Low expectations for the 11 series of iPhones, sans 5G (see report, Sept. 11), carried over to carrier and retailer advertising Wednesday. Apple launched new phones, smartwatches, an iPad and $5 monthly game and video services Tuesday. Preorders begin Friday for the three new iPhones, with Sept. 20 availability.
Tech industry representatives and experts disagreed about the wisdom of legislation from Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., to “strengthen” the U.S. patent system. Introduced in July, the Support Technology and Research for Our Nation's Growth and Economic Resilience (Stronger) Patents Act (S-2082) would alter the Patent and Trademark Office inter partes review system and partially reverse the Supreme Court’s 2016 eBay decision.
The FCC needs to move forward on its stalled look at the 5.9 GHz band, a Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) event was told Tuesday. Chairman Ajit Pai was expected to circulate a Further NPRM on the band in May, but pulled it after Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao objected (see 1906180072). Among the options is sharing with Wi-Fi.
House Communications Subcommittee members voiced near-universal interest in legislation to improve the federal government's collection of broadband coverage data, as expected (see 1909100064). Subcommittee members' support likely sets the stage for a swift potential markup of a combined bill soon. Witnesses backed a package that includes all or part of the five bills House Communications examined, including the Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability (Data) Act (HR-4229).
Broadcasters and ATSC 3.0 advocates are focused on establishing a “beachhead” in the home and in TVs rather than on mobile uses or chips in handsets, said Pearl TV Managing Director Anne Schelle at an FCBA event Tuesday. Consortiums Pearl and Spectrum Co see 3.0 consumer devices rolling out in 2020, she said.
DOD and other federal officials assured an NTIA spectrum symposium Tuesday the paradigm is changing and they're willing to share. Questions occurred repeatedly over the future of some bands, especially 5.9 GHz, now allocated to automotive safety, and the 6 GHz band, a top target for sharing with Wi-Fi.
House Communications Subcommittee leaders appear to be eyeing ways to combine language from at least five bills on improving the federal government's collection of broadband coverage data, before a planned Wednesday hearing on the subject, communications sector officials and lobbyists told us. The lawmakers are aiming to make progress on broadband mapping legislation, an issue that drew bipartisan interest. That's amid slower progress on other House Commerce Committee communications policy priorities to clear spectrum in the 3.7-4.2 GHz C band for 5G and Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act reauthorization (see 1908050037 and 1908230049).
Enforcers in 50 states and jurisdictions are investigating Google’s advertising business for antitrust violations, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) and 12 other AGs announced Monday, as expected (see 1909030053). Texas launched the probe Monday, issuing civil investigative demands to Google, South Dakota Jason Ravnsborg (R) told reporters after a news conference in Washington.
The time is right for more broadcast TV consolidation, broadcasters, analysts and media brokers said in recent interviews, but the specific nature of those deals isn’t known. It's not clear what will follow the expected closing of Nexstar's buy of Tribune (see 1909040035), and Apollo Global Management's buy of Cox's broadcast stations, which isn’t expected to face roadblocks.
FCC work on 6 GHz has hit an apparent bottleneck at the Office of Engineering and Technology, which is working through the engineering analysis of potential threats to incumbent users by radio local access networks (RLAN), said industry officials on both sides. Sharing with Wi-Fi has broad support at the commission, but OET has lots on its plate so a final order could take time, officials said. Meanwhile, the first Wi-Fi 6 devices are hitting stores. The band is considered the most promising to provide broad channels for a new generation of Wi-Fi.