FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel endorsed the Senate-passed 5G Spectrum Authority Licensing Enforcement Act (HR-5677/S-2787) and further congressional action to strengthen the FCC’s ability to combat illegal robocalls, according to letters to lawmakers the commission posted online Monday. S-2787 lead sponsor Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., and other backers of the measure have restarted their push for House action on the bill, which would give the FCC authority for 90 days to issue T-Mobile and other winning bidders the licenses they bought in the 2.5 GHz band auction last year (see 2309220057). Senate Communications Subcommittee leaders voiced frustration last month with DOJ’s perceived reluctance to enforce existing anti-robocall statutes (see 2310240065).

U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee for Central California in Los Angeles ordered defendant WCO Spectrum to file a motion or stipulation by Feb. 16 seeking the substitution of founder and controlling interest Gary Winnick's successor-in-interest or representative, said her text-only order Nov. 17 (docket 2:23-cv-04347). WCO’s suggestion of death Thursday notified the court that Winnick died Nov. 4, and the filing started the six-month clock running for plaintiff T-Mobile to substitute another defendant for Winnick (see 2311170013). T-Mobile is suing WCO for educational broadband service (EBS) wireless spectrum fraud (see 2306030002), and WCO alleges the lawsuit is T-Mobile’s “Hail Mary pass” to stave off competition in the EBS space (see 2309190046).

NCIC Inmate Communications petitioned the FCC to partially waive its rule requiring correctional facilities to deploy certain forms of advanced telecom relay services by Jan. 1 (see 2212080063). NCIC sought a one-year extension to comply with the requirement, noting that IP captioned telephone service provider ClearCaptions backed a similar waiver from Securus. The "modest extension" will "give the marketplace time to develop corrections-grade advanced TRS platforms," said the petition posted Wednesday in docket 23-62.

T-Mobile responded to FCC questions (see 2310270058) on its proposed acquisition of Mint Mobile (see 2303150032), a low-cost prepaid wireless brand, and other Ka’ena assets. Much of the response was redacted, including seven exhibits posted Wednesday in docket 23-171. Among the FCC's requests was one seeking more information on claimed transaction-specific public interest benefits. “In the transfer applications, the Applicants stated that post-transaction T-Mobile plans to ‘supercharge the Mint and Ultra brands,’” T-Mobile said: “Specifically, the transaction will enable these brands, which are complementary to T-Mobile’s current prepaid service offerings, to grow faster and reach more consumers across the United States. T-Mobile is an experienced wireless operator known for its customer-first focus and best-of-class services and network.” Among the sections redacted was a document answering questions on reported data security breaches and cyberattacks.

While the FCC wants to end cable and direct broadcast satellite (DBS) early-termination fees and require prorated refunds for canceled MVPD service (see 2311210043), it also would seek state and local input about adopting something less than a total ban and allowing state and local variations, according to the draft NPRM for next month's meeting agenda. Meanwhile, an FCC order takes a big swing at robotexts, with rules that override recent objections filed at the agency. In addition, commissioners will vote on new data breach requirements in light of recent leaks at major wireless providers. The agency released the Dec. 13 open meeting's draft items on Wednesday.

Tracfone wants 60 more days to comment on proposed changes to California LifeLine specific support amounts and minimum service standards (see 2311070045), the Verizon subsidiary said Tuesday. “Due to the Staff Proposal’s contemplation of substantial programmatic changes, extensive analysis of data regarding usage of mobile and hotspot data by LifeLine customers, and lack of any impending deadline for implementing the potential changes, TracFone requests additional time to fully respond to the Staff Proposal,” the company said in an email distributed to the service list for docket R.20-02-008. The current comment period, with comments due Dec. 6 and replies Jan. 9, “coincides with the most active time of year for wireless industry sales,” when staff resources are limited, said Tracfone: Not to mention holiday vacations. The request received support including from AT&T, T-Mobile's Assurance Wireless, Cox, Telrite, the National Lifeline Association, The Utility Reform Network and a group of small local exchange carriers.

The FCC Wireless Bureau is seeking comment by Dec. 21 on a request by American Electric Power for a waiver allowing it to operate 800 MHz low-power temporary repeaters and “talk-around on mobile units” in remote areas outside the range of its existing 800 MHz network. Replies are due Jan. 5, in docket 23-390. A power provider in 11 states, AEP made the request in a June filing in the FCC’s Universal Licensing System. “Section 90.621(b) of the Commission’s rules governs the required separation distances for fixed stations operating on frequencies in the 806/851–824/869 MHz band, and its underlying purpose is to ensure licensees can maintain interference-free operations,” the bureau said: “In its waiver request, AEP detailed the steps it intends to take that will ensure its proposed operations on the requested frequencies will not cause interference to co-channel licensees.”

The FCC Wireless Bureau approved a waiver, with conditions, sought by ContiTech USA, for a conveyor radar the company developed to monitor content carried on conveyor belts for a variety of applications, including mining. The bureau sought comment last year on the device, which uses the 76-81 GHz bands (see 2207080050). “We find that ContiTech has demonstrated that the Device can serve an important public interest function by monitoring material in various milling, mining, and other processes to improve the safety and efficiency of such mining operations and the other uses detailed in this request,” said a Tuesday order: “Its operations will be conducted under Part 90 site-based radiolocation rules, meaning that each installation will require a separate application and authorization by the Bureau, which allows additional conditions for operation to be added if needed.” The order includes conditions, such as the placement of the radar and exclusion zones.

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SpaceX's answers to the FCC's Space Bureau about proposed supplemental coverage from space service (see 2311150022) don't answer some bureau questions, such as not providing an interference analysis for operations in the 1990-1995 and 1910-1915 MHz bands, Omnispace said Monday in docket 23-135. And rather than a monte-carlo simulation regarding interference expected to be seen by other operators, SpaceX conducted a "barebones analysis" focusing on a single Omnispace satellite even though there will likely be other global, S-band, non-geostationary orbit, mobile satellite system operators in the future, Omnispace said. SpaceX recapped a meeting with Space and Wireless Bureau and Office of Engineering & Technology staff at which it discussed its answers and urged the agency "not to allow the false, shape-shifting claims of speculative foreign systems to deprive American consumers of the real and potentially life-saving benefits of supplemental coverage from space."