Google asked the FCC for an emergency waiver of rules requiring environmental sensing capability systems to protect federal incumbent users in the citizens broadband radio service band as storms sweep through parts of California. Operations in one dynamic protection area (DPA) lost commercial power while another “suffered physical damage” due to high winds, Google said. In another DPA, the power provider “is currently unable to provide an estimated time for restoration of commercial power,” said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 15-319.

Dish Network Chairman Charlie Ergen and others from the company met with all FCC commissioners, except Anna Gomez, for discussions focused mostly on spectrum, said a filing posted Wednesday in 20-443 and other dockets. The executives urged that the commission “unleash 500 MHz of spectrum in the 12.2-12.7 GHz band for fixed 5G broadband services,” Dish said: “Substantial evidence in the record shows that fixed 5G services can provide broadband to tens of millions of Americans, while fully protecting existing non-geostationary orbit Fixed-Satellite Service and Direct Broadcast Satellite customers.” In addition, the executives discussed the need for a modernized spectrum screen, a proposed 5G Fund and “the benefits of proposals to maximize the efficiency” of the citizens broadband radio service, among other issues.

Verizon and Ericsson completed a trial of advanced low-latency, low-loss, scalable throughput (L4S) capabilities designed to optimize Verizon’s 5G network “for more robust solutions,” including interactive video, remote control of industrial processes and augmented and virtual reality, Verizon said Tuesday. “While the first wave of 5G saw massive network infrastructure deployments, increased 5G adoption, and rapid ecosystem building, the second wave of the 5G era will be characterized by widespread innovation built on speed, massive capacity, low latency, security and reliability,” said Adam Koeppe, Verizon senior vice president-network and technology planning. The L4S trial was conducted at an Ericsson lab in Santa Clara, California, testing an extended reality (XR) application using an XR virtual reality headset over Ericsson’s 5G stand-alone core and using Verizon’s C-band spectrum, Verizon said.

The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology is seeking comment by March 7 on a request by Axon Enterprise for a waiver of FCC rules to market three investigation and surveillance devices to law enforcement agencies. Replies are due March 22 in docket 24-40. “Axon states that to meet law enforcement’s need for continuous and reliable video feeds, the devices must use analog signal modulation” but need to operate at power levels higher than allowed for the 5725-5850 MHz band, OET said Tuesday. The devices, a drone, a ground vehicle and a pole-mounted camera, “are intended to provide law enforcement with real-time information in dangerous situations and to reduce safety risks,” OET said.

The Coalition for Emergency Response and Critical Infrastructure (CERCI) urged the FCC to move forward to ensure “local public-safety control of the band, with local decision-making about how the 4.9 GHz band can best meet a jurisdiction’s current and future needs.” Giving FirstNet control of the band “would reduce ‘local control’ to merely allowing local public-safety officials to choose between quality-of-service levels offered by a national network provider, rather than having actual ownership and control of these critical networks,” CERCI said in a Tuesday filing in docket 07-100. The group provided details on state and local use of the band. Among the examples cited: the California Department of Transportation’s use for autonomous/connected vehicle communications and the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s use for public safety communications in its subway and bus systems.

ATIS warned that proposed enhancements to the wireless emergency alert system could take years to implement. The FCC’s Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council issued a report last year about the enhancements (see 2303210069). Implementation of dedicated audio attention signals or vibrations for some emergencies, such as earthquakes, would require “36-54 months in total,” said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 15-91. ATIS said the timeline would require six months “for high-level design,” 18-24 months “for completion of specification work” and another 12-24 months “for development, testing (individual components), integration testing and deployment.” ATIS laid out similar timelines for other proposed enhancements.

Seven 6 GHz automated frequency coordination (AFC) systems have completed the testing and public trial phase of certification but are waiting for the FCC to release the AFC certification public notice, the Wireless Innovation Forum said Tuesday in a monthly update. The forum said it’s also still waiting for Federal Register publication of the FCC’s Further NPRM proposing a geofencing system for very-low-power (VLP) operation above 14 dBm equivalent isotropic radiated power in the 6 GHz band (see 2310190054). Revised VLP rules take effect March 8, the forum noted. “The WInnForum 6 GHz committee is continuing to work on additional items to support AFC certification and future operation as well as reviewing the FNPRM in consideration of possibly commenting,” it said: “The Data Task Group is looking at data requirements to support VLP geofencing. The AFC Test and Certification [Working Group] is working to ensure all test specs are current.”

Public and consumer interest groups asked the FCC to adopt handset unlocking requirements for T-Mobile as part of its proposed buy of Mint Mobile (see 2303150032), now before commissioners. T-Mobile officials expect approval of the deal this quarter (see 2401260071). “T-Mobile’s proposed acquisition of Mint and Ultra Mobile raises concerns about the impact of the loss of these maverick [mobile virtual network operators] on the wireless market, including that consumers may face unnecessary obstacles when switching wireless provider,” the groups said in a Monday filing in docket 23-171. They note the FCC imposed an unlocking requirement on Verizon as part of its buy of Tracfone in 2021. “Consumer advocates have long argued that mobile phones should come unlocked by default, allowing users to more easily make choices about the device and service they purchase, as they can for other products,” said the filing by the Open Technology Institute at New America, Consumer Reports, Public Knowledge and the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society.

Representatives of the Rural Wireless Association completed a cycle of meetings with aides to the five FCC commissioners on a proposed 5G Fund (see 2402020063). The final session was with aides to Commissioner Anna Gomez. “As the FCC considers modifications to the 5G Fund rules, it should place focus and consideration on providing offers of cost-based support, for at least an 8-year period, to legacy high-cost mobile carriers with two million or fewer subscribers so that they can continue to serve their communities with reliable broadband services and have the needed certainty to plan their future network buildouts,” said a filing posted Monday in docket 20-32.

Roberson and Associates said most public safety 4.9 GHz licensees are using the band for mobile connections. The FCC is finalizing its approach on the band (see 2401020050). The firm examined 1,912 licensed entities and found that 98% hold a mobile-location-class license, according to a report filed last week at the FCC in docket 07-100. Meanwhile, 25% hold fixed and 23% hold both mobile and fixed allocations, Roberson said. Only 38 have a fixed without mobile allocation, the report said. It estimated 4.2% of public safety agencies utilize the band.