Verizon and AT&T, counting on early C-band deployments to narrow T-Mobile’s lead on mid-band spectrum, warned of potential delays in the clearing process that could complicate plans to build out in the C band starting later this year. Both companies have been at the FCC to urge an expedited process for the Relocation Payment Clearinghouse (RPC) to make payments to licensees to clear the band on an expedited basis.

Qualcomm representatives spoke with aides to FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks about the company’s push for sharing the 37 GHz band (see 2104280038), said a Wednesday filing in docket 14-177. “The simple rule" Qualcomm proposes "would allow multiple licensees, each using any air interface, to share on a licensed basis the entire 600 MHz wide Lower 37 GHz band in the same location, on the same frequencies, and at the same time, by taking advantage of the highly directional nature of millimeter wave communications.”

T-Mobile’s “Extended Range 5G,” which uses 600 MHz, covers 305 million U.S. people, President-Technology Neville Ray blogged Tuesday. “Ultra Capacity 5G” covers 165 million, Ray said. “We are moving at pace and with confidence towards our 200 million people covered and NATIONWIDE Ultra Capacity for the end of this year.” T-Mobile’s average 2.5 GHz deployment is 60-80 MHz, expected to grow to 100 MHz this year, he said.

Qualcomm officials spoke with aides to FCC acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on the company’s proposal for licensed sharing of the entire 600 MHz-wide lower 37 GHz band. “Our proposal offers a state-of-the-art regulatory paradigm optimized for this novel shared licensed millimeter wave band,” said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 14-177.

Qualcomm representatives told FCC Wireless Bureau and Office of Engineering and Technology staff that the entire 600 MHz-wide lower 37 GHz band can safely be shared by licensed users. Under Qualcomm’s proposal, priority users would be licensed to use a 100 or 200 MHz channel “in a given area on which they have primary rights, and each priority licensee would have secondary rights to the other channels,” said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 14-177. Simulations “demonstrate that fully overlapping licenses in both frequency and location can perform very well in an extremely high density node deployment scenario,” Qualcomm said: “This unsurprising result is due to the highly directional nature of millimeter wave communications.”

The NPRM proposing to allow the use of new wireless multichannel audio system (WMAS) technology by wireless mics is expected to be approved 4-0 Thursday, though a few tweaks are possible based on ex parte filings, FCC officials told us. The NPRM hasn’t faced opposition since circulation by acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. A few questions were raised on implications for the 6 GHz band, which the FCC reallocated for Wi-Fi a year ago. An order terminating the 800 MHz rebanding proceeding is also expected to get unanimous approval.

Providers would have to implement texting to the 988 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, space launches would get new spectrum, 911 outage reporting rules would be harmonized, and the 800 MHz rebanding would end, if all items on the agenda for the FCC commissioners' April 22 meeting are approved. Also on tap are an NPRM to revise technical rules for wireless microphones, an order to require disclosures for foreign-sponsored broadcast content, a public notice to cap applications at 10 for the upcoming noncommercial educational FM window, and an unspecified enforcement matter.

Most consumers need to be educated on what 5G is and what it can do for them, said Verizon Consumer Group CEO Ronan Dunne at a Fierce Wireless virtual event. It means new uses, first for business and then consumers, he said. Most of the focus Monday was on open radio access networks. Vodafone expects the first commercial deployments this year, said Santiago Tenorio, network architecture team head.

Aides to the other three commissioners have been working with the office of acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel Monday on possible changes to a public notice proposing rules for an October auction in the 3.45 GHz band, said FCC and industry officials. The order is expected to be approved 4-0. It could get a few tweaks from the draft, officials said. They expected discussions to continue Tuesday.

T-Mobile had the best 5G download speed among U.S. carriers, a first, in an Opensignal report. T-Mobile users had average 5G download speeds of 58.1 Mbps, ahead of AT&T at 53.8 Mbps and Verizon at 47.4 Mbps, said the report covering Sept. 16-Dec. 14. Opensignal collected 15 billion measurements from 2.2 million devices.