Howard Buskirk

Deep fakes, and sorting through what is real and fake on the internet, are a growing problem, unlikely to get better without a concerted focus by industry and the government, said speakers during a Software & Information Industry Association and Center for Democracy and Technology conference Wednesday.

Commenters raised concerns on a proposal by the University of Utah for an FCC waiver of citizens broadband radio service rules for its POWDER (Platform for Open Wireless Data-driven Experimental Research) platform, used for wireless research. Comments were due Monday in docket 22-257. The university asked for a waiver to use software-defined radio equipment to interact with the spectrum access system operator “within the POWDER Platform Innovation Zone” and for other exceptions to rules for the band. The university said it uses the platform as a “living laboratory that allows research in a real-world, spectrum realistic environment.”

The biggest change in the item on the new enhanced competition incentive program, approved by commissioners 4-0 Thursday, was a series of questions on private networks in a Further NPRM that go beyond language in the draft, based on a side-by-side comparison. The FCC posted the ECIP order Monday. The questions were added at the urging of Commissioner Geoffrey Starks (see 2207140055). “Many emerging private wireless use cases have the potential to unlock efficiencies in areas that are not only less populated but also associated with more moderate levels of enterprise demand,” the final FNPRM says: “For example, small farms can still benefit from smart agriculture, just as small businesses in any number of rural industries can leverage wireless technologies to enhance their operations -- and increasingly may need to do so to stay competitive as larger firms do the same. Similarly, smart infrastructure, which can be deployed outside of population centers, may not always be operated by a single customer (e.g., a large utility) that can generate a large amount of concentrated demand.” The FCC asks “to what extent can secondary market transactions fulfill demand for these applications, and to what extent will these applications rely on buildout by the original licensee?” Given “the centrality of these and similar use cases to the public interest benefits of 5G and other advanced wireless technologies, how can we ensure that our construction requirements, both population-based and alternative, encourage spectrum deployment in all areas with private wireless demand?” it asks: “Should we modify our population-based requirements to ensure that spectrum is available and put to use in these locations? If so, how?” Only Starks and Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel filed written statements.

NTIA’s reconstituted Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee had its first meeting Friday since April 2021, when it wrapped up work that started in the Trump administration (see 2104080060). Under President Donald Trump, CSMAC didn’t meet July 2018-October 2019 and NTIA didn’t have a permanent administrator for most of that administration.

FCC commissioners approved 4-0 a new enhanced competition incentive program, with only minor changes, as expected. Some industry observers questioned how much good ECIP will do, but commissioners expressed hope the program will help promote wireless deployment (see 2207110036). The monthly meeting Thursday was the first to be opened to the public since February 2020.

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel told reporters Thursday the FCC still has much to work through as it examines 5G in 12 GHz (see 2207130031). “It’s a really complex proceeding,” she said: “We have a very substantial technical review that’s underway.” Rosenworcel noted recent filings offering additional data “and at the same time we’ve gotten lots of consumers filing in our comment system,” she said: “We are still doing the technical review, our docket continues to grow, and it’s taking a lot of time and resources, but that’s OK because we want to reach the right answer.” Commissioner Brendan Carr said his view hasn’t changed in recent months and the FCC’s decision will be based on “a very technical analysis.” Dish Network Chairman Charlie Ergen, meanwhile, and others from the company met this week with all four commissioners on 12 GHz and other issues. Dish disputed SpaceX’s claims 5G in the band would harm its Starlink broadband offering (see 2207060012). “Starlink’s latest filing, part of an ongoing misinformation campaign initiated by the company, is both scientifically and logically flawed,” said a filing posted Thursday in docket 20-443: “It is therefore not surprising that the study does not appear to be authored by any third-party expert engineers.”

T-Mobile is leading in 5G because it predicted correctly the latest generation of wireless would unfold in mid-band, not millimeter-wave frequencies, said CEO Mike Sievert at the Economic Club of Washington, D.C., Wednesday. Verizon led on 4G in the last decade and “we've jumped out in the 5G era with a lead in 5G,” he said.

Advocates of a proposal to use the 12 GHz band for 5G told us they expect SpaceX to launch a late campaign opposing the change and think the FCC is still on a path to authorizing operations in coming months. Leaders of the 5G for 12 GHz Coalition say all signs are that the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology is fully engaged in working through the engineering and whether the band can be used for 5G without causing harmful interference to incumbents. OneWeb also raised concerns (see 2207120058).

Public safety groups urged the FCC to push for more use of location-based routing (LBR) to 911 call centers, in response to a June public notice, approved by commissioners 4-0 (see 2206080040). T-Mobile said how industry addresses the issue should be voluntary without the imposition of new FCC rules. AT&T and T-Mobile said implementation has to be done carefully and takes time.

FCC rules creating the enhanced competition incentive program haven’t been controversial since circulated by Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and are expected to be approved Thursday with minimal changes, industry and FCC officials said. The rules proposed don’t differ significantly from what was in a November Further NPRM (see 2111180071). Industry observers see a lack of enthusiasm on the program.