BROWSING: Policy

Wi-Fi Alliance expects more than 300 million Wi-Fi 6E devices in 2021

Wi-Fi Alliance exec: 'Think about what we can accomplish with what we’ve just been given with Wi-Fi 6E' Wi-Fi Alliance’s Senior Vice President of Marketing Kevin Robinson told RCR Wireless News that the Alliance is thrilled about the FCC’s decision to open 6 GHz for unlicensed...

CCA CEO: FCC’s rural 5G fund proposal is ‘disappointing, inefficient’

CCA CEO: 'Mobile broadband is an essential component of everyday life” The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) yesterday moved forward with   a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would establish a 5G Fund for Rural America, which proposes to distribute up to $9 billion through the Universal...

FCC approves Wi-Fi 6E, allowing unlicensed use of 6 GHz band for Wi-Fi

Wireless Broadband Alliance CEO: 'Wi-Fi 6E will rewrite the rules of what is possible' While the FCC’s decision to open up the 6 GHz frequency band for use by Wi-Fi 6 technology may not have been particularly surprising, the fact that something like this hasn’t...

FCC to rule on 900 MHz spectrum for private LTE and 5G networks for smart utilities

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has said it will consider allowing the 900 MHz band in the US to be used by energy companies for private LTE and 5G networking. The move is a response to a long-standing request by private networking firm Anterix, which...

FCC approves Ligado’s use of L-band for IoT, 5G

The Federal Communcations Commission has voted unanimously to allow Ligado Networks to use L-Band spectrum at 1.6 GHz to provide a low-power terrestrial network aimed at supporting private 5G and industrial internet of things services. The FCC said in a release that granting Ligado's request...

FCC set to grant Ligado its long-awaited permission for a 5G network, over Pentagon pushback

  The Federal Communications Commission is set to vote on granting Ligado Networks permission to use its midband spectrum holdings to deploy a combined satellite-and-terrestrial network for private 5G and industrial internet of things services. The FCC said it was circulating a draft order to approve...

FCC begins handing out $200 million in telehealth funding

Will COVID-19 be the impetus for widespread telehealth adoption? As the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic strains health care infrastructure the world over, some physicians and institutions are moving to telehealth models in an effort to help curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. Telehealth has been...

NTIA recommends revoking China Telecom’s common carrier status

The Trump administration is continuing with actions that cut telecom ties with China, including a new filing from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration that recommends that the Federal Communications Commission revoke China Telecom's ability to carry international voice traffic between the U.S. and...

FCC grants NYFD expanded T-Band access

  The Federal Communications Commission has granted the Fire Department of New York expanded access to low-band spectrum in the New York metro area for public safety communications. The T-Band use will allow FDNY to expand capacity and coverage of its existing T-Band network to...

Open RAN just one vector of technological and economic openness

Being open to collaborative problem solving accelerates time to innovation, return Open radio access networks are a hot topic in telecom right now with major, multinational operators looking to break out of the big, end-to-end vendor ecosystem potentially in favor of smaller companies working together...

Team Telecom to review foreign participation in US telecom services

Team Telecom will now have 120 days to conduct national security reviews of license applications Sporting the colloquial name “Team Telecom,” the new committee established by the Trump Administration via an executive order aims to enhance national security by assisting the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)...

COVID-19 makes homework gap an ’emergency,’ policy pros say

Qualcomm's Dean Brenner and Alice Tornquist discuss funding connectivity and devices for students The developing COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a devastating blow to the global economy and upended day-to-day life as we all become accustomed to the new normal--widespread working from home, business closures, social...

FCC could earmark $9 billion for rural 5G

5G Fund for Rural America targeting 2021-2023 timeframe At its upcoming open meeting on April 23, the U.S. Federal Communications will consider whether and how to fund a long-term deployment of 5G in rural and underserved parts of the country. Providing rural 5G service has...

FCC to deliver $200 million in telehealth relief to strained hospitals

Companies that provide a virtual connection between doctors and patients have reported significant spikes in traffic As part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act signed into law on March 27, the Federal Communications Commission has received $200 million to allocate to...

What’s the future hold for unlicensed use of the 6 GHz band?

FCC scheduled to vote April 23 on new rules for unlicensed use of 6 GHz After taking fairly extensive public comment, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission at its April 23 open meeting will consider new rules that would open 1200 megahertz of the 6 GHz...

FCC grants waiver for Inteliquent as Zoom, WebEx traffic surges

Zoom traffic is booming, as individuals, companies, government agencies and schools use the video conferencing platform for everything from virtual work meetings, to hosting virtual parties, teaching kindergarteners or even laying off workers. That surge in traffic for Zoom and other web conferencing providers, such...

FCC launches group to protect hospitals from robocalls

  As if hospitals around the U.S. don't have enough to worry about in the midst of a pandemic, their everyday cybersecurity concerns, including their vulnerability to being targeted by robocallers or having their official phone numbers spoofed by scammers trying to defraud consumers, haven't...

3GPP delays 5G standard updates due to COVID-19

3GPP has canceled its face-to-face meetings through June It appears that the 3GPP — the global association developing the world's 5G technology standards — is not immune to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The associated earlier this week announced a three-month delay in the...

Robocallers shift to coronavirus scams

  Have diabetes and want to order an at-home coronavirus testing kit? Want to know more about the federal relief programs like student loan interest suspensions? Need your government relief check now? Robocall scammers are already preying on Americans with scams that leverage the fear...

WBA to take control of Wi-Fi OpenRoaming

Cisco: 'OpenRoaming is vital to unlocking the potential of wireless communications' The Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) will assume ownership and management of OpenRoaming as a global wireless industry standard, which the alliance stated will facilitate the broad adoption of OpenRoaming by new and existing Wi-Fi...

5G ruled safe by panel of international experts

Mobile telephone radiation guidelines from 1998 only required minor updates for 5G Fierce opposition to the deployment of the 5G infrastructure has been popping up all around the world, from California to South Africa to Sweden. Small cell towers, which must be frequently placed, are...

Carriers respond as COVID-19 takes hold in US

FCC Chairman sees traction with Keep Americans Connected Pledge As a growing number of people shift to working from home and officials at the local, state and federal level close schools, restaurants, bars and other businesses, the big four U.S. carriers are working to ease...

T-Mo granted access to more 600 MHz as part of FCC’s coronavirus response

  The Federal Communications Commission has temporarily granted T-Mobile US special access to more of the 600 MHz band, to help meet increased demand for mobile broadband by consumers and first responders during the ongoing outbreak of the novel coronavirus. T-Mobile US said that it wanted...

Trump signs into law $1B for rural carrier rip-and-replace

Secured and Trusted Network Communications Act targets rip-and-replace of Huawei, ZTE network equipment President Trump on March 12 signed into law the Secured and Trusted Network Communications Act, which among other things, will provide up to $1 billion in funding to rip-and-replace network infrastructure primarily...