Representatives of the Open Technology Institute at New America and Public Knowledge spoke with an aide to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel in favor of handset unlocking requirements as a condition of T-Mobile’s proposed buy of Mint Mobile (see 2402220032). “The process for unlocking phones can be cumbersome and stifle consumer choice and hence, competition,” said a filing posted Thursday in docket 23-319.

T-Mobile and SpaceX met with aides to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioners Geoffrey Starks and Anna Gomez on their pursuit of tweaking the supplemental coverage from space (SCS) service order on the FCC’s March 14 agenda (see 2403060055). AT&T, meanwhile, discussed its concerns (see 2402210067) with an aide to Commissioner Nathan Simington. Filings were posted on Thursday in docket 23-65.

CTIA sought a tweak to the FCC’s proposed cyber mark order, set for a vote March 14 (see 2402220059). In a filing posted Thursday in docket 23-239, CTIA asked the regulator to clarify that “general purpose computing and networking equipment -- including routers,” is excluded from the order. Clarifying the scope of covered devices will “promote consistency with [the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s] efforts more broadly and ensure the FCC’s program conforms to the intended scope,” said the filing. “The clarification on the scope of ‘IoT device’ is useful not just to ensure definitional consistency, but also to promote broader consistency between two parallel workstreams by the FCC and NIST,” CTIA said. NCTA also sought clarity in meetings with Public Safety Bureau and commissioner staff. Clarifications will “make the program more successful in driving security improvements by making it more appealing for manufacturers to join,” NCTA said. Cablers asked for additional clarity on the definition of “IoT product” and “IoT product components.” The FCC should make clear that “decisions related to the certification and renewal requirements and processes should be based on NIST’s standards and guidance,” the group said. NCTA urged the launch of a “centralized registry that can be easily accessed by consumers to inform their purchasing decisions.” A searchable, “one-stop-shop” will “allow consumers to more readily research and compare products that bear the Mark, and it would support the efforts of network operators, security researchers, and other entities to enhance security across the IoT ecosystem.”

The FCC opened a docket Thursday asking how it can make available unassigned licenses in its inventory absent general auction authority. Comments are due April 8, replies April 22, in docket 24-72. The notice comes on the one-year anniversary of the expiration of FCC auction authority. “We are now compelled to ask what we can do with our current unassigned spectrum in order to keep innovation moving ahead in a global market for wireless that is not slowing down,” said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel: “I remain hopeful that the FCC’s auction authority will be restored quickly. … The agency stands ready to work with lawmakers to ensure we don’t find ourselves in the same place next year.” Rosenworcel said last year the FCC would consider a remnants auction of returned and unsold spectrum licenses if its auction authority is restored (see 2307280046). The FCC has most often made contested spectrum available through auctions, said the notice by the Wireless Bureau. “The Commission now faces a unique and historic challenge of how to facilitate the deployment of advanced wireless services across the country without using auctions to resolve mutually exclusive applications,” the bureau said. The bureau said it’s “compelled to explore how its existing regulatory tools could be used to provide the public with access to spectrum that would otherwise lie fallow.” The notice asks specifically about three alternatives for providing access: dynamic spectrum sharing techniques, nonexclusive site-based licensing and leasing inventory licenses. “We seek comment on each approach, as well as combinations of approaches … and any other methods that could be used to make Inventory Spectrum available to the public,” said the bureau.

The FCC Public Safety Bureau approved a waiver allowing Quincy, Massachusetts, to use nonpublic safety frequencies 470.3 and 473.3 MHz in its public safety radio system. “The requested frequencies are considered interleaved because they are situated in between part 22 and part 90-designated spectrum bands, but they are not assignable to users under either part,” the bureau said. Quincy says there has been a significant increase in new buildings in the city and the additional channels will give it “added channel capacity for use as a fireground channel to address emergencies in the new buildings, or for use as an operations channel to coordinate evacuation of residents, or as a rapid intervention team channel to deal with a firefighter ‘MAYDAY,’” said the Wednesday order.

The FCC Wireline Bureau Wednesday approved AirVoice Wireless' revised compliance plan to continue providing Lifeline service, said a notice Wednesday in docket 11-42. AirVoice submitted a modification reflecting "an internal reorganization” and its acquisition out of bankruptcy of TAG Mobile, the bureau said.

CTIA withdrew a 2015 petition seeking reconsideration of two “discrete” aspects of updated Lifeline program rules approved that year (see 1508130048). CTIA cited “the passage of time since the Petition was filed,” said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 11-42. The organization had asked the FCC to reconsider declarations that Section 222(a) of the Communications Act “imposes a duty of confidentiality upon carriers, other than with respect to Customer Proprietary Network Information” and that Section 201(b) “imposes a duty upon carriers to implement data security measures.”

NCTA told the FCC it agrees with comments that the commission should target the 7.125-8.4 GHz band for wireless broadband (see 2311290040), in response to an NPRM on implementing 2015 and 2019 decisions by the World Radiocommunication Conference. The FCC’s proposal in the NPRM “is based on an NTIA recommendation from 2018 that does not reflect the 2023 National Spectrum Strategy -- and could undermine that strategy by unnecessarily complicating the future of the 7/8 GHz range,” said a filing Wednesday in docket 23-120. “The circumstances … have changed significantly since the Commission issued the NPRM in April 2023 and even more since NTIA made its original recommendation to the Commission in 2018,” NCTA said.

As the FCC looks to streamline satellite licensing rules, it should make sure it doesn’t “inadvertently undermine the careful balance struck” between the upper microwave flexible use service and fixed satellite service in the spectrum frontiers proceeding, CTIA said in a filing posted Wednesday in docket 22-411. “If the Commission expands the list of ‘minor’ modifications that can be made by operators without prior approval, it should do so with a measured approach that accounts for the impact of the proposed modifications on the spectrum landscape.” CTIA said it agrees operators “should be able to make certain administrative modifications that do not impact the interference environment, such as modifying antenna identification, without prior authorization from the Commission,” but “other modifications, like adding a point of communication or changing antenna parameters, may result in increased interference and impact the operations of other providers.”

Representatives of MidWave Wireless spoke with staff of all the FCC commissioners about the 1.4 GHz band and FCC's supplemental coverage from space framework draft order (see 2402220059), set for a March 14 commissioner vote. “MidWave holds all licenses for the 1.4 GHz band (1390-1395 MHz and 1432-1435 MHz) across all Geographic Independent Areas,” said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 23-65. “MidWave is presently focused on developing productive flexible use services to support a range of potential services including public safety and utility management, and will ensure those services protect the Wireless Medical Telemetry Service.”