The FCC Wireless Bureau on Tuesday approved MatrixSpace's petition for waiver of the U.S. table of frequency allocations and the commission’s Part 87 rules for radars mounted on drones that could provide radionavigation or radiolocation in the 24.45-24.65 GHz band, for a period of five years. T-Mobile opposed and then withdrew its opposition to the proposal (see 2310260016). The waiver is subject to the outcome of an Echodyne petition seeking rules for the band, the order said. “This request would serve the underlying purpose of our ruling to establish permanent rules for secondary use of the 24.45-24.65 GHz band for radiolocation operations (see 1906130051), as we already permit use of the 24.45-24.65 GHz band” for uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) detection “as part of a ground-based air traffic control system, thus allowing use of the band for other UAS detection does not conflict with that purpose,” the bureau said: MatrixSpace says the radar “can be used for UAS detection in security systems, target tracking systems, and UAS or other drones” and “all opposition to this request has been withdrawn in light of the updated technical information MatrixSpace submitted in the record.” The bureau also extended for five years the waiver for Ecodyne, which uses the band for its EchoGuard offering. “Echodyne again emphasizes the public interest benefits that EchoGuard can support, including protection of infrastructure, stadiums, prisons, and the U.S. border,” a Tuesday order said.

T-Mobile told the FCC it has made “significant progress” on meeting its nationwide 5G network deployment milestones. It's a regulatory requirement of T-Mobile's acquisition of Sprint that the milestones are within six years of the deal's closing date. T-Mobile completed the buy four years ago (see 2004010069). “Since the third anniversary of the merger closing, T-Mobile has continued to deploy 5G service over its low-band and mid-band spectrum to the benefit of consumers across the country, resulting in extensive and nearly nationwide 5G coverage of the vast majority of Americans,” a filing Friday said (docket 22-211). T-Mobile reported an increase in its low-band 5G coverage area by approximately 0.6% since the last report and said it’s within 0.8% of meeting the 6-year milestone requirement of 99% of POPs nationwide. In addition, the carrier said its mid-band 5G coverage is at 94.1% of U.S. POPs, already besting the milestone requirement of 88%. T-Mobile reported it has met requirements for 5G sites nationwide and low-band/mid-band 5G spectrum averaged over all sites. But the data on both of these milestones was redacted from the report. The provider said it has also met all its rural 5G network deployment milestones and is well on the way to satisfying requirements for in-home broadband service. In a second filing, T-Mobile also requested keeping the redacted data from public disclosure. "The identified information is extremely sensitive, proprietary information about how T-Mobile is deploying its 5G network -- its most important competitive asset -- including how it is prioritizing deployment of its network infrastructure and bands of spectrum, the extent of its network coverage, the performance of its network, as well as how T-Mobile is deploying and marketing its In-Home Broadband Service," T-Mobile said.

The FCC Wireless Bureau sought comment Monday on IDS GeoRadar's (IDSG) request for modification of its 2018 waiver allowing use of its 76-77 GHz band Hyper Definition Radar (Hydra) system for mining safety (see 1808130022). IDSG asked that use of the Hydra system be expanded to allow for “structural health monitoring” and “quarry, cut-slope and natural landslide monitoring,” the bureau said. The company also asked permission to use an updated version of Hydra. Comments are due July 3, replies July 18 in docket 17-358.

The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology on Monday approved a request from Broadcom, Wi-Fi Alliance Services and the Wireless Broadband Alliance to modify their open automated frequency coordination (AFC) code, which determines available power spectral density for 6 GHz standard power devices. The three sought the change in March (see 2404150050). OET acknowledged the Fixed Wireless Communications Coalition's concerns (see 2404150050). FWCC argues that a complete report detailing the proposed changes would “ensure transparency and without said report, incumbent licensees and other interested parties cannot fully consider an AFC’s proposed changes,” OET said: “Given that the modifications were minor corrections, and OET’s internal analysis found no discrepancies, we find that additional testing is not needed.”

CTIA representatives met with aides to FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks and advocated against any proposal to use the 5G Fund to promote cybersecurity risk management planning. Instead, CTIA advised following the cybersecurity framework (CSF) that the National Institute of Standards and Technology is developing, CTIA said in a filing posted Monday (docket 20-32). Accordingly, 5G Fund recipients should "align their cybersecurity risk management plans with Tier 2 of the CSF, [which] accomplishes the Commission’s goal of incorporating appropriate best practices, while avoiding introducing inconsistency that could undermine the Administration’s efforts to ‘harmonize baseline cybersecurity requirements for critical infrastructure,’” CTIA said. Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel circulated an order on the fund in March (see 2403260052).

Ericsson’s Cradlepoint said T-Mobile will use its Connected Workplace gear as part of the carrier’s fixed wireless access offering for business customers, Cradlepoint said Thursday. Devices will include X10 5G FWA and E300 routers and W1850 and W1855 adapters, which can boost 4G and 5G connections. T-Mobile is also offering Cisco Meraki connected workforce devices.

Dahua Technology and IPVM remain at odds on Dahua USA’s request for confidentially on its compliance plan with FCC supply chain security rules (see 2310130042). Dahua provided additional information last week, which it said makes IPVM’s objections “now largely moot in light of” the “voluntary disclosures.” Parts of the plan remain redacted. While Dahua released some previously redacted information, questions remain, IPVM said in a filing posted Thursday in docket 21-232. Among the information redacted is a list “of the entities in Dahua USA's new control structure,” IPVM said: “We cannot be certain if this is similar to the corporate ownership Dahua has just disclosed. Dahua provides no further justification for this redaction, meaning it hinges on the same basis of vague commercial confidentiality it has now abandoned for other information.”

With hurricane season underway, AT&T said Thursday it added a 45-foot custom-built landing craft to its maritime fleet that can carry equipment to a coastal area after disaster strikes. The landing craft “is part of the more than 750 pieces of specialized response equipment that traverse land, sea and air and can quickly deploy before, during and after any storm,” the carrier said. AT&T is also adding enhanced features to FirstNet push-to-talk and messaging, “introducing new features such as discreet listening and enhanced group and interagency coordination.”

The FCC on Thursday approved environmental sensing capability sensor deployments and coverage plans for Federated Wireless in Hawaii in the citizens broadband radio service band. The Wireless Bureau and Office of Engineering and Technology in coordination with NTIA and the DOD made the approval. Federated has satisfied the sensor coverage requirements to protect DOD operations in nine dynamic protection areas in the state and Pearl Harbor, the notice said. Federated on Wednesday asked for an extra six months, from June 30 to Dec. 31, to launch operations. The extension “is necessary to allow Federated Wireless sufficient time to complete construction of its ESC network in Hawaii, which… is taking longer than anticipated due to circumstances beyond the company’s control.”

The FCC shouldn’t give AT&T and FirstNet control of the 4.9 GHz band, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley told the FCC in the latest filing on the contested band. Giving FirstNet control “would strip today’s 4.9 GHz public safety licensees’ right to expand their systems by forcing incumbent licensees to surrender the spectrum they are not using” and “runs counter to a 2023 FCC order and its commitment to locally controlled public safety in the 4.9 GHz band,” said a filing Wednesday in docket 07-100. It would also allow AT&T “to use the band for commercial purposes, which runs counter to the mission of this public safety band,” Crowley said.