FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty told the Mobile World Congress this week that the FCC’s “Delete” proceeding remains a key focus for the agency. She said that as a former Senate staffer, she understands that making more spectrum available for carriers is a national security issue. Commissioner Anna Gomez noted that the FCC has a lot of work to do to move forward on spectrum auctions. Trusty and Gomez didn't attend the conference because of the federal government shutdown, but both offered recorded remarks.
The FCC was right to eliminate programs that provided school bus Wi-Fi and internet hot spots to schools and libraries because they went beyond the agency's authority, wrote Daniel Lyons, a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, in a blog post Thursday. Supporters of the programs say that on a practical level, halting the programs puts schools and libraries in a financial bind (see 2510150047).
Toyota Motor North America is introducing AT&T 5G in select model year 2026 vehicles, the carrier said this week. “AT&T 5G connectivity will transform the in-car experience, offering enhanced connectivity, enhanced in-car audio entertainment, and connected services,” it said. Such services include “safety and convenience features, navigation, remote services and vehicle maintenance,” while “updates can be delivered over the air, further enhancing the ownership experience of Toyota vehicles.”
T-Mobile unveiled a Cyber Defense Center on Wednesday designed to stay ahead of cybercriminals. “Using advanced analytics, machine learning and years of expertise, teams have the ability to detect threats and anomalies early, stop attacks before they spread and adapt quickly as threats evolve,” it said. Like other carriers and businesses, T-Mobile has had to fend off numerous attacks (see 2409300035).
Keysight Technologies said Wednesday it expects to complete its purchase of wireless tech and testing company Spirent Communications on Thursday. DOJ’s Antitrust Division cleared the $1.46 billion deal in June (see 2507240072), requiring Keysight to divest Spirent’s high-speed Ethernet testing, network security testing and RF channel emulation businesses “to resolve antitrust concerns.” China’s State Administration for Market Regulation imposed similar requirements as DOJ, Keysight said.
T-Mobile announced Wednesday that subsidiary Mint Mobile is launching “MINTernet,” which offers fixed-wireless access service for as little as $30 a month using T-Mobile’s 5G network. Customers can sign up for their first three months of MINTernet for $30 a month with a Mint phone plan or $40 a month without. The carrier cited statistics that “66% of internet subscribers say they’re ready to switch providers, and the #1 reason is to score lower rates.”
The smart-building market is entering a new phase with partnerships between big companies like Siemens, Bosch and Honeywell “accelerating smart building solutions across hospitals, campuses, and data centers,” ABI said in a report released Tuesday. It cited trends such as smart lighting, advanced sensing and AI-optimized heating, ventilation and air conditioning. “Building operators are looking to reduce energy costs, meet growing climate regulations, and enhance occupant experiences,” ABI said. To meet those needs, the smart-building industry “is entering a new phase of growth that involves a wave of strategic alliances, breathing new life into older structures, and expanding into new markets.”
GeoLinks is opening its local multipoint distribution service (LMDS) spectrum in the U.S. for use by wireless ISPs, the company said Tuesday. The 29/31 GHz spectrum will be available in 1,300 counties nationwide, it added. “We're opening LMDS so WISPs can deliver fiber-like performance on their own licensed spectrum,” said GeoLinks CEO Kevin Hetrick. “This is how WISPs gain control, end the unlicensed spectrum race, and win their markets."
Broadcom announced Tuesday the introduction of the industry’s first Wi-Fi 8 solutions. They're “purpose-built to address the stringent performance, reliability, intelligence, and efficiency demands of AI-era edge networks,” Broadcom said. The company also announced that its Wi-Fi 8 IP is available to license for IoT, automotive and mobile devices. “The transition to the ‘AI era’ demands networks that are fast, smart, adaptive, and deeply reliable,” said Mark Gonikberg, senior vice president of Broadcom’s wireless communications and connectivity division. The new Wi-Fi 8 products “are meticulously engineered to provide the AI-ready, high-performance, low-latency, and predictability that the modern AI edge demands.”
NextNav completed demonstrations of its next-generation solution for terrestrial positioning, navigation and timing (PNT), a step toward commercialization, the company said Friday. “We have proven the technology with standard 5G equipment and look forward to the opportunity to complet[e] the final steps to commercialization,” said Chief Business Development Officer Sidd Chenumolu. The demonstrations used Lekha Wireless Solutions 5G base stations with positioning reference signal enabled, NextNav said.