TVs with 7680x4320 resolution, at least 600 nits peak brightness and refresh rates of 24, 30 and 60 frames a second would qualify for an 8K Association certification logo under technical specs announced Thursday. Compliant displays also would need to use H.265 decoding and the HDMI 2.1 interface, and adhere to specs on color performance and other metrics, said 8KA. “Defining the key attributes for an 8K TV specification demonstrates the 8KA’s focus to quickly define a critical step in the growth in next-generation video technology,” said Executive Director Chris Chinnock. New 8KA members are Astro Design, Ateme, Chili, Innolux, Intel, Louis Pictures, Novatek, Samsung Display, Tencent, V-Silicon and Xperi. Founding 8KA members are Samsung Electronics, Panasonic, AU Optronics, Hisense and TCL. Though 8KA boasted about a doubling in its membership, it continues failing to land big makers LG and Sony as supporters. Sony refuses to join because it prefers working with CTA on “criteria” for 8K “definition,” it said in February (see 1902120019). That 8K is seen as Samsung’s obvious brainchild is another impediment to competitive brands joining.

The FCC authorized $4.9 billion in federal subsidies over the next decade to maintain, improve and expand rural broadband for 455,334 homes and businesses as part of the alternative Connect America cost model (A-CAM) program. A report attached to Thursday's public notice details the annual support authorized for the 171 participating rate-of-return carriers in 39 states and American Somoa. At the high end, Golden West Telecommunications is authorized for $32.5 million in annual A-CAM support in South Dakota; Nemont Telephone, $13.6 million for Montana; and Hill Country Telephone Cooperative, $11.5 million in Texas. At the low end, North State Telephone is authorized to receive $6,800 yearly to provide broadband to all 36 locations within its designated North Carolina census block. The agency authorized broadband support to 44,232 homes and businesses in tribal lands.

The FCC authorized $4.9 billion in federal subsidies over the next decade to maintain, improve and expand rural broadband for 455,334 homes and businesses as part of the alternative Connect America cost model (A-CAM) program. A report attached to Thursday's public notice details the annual support authorized for the 171 participating rate-of-return carriers in 39 states and American Somoa. At the high end, Golden West Telecommunications is authorized for $32.5 million in annual A-CAM support in South Dakota; Nemont Telephone, $13.6 million for Montana; and Hill Country Telephone Cooperative, $11.5 million in Texas. At the low end, North State Telephone is authorized to receive $6,800 yearly to provide broadband to all 36 locations within its designated North Carolina census block. The agency authorized broadband support to 44,232 homes and businesses in tribal lands.

Fitbit is working with the Singapore government’s Health Promotion Board on a project called Live Healthy SG, it said Wednesday. It’s Fitbit’s first major integration of a digital health platform and wearables into a national public health program, said the company. Participants will use Fitbit devices and its new Premium service to get behavior insights and analytics designed to help them lead healthier lives, Fitbit said. Participants who enroll in and commit to one year of Fitbit Premium service ($40) will receive a free Fitbit Inspire HR tracker, it said.

FCC use of census block and Form 477 data designating which households are served "misses many unserved tribal homes in its calculation of broadband support needed," said Sacred Wind Communications, posted Wednesday in docket 10-90. "A major part of the undercounting of tribal homes is the failure to recognize certain structures as domiciles, inhabitable by Western standards." Tuesday, a participant in a USTelecom location fabric broadband mapping pilot recommended the FCC better define serviceable locations for broadband mapping (see 1908200055). Sacred Wind identified all structures within a service area eligible for alternative Connect America cost model (A-CAM) support "and found that the FCC undercounted the locations in those census blocks by over 4,000 locations." It said undercounting those homes would have meant "a loss of nearly $4 million annually in funding needed to provide broadband to those locations" if Sacred Wind had accepted A-CAM support: Undercounted households are rendered "invisible to the Commission for purposes of bridging the digital divide in rural and Tribal areas." Comments on broadband mapping are due to FCC Sept. 23 (see 1908210008).

FCC use of census block and Form 477 data designating which households are served "misses many unserved tribal homes in its calculation of broadband support needed," said Sacred Wind Communications, posted Wednesday in docket 10-90. "A major part of the undercounting of tribal homes is the failure to recognize certain structures as domiciles, inhabitable by Western standards." Tuesday, a participant in a USTelecom location fabric broadband mapping pilot recommended the FCC better define serviceable locations for broadband mapping (see 1908200055). Sacred Wind identified all structures within a service area eligible for alternative Connect America cost model (A-CAM) support "and found that the FCC undercounted the locations in those census blocks by over 4,000 locations." It said undercounting those homes would have meant "a loss of nearly $4 million annually in funding needed to provide broadband to those locations" if Sacred Wind had accepted A-CAM support: Undercounted households are rendered "invisible to the Commission for purposes of bridging the digital divide in rural and Tribal areas." Comments on broadband mapping are due to FCC Sept. 23 (see 1908210008).

After years of work, the 3.5 GHz citizens broadband radio service band appears ready to open for business, as early as next month, FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly told us. O’Rielly predicted an FCC decision soon on the C band, and said the agency may not need to review CBS' buy of Viacom. O’Rielly insisted relations have improved among commissioners.

The FCC is now taking nominations through Sept. 25 to fill tribal vacancies on its Native Nations Communications Task Force, said a public notice Tuesday. The deadline had been Aug. 26. Separately, FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks toured the Mescalero Apache Reservation in New Mexico Thursday and met with executives from Mescalero Apache Telecom about the tribal Lifeline program "and the need to ensure the National Verifier process does not hinder enrolling people residing on Tribal lands," plus concerns about broadband mapping inaccuracies, said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 10-90.

The FCC is now taking nominations through Sept. 25 to fill tribal vacancies on its Native Nations Communications Task Force, said a public notice Tuesday. The deadline had been Aug. 26. Separately, FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks toured the Mescalero Apache Reservation in New Mexico Thursday and met with executives from Mescalero Apache Telecom about the tribal Lifeline program "and the need to ensure the National Verifier process does not hinder enrolling people residing on Tribal lands," plus concerns about broadband mapping inaccuracies, said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 10-90.

USTelecom and its partners are hoping the results of the four-month location fabric broadband mapping pilot project it recently concluded in two states will be promising enough to convince the FCC to move forward with and pay for similar efforts nationwide, executives said during a webinar Tuesday on its findings. The nationwide initiative could take 12-15 months to complete and cost upward of $8.5 million to $11 million depending on the types of datasets used, said Jim Stegeman, CEO of CostQuest Associates, during Q&A after the presentation. He recommended the maps be updated once or twice a year thereafter to take into account new construction or structures that are torn down. USTelecom estimates annual costs of $3 million to $4 million for updates.