns remain as Verizon and AT&T prepare to turn on 5G in the C band next week. New Street’s Blair Levin emailed investors Sunday that the carriers are expected to proceed, after the statement last week from President Joe Biden (see 2201040070). “There is obviously some lingering tension and work to be done,” Levin said: But “the Presidential statement reframes the dispute, essentially binding the [Department of Transportation] and FAA to what the President said the parties agreed to.” The FAA warned that planned buffer zones around U.S. airports aren’t as strict as those in France, on which the U.S. approach is modeled. U.S. zones “only protect the last 20 seconds of flight, compared to a greater range in the French environment,” the FAA said: “5G power levels are lower in France. In the U.S., even the planned temporary nationwide lower power levels will be 2.5x higher than in France. In France, the government required that antenna[s] must be tilted downward to limit harmful interference. Similar restrictions do not apply to the U.S. deployment.” The FAA released the list of 50 airports Friday that will have buffer zones. “Many airports are not currently affected by the new 5G deployment, even though they are not on this list,” the agency said: “These include airports not in the 46 markets where the new service will be deployed and airports that do not currently have the ability to allow low-visibility landings.” The National Air Carrier Association said airlines want "to ensure that the first phase of 5G C-band deployment does not result in significant operational disruptions and that all segments of the industry have input into the process as we move forward.” Airlines For America, meanwhile, withdrew a December petition (see 2201030063) at the FCC asking the agency to block the start of 5G operations in the band, in a filing posted Monday in docket 18-122.

Two additional U.S. lawmakers said they are concerned Airbnb lists more than a dozen homes for rent on land owned by a sanctioned paramilitary Chinese entity and asked the company to remove the listings (see 2112070062). Sens. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and James McGovern, D-Mass., the two leaders of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, asked Arbnb to ensure none of its rental homes is located on property owned by U.S.-sanctioned entities and to “remove such listings if they are discovered.”

A “mentor” with a passion for audio and dedication to success was how two former Denon America colleagues will remember Robert Heiblim, they told us Monday. Heiblim died Friday from complications of lung cancer (see 2201070053).