Dish Wireless certified that it’s in compliance with new mandatory disaster response initiative (MDRI) requirements the FCC approved last year (see 2207060070). Dish “complies with the Commission’s MDRI rules and thus is entitled to a presumption of compliance with the Commission’s rules implementing the MDRI,” the company said in a filing posted Thursday in docket 21-346.

The FirstNet Authority announced on Wednesday its Emergency Management Resource Guide is now available in Spanish. The guide provides information on “the products, services, and capabilities available with FirstNet,” the authority said.

Various carriers certified that they're in compliance with new mandatory disaster response initiative (MDRI) requirements the FCC approved last year (see 2207060070). The agency mandated a May 1 compliance date for all carriers, regardless of size. GCI said it “complies with the Wireless Network Resiliency Cooperative Framework’s existing provisions, and has implemented internal procedures to ensure that it remains in compliance." Other carriers, including C Spire, Vitelcom Cellular, Commnet Wireless and NTUA Wireless, also filed certifications, posted Wednesday in docket 21-346.

The FCC Wireless Bureau approved a waiver that Saab TransponderTech sought concerning the commission’s part 80 rules to allow authorization of Saab’s R60 Automatic Identification System (AIS) Aids to Navigation (AtoN) station. An AtoN is “any device external to a vessel or aircraft intended to assist a navigator to determine position or safe course, or to warn of dangers or obstructions to navigation,” said an order posted in Wednesday’s Daily Digest. Though the commission’s part 80 rules “currently do not provide for the authorization of AIS AtoN equipment, we find that authorizing this AIS AtoN serves the paramount goal of part 80 by promoting maritime safety through the use of radio technology,” the bureau said.

Federated Wireless said improvements in citizens broadband radio service sharing mean CBRS users will see “at least 60% and potentially as much as 80% improvement in spectrum availability” in areas where Navy radars must be protected. Federated has seen “zero incidents of harmful interference to critical DOD operations” as part of its CBRS offerings, said Chief Technology Officer Kurt Schaubach. “We see this new set of CBRS enhancements as a milestone in the maturity of spectrum sharing,” he said. “Through the enhancements Federated Wireless has advanced, the user experience with CBRS spectrum will be on par with licensed spectrum that is many times more costly while still assuring robust shared access for incumbents and commercial users alike,” Federated said.

AT&T on Wednesday unveiled AT&T Turbo, priced at $7 monthly per line on eligible mobile plans and offering enhanced data connectivity. The app is “built to support using high-performance mobile applications, like gaming, social video broadcasting and live video conferencing, with optimized data while customers are on the go,” AT&T said. Customers can sign up starting Thursday.

Competitive Carriers Association President Tim Donovan and others from the group met with aides to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioner Brendan Carr to discuss broadband mapping and other 5G Fund concerns. They discussed “eligibility issues such as whether eligibility is limited to areas with unsubsidized 5G defined as 7/1 Mbps and 5G Fund eligibility concerns regarding legacy support recipients using federal funds to deploy 4G and 5G networks” and “timing of the trigger to shift from legacy support to 5G Fund support,” said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 20-32. CCA also raised funding issues.

T-Mobile announced that it met its goal (see 2404250047) of completing its acquisition of Ka’ena, including brands Mint Mobile and Ultra Mobile, by Wednesday. “Ka’ena leadership, including Mint founders David Glickman and Rizwan Kassim, are joining T-Mobile alongside their teams and will continue to drive these brands,” T-Mobile said: “The brands will continue to operate autonomously but closely aligned to the broader T-Mobile brand and business, similar to T-Mobile’s successful acquisition of MetroPCS in 2013.”

The five biggest wireless carriers, -- AT&T, Dish Wireless, Verizon, T-Mobile and UScellular -- invested an average of $54 billion per year from 2020 to 2022, making wireless the second-highest investing industry after the tech/internet sector, according to a Tuesday report by Advanced Analytical Consulting Group. CTIA paid for the report. “This investment has provided infrastructure that has facilitated economic activity and investment throughout the US economy, including from other companies with sizable capital expenditures,” the report said: “Wireless companies’ substantial direct investment into networks and the U.S. economy at large allows for robust wireless service that supports the growth of every American industry, enhancing their competitiveness on the global stage.” CTIA President Meredith Baker said the report “underscores the need for Congress to provide a clear path to additional licensed spectrum to support one of the two biggest contributors to our economy.”

Among other objections to an FCC proposal to expand the parts of the 6 GHz band where very-low power (VLP) devices can operate without coordination, and make other changes to the rules (see 2404290035), NAB stressed the importance of protecting broadcasters' use of the band for electronic news-gathering. “Allowing unrestrained VLP operation by millions -- or even billions -- of unlicensed devices amounts to letting the metaphorical ‘genie out of the bottle,’ potentially creating a radio frequency interference environment that cannot be controlled,” NAB said. Sirius XM said its satellite digital audio radio service business “cannot operate without reliable access to the 7.025-7.075 GHz band to uplink programming for delivery to listeners and control its spacecraft.” Proponents haven’t demonstrated a need to expand the bands where VLP devices can operate, Sirius XM said: “The public interest in protecting service to tens of millions of satellite radios -- both subscribed and unsubscribed -- far outweighs any speculative benefit from adding marginally to the spectrum that can be used for outdoor VLP devices.” The Fixed Wireless Communications Coalition said the record “remains insufficient to move forward with the Commission’s proposals at this time.” Comments in favor of changing the rules “were either non-substantive or rehashed information previously submitted to the record,” the group said. The 5G Automotive Alliance said out-of-band emissions limits of -37 dBm/MH are needed to protect cellular vehicle-to-everything operations in the 5.9 GHz band. “The record in this proceeding demonstrates commenters’ well-founded concerns about VLP devices interfering with C-V2X operations and the possible dire consequences of such interference,” the alliance said. Comments were posted this week in docket 18-295.