Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr (R) filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the FCC concerning the use of cellphone jamming technology, Carr said Thursday. The move comes after the agency denied Georgia's June request for information on cellphone jamming in certain federal prisons, the AG said (see [Ref:2406040043). "Law enforcement is struggling to combat contraband cellphones due to an outdated policy that the federal government refuses to address or reconsider in any way," Carr said. The FOIA request included all documentation related to the FCC's response denying the state's initial information request. The FCC didn't comment.
The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology on Thursday approved Extreme Networks’ request for a waiver of rules for low-power indoor (LPI) devices for 6 GHz access points (APs), to be installed exclusively in indoor sports venues. Extreme plans to use weatherized enclosures, which FCC rules prohibit. Extreme noted the APs will be installed under seats "where they are susceptible to being stepped on, kicked, and having food and drinks spilled on them." The waiver request proved controversial when the FCC took comment last year (see 2310170045). OET noted the “skyrocketing demand for data” at sporting venues. “Extreme’s access points will enable expanded Wi-Fi coverage at indoor sports venues, thereby providing fans access to full capacity, low latency, and high-quality Wi-Fi networks,” the order said. But to protect other 6 GHz users from harmful interference, OET also imposed conditions on the waiver. Among them is a requirement "that Extreme be responsible for manufacturing, distribution, and sales of the access points and ship these access points directly to the relevant venue,” OET said: “This waiver would not permit operations in any outdoor locations, such as the stands of the stadium with a retractable roof or any outdoor areas associated with an indoor stadium.” The waiver is also limited to professional teams' indoor stadiums and arenas or those with a seating capacity of more than 3,000 persons.
The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology approved Axon Enterprise’s request for a waiver, allowing it to market three investigative and surveillance devices to law enforcement agencies. The devices would operate at higher power levels than allowed under FCC rules in heavily used 5 GHz spectrum. The Axon waiver has proven controversial (see 2403080044). The company proposed in July that its devices operate primarily using channels at the upper and lower edges of the U-NII-3 band, attempting to address the concerns of Wi-Fi advocates (see 2407310049). “Based on the record of this proceeding and the above analysis, we are convinced that the Axon devices can be operated without unduly jeopardizing Wi-Fi operations,” OET said Thursday. It noted that first responders will use the devices in emergencies, for short periods and mostly indoors. “We recognize the concerns from Wi-Fi operators that, under the terms of the initial waiver request, Axon’s devices could still lead to Wi-Fi interference," the order said: “However, we note that Axon … has indicated that it would be willing to accept waiver conditions and limitations appropriate to the limited scope of its product’s use.”
The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology approved on Thursday a waiver sought by the Wi-Fi Alliance allowing automated frequency coordination systems in the 6 GHz band to take building entry loss (BEL) into account for “composite” standard-power and low-power devices that are restricted to operating indoors. The FCC sought comment on the waiver request last year (see 2304060049). OET noted that it now has four waiver requests before it that are seeking the change. Allowing AFC systems “to consider BEL when determining channel availability will increase the operating power of the composite … access points when appropriate, thereby increasing their utility to consumers,” OET said: “The greater operating power will enable the access points to provide increased indoor coverage and/or provide higher data rates,” which “will expand the use of the 6 GHz band, thereby furthering the Commission’s goal of encouraging more efficient spectrum use.” OET is limiting the BEL AFC systems may use in their calculations “such that the risk of harmful interference occurring is not increased compared to operation under the Commission’s current rules,” the order said.
Hawaiki Submarine Cable wants to add a Tonga branch to its submarine cable system connecting Sydney, Australia; Mangawhai Heads, New Zealand; American Samoa; Oahu, Hawaii; and Pacific City, Oregon, it told the FCC in a letter posted Thursday.
Sanford Williams, deputy chief of staff for FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, will address the Communications Equity and Diversity Council on behalf of the chairwoman's office (see 2412040036).
The FCC’s Precision Ag Connectivity Task Force held its final meeting Thursday, approving the group's comprehensive final report. Summarizing the task force's working groups' findings, the report wasn’t released Thursday. Task force Chair Michael Adelaine said during a virtual meeting that the work must continue even as the group’s charter expires.
Faced with an increasingly vulnerable GPS system that rival global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) are eclipsing, the U.S. must align positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) policy with where the commercial sector is headed, PNT experts said during an FCBA panel in Washington Thursday. The lack of a national backup to GPS “is quite shocking,” but no one solution will address all needs, said Ed Mortimer, NextNav vice president-government affairs. He said a variety of commercial solutions are near but they require a policy environment open to competition.
Some congressional backers of the FCC’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program are beginning to see momentum turn toward including an additional $3.08 billion that will fully fund the initiative in an end-of-year legislative package (see 2411190064), but they aren’t guaranteeing success yet. Lawmakers and other rip-and-replace boosters hope congressional scrutiny of the Salt Typhoon Chinese government-affiliated effort at hacking U.S. telecom networks (see 2411190073) could be a tipping point for securing the funding after multiple spectrum legislative proposals, meant to pay for the program, stalled in recent years.
The FCC order allowing use of 17.3-17.7 GHz downlinks by non-geostationary orbit fixed satellite service satellites is effective Jan. 6, said a notice for Thursday's Federal Register. Commissioners approved the order 5-0 in September (see 2409270059).