The FCC Monday approved long-awaited waivers allowing proponents of cellular-vehicle-to-everything use of the 5.9 GHz band to start to deploy, acting on a request filed in late 2021 (see 2112140070). The joint waiver request had reportedly been largely cleared by the FCC earlier this year but was awaiting NTIA review (see 2302020031). The joint request was filed by Audi of America, Ford, Jaguar Land Rover, the departments of transportation in Utah and Virginia, Aaeon Technology, Harman International Industries, Panasonic North America and other companies. In 2020, the FCC approved use of the top 30 MHz of the band for C-V2X (see 2011180043). The band had formally been set aside for dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) systems. “The underlying purpose of the Commission’s rules governing ITS [intelligent transportation system] operations would not be served by denying the Joint Waiver Request and thereby delaying or precluding C-V2X operations in the upper 30 megahertz of the 5.9 GHz band,” the Wireless Bureau said: “To deny the Joint Waiver Request and insist on application of the current DSRC-based rules would be contrary to the public interest as it would further entrench the DSRC technology the Commission determined needs to be replaced and preclude rapid deployment of the technology the Commission has identified as best suited to promote the most efficient and effective use of the spectrum.” NTIA had sought conditions for approval, and the waiver applicants agreed to adhere to the restrictions, the bureau said. Among them, devices are limited to equivalent isotropic radiated power (EIRP) of 33 dBm and on-board units are restricted to an EIRP of 27 dBm at ± 5 degrees in elevation from the horizontal plane. “This is a big deal,” emailed Hilary Cain, vice president-technology, innovation, & mobility policy at the Alliance for Automotive Innovation. “These waivers were a missing piece of the regulatory puzzle needed for automakers to deploy V2X -- a game-changing wireless safety technology enabling vehicles to see around corners, talk to other vehicles and communicate -- in real-time -- with pedestrians, bicyclists, traffic lights and infrastructure,” she said.

CBP has relaxed the rules for participants in a pilot aimed to see how effective it would be to replace the manufacturer identification code (MID) with a global business identifier (GBI).

Kootenai County, Idaho, “affirmatively avers” that the Telecommunications Act doesn’t act “as a preemption of local governments’ ability to deny applications for installation of wireless communications facilities,” said the county’s answer Thursday (docket 2:23-cv-00124) in U.S. District Court for Idaho in Coeur d'Alene to AT&T’s March 29 complaint (see 2303300046). The county is countersuing for a declaration and judgment that its actions in denying AT&T’s application weren’t preempted by the TCA and "are therefore valid.”

House Communications Subcommittee ranking member Doris Matsui of California and other Democrats opposed many of the 32 bills and legislative drafts aimed at revamping connectivity permitting processes that the subpanel examined during a Wednesday hearing, arguing the current proposals are too broad and suggesting lawmakers gather more input before moving forward. Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta of Ohio and other Republicans framed the measures as a necessary component of the federal government’s push to improve broadband connectivity that Congress failed to include in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The FCC unanimously approved an order on updating low-power TV and TV translator rules, said Tuesday’s Daily Digest. The item had been set for commissioners' open meeting Thursday but has been deleted from the agenda, according to the FCC’s website. The order updates rules for LPTV and translators to reflect the digital transition, and requires LPTV stations to comply with station identification requirements. The order also rejects calls from the LPTV Broadcasters Association to replace the term low-power television in FCC rules with “local power television.” The "purpose of this proceeding is to eliminate confusion within our rules,” the order said. “Because several of our rules stem from statutory requirements, and because Congress has used the term ‘low power television,’ we believe that changing this term would result in inconsistencies between the statute and the rules and would create, not eliminate, confusion within our rules,” the order said. The order also requires a minor modification permit for all LPTV station relocations, where previously LPTV stations were allowed to relocate less than 500 feet without a permit. The order updates the coordinates used to determine land mobile radio protection, and updates FCC rules for assigning LPTV call signs. “These updates reflect the Commission’s continued effort to ensure our rules clearly reflect the Commission’s requirements, and are understandable to all stakeholders,” the order said.

Following a status report from parties in a cell tower dispute, U.S. District Judge James Graham issued an order (docket 2:23-cv-00764) Friday extending the temporary restraining order for 14 days (see Ref: 2304110035]), said a filing Friday in District Court for Southern Ohio in Columbus. The parties, STC Two, and property owner Thomas Branham, who owns the land where STC has a tower, have engaged in “meaningful negotiations” concerning potential resolution, said Graham, who didn’t oppose their request for an extension. “Considering both parties’ participation in negotiation and the benefits of giving the parties additional time to resolve the dispute” under terms of the original restraining order, “there is good cause to extend” it, he said. Branham, who owns the property where STC has a cell tower, installed a padlock at the entrance of the tower site, in breach of his lease to STC Two, and refused to remove it. Branham continued to obstruct the Global Signal company’s access to the cellsite “in blatant violation” of the lease, which entitles its employees to access “24 hours per day, 7 days per week,” the complaint said. In his trespass counterclaim, Branham said STC built and placed the cell tower on his property, which is enclosed by metal fencing. The tower wasn’t placed within the boundaries of the easement Branham granted, he said, so when STC employees and customers access the tower, they “must traverse defendant’s land to gain access,” he said. Another status report is due by April 24.

With a short window for passing customs modernization legislation this year and uncertain prospects after that, it’s important that CBP and the trade community “stick the landing” of the 21st Century Customs Framework initiative and present a united front to Congress when a legislative proposal is submitted by CBP later this year, said John Drake, vice president-supply chain policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

In its hunt for spectrum available for more-intensive use, NTIA was urged to look at the 12 GHz and upper 12 GHz bands, in comments submitted Monday responding to its request for comments on creating a national spectrum strategy (see 2303150066). CTIA said U.S. efforts to lead the world in 5G are threatened by the lack of a spectrum pipeline and the expiration of the FCC's spectrum auction authority.

The 29 Texas cities suing Disney, Hulu and Netflix for franchise fees “cannot and do not explain away” similar franchise fee lawsuits that were rejected in other jurisdictions, said Netflix’s reply in support of its motion to dismiss Wednesday in the 14th District Court of Dallas County (docket DC-22-09128).

The FCC shouldn’t hold broadcast licensees responsible for errors or discrepancies resulting from proposed changes to the way geographic coordinates of stations are calculated, said NAB in comments posted Wednesday in docket 22-227. The agency should also specify land mobile channel reservations that don't require protection by broadcasters, or rule that reservations that sat idle for over 50 years don’t need to be protected. NAB expressed concern about adjusting FCC rules to reflect the agency staff’s current practice for calculating a station’s effective radiated power: “The proposed use of ‘staff’s current practice’ rather than the explicit mathematical definitions in the rules for determination of effective radiated power is ill-defined, will lead to confusion,” and “raises questions concerning the apparent unofficial amendment of Commission rules by practice without notice and comment.” The FCC should retain provisions allowing low-VHF stations to maximize both power and height to increase their service, or make clear that changes don’t preclude power increases above zone maximums by low-VHF stations, said Marantha Broadcasting.