"The race is on to see who will make 6 GHz available first for Wi-Fi,” with the U.S. and the EU looking at different approaches, blogged Chris Szymanski, Broadcom director-product marketing and government affairs. The FCC will consider a 6 GHz NPRM at the Oct. 23 commissioners' meeting (see 1810020050). The proposed U.S. rules are on “the right path, but a few improvements are required,” he said Tuesday. Most important is “enabling low power indoor use throughout the 6 GHz band, which is likely to be a common sharing approach throughout various regulatory regimes and enable global equipment harmonization,” Szymanski wrote. “Harmonization leads to scale, which in turn leads to higher value at lower costs.” NAB, meanwhile, raised 6 GHz concerns in a filing in docket 18-295. The band is used for electronic news gathering, including the use of portable transmitters on cameras and temporary fixed links to transmit program material back to studios, it noted. NAB is pleased the FCC plans to restrict operations to indoor use, but said that doesn’t resolve all its concerns. “Confining unlicensed operations in these bands to indoor operations does not address the potential for interference to broadcast operations that may take place indoors” at events, the group said. “Broadcast use for newsgathering operations tends to have high 'RF visibility’ because these links travel over long distances. Such links can easily travel through residential areas where unlicensed operations near windows could cause interference.”

Chairman Ajit Pai gave predecessor Tom Wheeler credit for bringing direct 911 dialing to the FCC's phone system, as Pai and Hank Hunt discussed the story behind Kari's Law in a podcast. Hunt's daughter, Kari Dunn, was murdered by her estranged husband in a hotel bathroom in 2013 as her 9-year-old tried to call 911 unsuccessfully, because the phone system required extra-digit dialing. "In many cases, the fix is pretty easy," Pai said, citing the FCC's 2015 change (see 1505040060). "It essentially just was a case of my predecessor, the former chairman [Tom Wheeler], saying we want to change this and there it was. It was done. And so I think that's part of what struck members of Congress too, saying this is a common-sense fix." The FCC on Sept. 26 adopted an NPRM proposing to implement Kari's Law mandating direct 911 dialing (see 1809260047). Hunt, who played a key advocacy role, wanted to ensure changes didn't "break" business owners: "I don't want someone in a mom-and-pop hotel that's got a 40-room hotel having to spend $10,000 to upgrade." He said whenever he is in a hotel room, he checks to see if the phone system has direct 911 dialing, and talks to the manager if it doesn't: "It's an awareness problem at this point."

Telecom parties sought more FCC leeway to block illegal robocalls while others decried legal "false positive" calls being blocked. Carriers need "flexibility to combat [illegal] calls in multi-faceted and creative ways," CTIA replied, posted in docket 17-59 Wednesday (see 1810090039). It said carriers "combatting illegal robocalls in good faith must have protection from associated legal and regulatory liability; and the ecosystem should not be stifled by rules aimed at addressing false positives," an issue "unlikely to be caused by carrier-initiated blocking." Identify "targeted situations where the consumer benefits of permitting blocking will outweigh any risk of interference with lawful calls," advised NCTA. It urged permitting but not mandating "blocking pursuant to objective criteria developed by providers or industry standard-setting bodies, including the SHAKEN/STIR [Secure Handling of Asserted information using toKENs/Secure Telephone Identify Revisited] protocol" for call authentication. Voice providers should be empowered to offer access to blocking services "on an opt-out basis to a greater extent than they do today by affirming the permissibility," said the American Cable Association. It noted consumer group support for opt-out that cited few consumers as opting in to blocking. T-Mobile vendor First Orion sought a "balanced" approach to develop "innovative call protection solutions" without regulating call labeling. SiriusXM opposed expanding call-blocking authority, "at least until effective solutions to the problem of false positives have been fully implemented." It said many initial commenters (see 1809250031) minimized "overblocking" problems, as FCC efforts to target spoofed and other illegal calls "inadvertently led to widespread blocking and mislabeling of legitimate calls." It called for adopting "pragmatic recommendations like white lists, intercept messages, Caller ID requirements, and mandatory time frames" for voice providers to respond to complaints and halt blocking of legal calls. Neustar backed the FCC's existing criteria -- "invalid, unallocated, unassigned, and do-not-originate telephone numbers" -- for industry blocking of suspect robocalls. "In other cases, however, although some calls may have characteristics that make them appear to be illegal robocalls, there is high risk that legitimate traffic may be blocked as well. ... It is better to use the Caller ID system to provide information to consumers."

The record shows near unanimous agreement the FCC should auction 39 GHz and two other millimeter-wave bands in 100 MHz rather than 200 MHz channels, AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon replied, posted this week in docket 14-177. Commissioners approved a Further NPRM 4-0 in August (see 1808020025) on how to clean up the 39 GHz band for proposed auction next year of the 37, 39 and 47 GHz bands. AT&T noted that in initial comments only the Telecommunications Industry Association advocated 200 MHz channels. “Most parties recognized that altering the band plan to create 100 MHz channels could limit the number of fractional license interests encumbering the spectrum,” AT&T said. “While AT&T fully agrees with TIA that 5G services will be optimized for large bandwidths, AT&T believes the auction process, including an assignment round that guarantees license contiguity, will provide bidders with the opportunity to acquire the wide bandwidth channels they desire.” AT&T said the three bands should be auctioned together “as long as adding the 47 GHz band would not delay the auction of the 37.6-40.0 GHz band.” Verizon recommended the FCC “reject” any calls it “do away with the pre-auction voucher exchange, a key step to ensuring robust participation in a fair auction while reducing encumbrances in the 39 GHz band.” Auction rules should include a pre-auction voucher exchange encouraging incumbents to participate and “allow 39 GHz incumbents to use their vouchers to pay winning bids for licenses in any of the auctioned bands,” the carrier said. “For the 39 GHz band in particular, use of 100 megahertz channels will simplify the realignment process, as incumbent licensees generally hold non-contiguous paired 50 megahertz blocks.” Comments "reveal general agreement" on "standardization of 100 megahertz channel bandwidths and auction mechanisms that will promote access to unencumbered spectrum,” T-Mobile commented. It asked the agency to “proceed with the plans announced by Chairman [Ajit] Pai to auction the spectrum it covers before the end of 2019.”

The Wireless ISP Association supported arguments by rural telco groups that asked the FCC to postpone and redo broadband testing duties for RLECs and other smaller providers of fixed service receiving high-cost Connect America Fund support (see 1809200035). WTA and NTCA sought FCC review of a July 6 staff order (see 1807060031). “NTCA and WTA are correct that, for a variety of reasons, implementing the performance testing requirements will be particularly challenging for small providers, not the least of which is that the equipment necessary for small providers to carry out their obligations under the Order is simply not yet readily available,” WISPA said in docket 10-90. “This is a very practical, and very real, concern.” Also unclear is the availability of consultants who offer performance testing support services and the cost of these services, WISPA said. The filing was posted Friday.

NCTA is the association that elevated Michelle Ray to Kaitz Foundation executive director (see 1810050060).

The FCC activated the disaster information reporting system for Hurricane Michael, said a Tuesday public notice. The FCC wants DIRS reports starting Wednesday at 10 a.m. and each day by that time while DIRS is active. The FCC also gave its 24/7 emergency contact information and bureaus posted emergency procedures in separate PNs. The Florida Public Service Commission canceled this week's meetings in anticipation of the Category 3 storm predicted to strike Florida’s Big Bend area Wednesday, the PSC said Monday. Gov. Phil Scott (R) declared an emergency for 35 counties. Carriers described preparations, including Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile.

State attorneys general urged new FCC efforts to combat illegal robocalls, including giving telecom providers expanded call-blocking authority. Others said too many legal calls already are blocked. Replies were posted Tuesday to initial comments in which carriers sought expanded authority (see 1809250031). Adopt "new rules authorizing voice service providers to block illegally spoofed calls beyond what is currently authorized in the 2017 Call Blocking Order," replied 35 state AGs in docket 17-59. They said their efforts to target bad actors are often "frustrated" because "calls travel through a maze of smaller providers" or come from overseas. They encouraged providers "to use all available tools to accurately identify illegal calls," and said providers should give consumers, "especially seniors," adequate information about blocking and labeling. Consumers Union and others urged the FCC to require phone companies to implement caller ID authentication technology soon, act to counter legal calls unwanted by consumers, maintain an inclusive robocall definition and not require voice providers send "intercept" messages for blocked calls. "Focus on the tiny fraction of carriers and their customers that originate the vast majority of illegal calls, rather than imposing widespread burdens on carriers, legal call originators" and consumers, said Sprint. It urged more providers to participate in USTelecom's "traceback" initiative "identifying illegal callers for referral to the FTC and FCC for enforcement," and said call blocking should be done "judiciously." Consumers "are being channeled to block calls without measures in place requiring proper disclosures or provision of sufficient information to allow consumers to make informed decisions," said ACA International: "Carriers must not be able to block calls until the FCC issues rules for callers to challenge erroneously blocked or mislabeled calls." NTCA urged the FCC "to proceed with caution and an eye toward protecting consumers from dangers of 'false positives.'" Welcoming attention on false positives, Incompas said efforts "must be carefully considered to protect legitimate traffic."

The FCC invited input on IHS Markit's request that urgent motor vehicle recall messages be exempted from Telephone Consumer Protection Act wireless calling restrictions (see 1809240046). Comments are due Nov. 5, replies Nov. 20 on the petition for emergency declaratory ruling, said a Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau public notice in docket 02-278 and Friday's Daily Digest. IHS said calls and texts on recalls should be exempt from TCPA wireless calling restrictions under a public safety exception: "automated calls may be placed, even absent 'prior express consent,' when they are 'made for emergency purposes.'" Citing a circuit split, the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions asked the FCC to resolve uncertainty on what constitutes TCPA-restricted "automated telephone dialing system" calls. Following a U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit's ACA International v. FCC ruling (see 1803160053), "three circuit courts have decided questions related to what type of equipment constitutes an autodialer," NAFCU filed, posted Thursday in FCC docket 18-152. "The Second and Third Circuit have adopted a narrower definition whereas the Ninth Circuit chose to expand the definition." The FCC recently sought comment after the 9th Circuit ruling (see 1810030054).

Nationwide next-generation 911 deployment will cost $9.5 billion-$12.7 billion, the 911 Implementation Coordination Office reported Friday. The joint NTIA-National Highway Traffic Safety Administration-administered office estimated implementation will take 10 years “assuming no scheduling delays, no funding delays, and no deviations from the recommended implementation path,” NHTSA Deputy Administrator Heidi King and NTIA Administrator David Redl said. “Multistate implementation,” in which multiple states and territories within each of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's 10 regions coordinate on buying, implementing and operating shared core services centers, would cost the least. “State implementation,” in which independent states and territories would buy and operate their own core services, would cost $10.5 billion. A “service solution” option, in which states and territories buy all core services and public safety answering point system maintenance for an NG-911 provider, would cost $12.7 billion. The document “provides policymakers at all levels of government and public-safety stakeholders with the detailed finical information needed to achieve a coordinated, nationwide deployment of NG911,” said National Emergency Number Association President Jamison Peevyhouse.