T-Mobile reported a “best in industry” 532,000 net postpaid phone additions in Q1 and 405,000 customers added to its Home Internet service Thursday. Service revenue was $16.1 billion, up 4% year over year, with net income of $2.4 billion, up 22%. T-Mobile reported postpaid churn of 0.86%. The carrier was the last of the big three to report.

T-Mobile opposed expanded space operations in the 2110-2120 MHz portion of the AWS-1 band, joining its wireless peers (see 2404020028). “That spectrum has been auctioned by the Commission as part of the AWS-1 frequency band (2110-2155 MHz) and is heavily employed by wireless companies to provide service to customers,” the carrier said in a filing posted Thursday in docket 13-155: “T-Mobile currently has 185 licenses in the AWS-1 band and spent over $4 billion in Auction 66, which resulted in the licensing of most of the AWS-1 band.”

The 5G Automotive Association met with staff from the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology on proposals the group made in June 2021 comments seeking a revised definition of cellular vehicle to everything in the 5.9 GHz band. “C-V2X direct communication in the 5.9 GHz band enables ultra-low latency information sharing among vehicles, roadway infrastructure, and vulnerable road users to enable safer travel, reduce roadway congestion and accidents, and, most importantly, save lives,” said a filing posted Thursday in docket 19-138. “The use of C-V2X to provide traffic signal state information to cars, for example, supports red light running violation warnings and promotes general environmental and fuel efficiency benefits by allowing vehicles to avoid unnecessary braking,” 5GAA said.

NTIA hired Shiva Goel, who was an aide to FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks, as senior advisor-spectrum policy, NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson said Wednesday. Scott Harris served in that role previously. He left the agency a month ago. Since then, questions arose about who would oversee NTIA’s implementation of the national spectrum strategy (see 2404030033). Davidson also announced Francella Ochillo as director-public engagement. Ochillo was a technology and society fellow at Georgetown University.

The Public Safety Spectrum Alliance (PSSA) defended its push for assigning 4.9 GHz band spectrum to FirstNet (see 2401190067), in a filing posted Wednesday in docket 07-100. It’s important that the FCC “preserve access to the band for incumbent users, while taking steps to increase nationwide usage as well as leverage the unique characteristics of this mid-band spectrum to supercharge 5G capabilities for a broader array of public safety users,” the PSSA said: Under current rules “the band would remain balkanized and underutilized nationwide -- as it has for more than two decades.” Giving the FirstNet Authority access is “the clear and obvious path to advance the public interest,” the group said.

Eager to win FCC approval of its proposed buy of Mint Mobile (see 2303150032), a low-cost prepaid wireless brand, and other assets from Ka’ena, T-Mobile told the FCC it would agree to a handset unlocking requirement. Public and consumer interest groups have asked the FCC to push for that concession (see 2402060025). “Within 60 days of the closing of the transaction, T-Mobile commits to implement an unlocking policy applicable to all Mint Mobile and Ultra Mobile devices activated on the T-Mobile network both pre- and post-closing,” said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 23-171. T-Mobile said it views the concession as unnecessary but wants to ensure prompt FCC approval. The company "believes that the public interest benefits of its proposed acquisition of the Mint Mobile and Ultra Mobile wireless brands and their customers are clear and compelling and that no credible competitive concerns have been raised with respect to the proposed transaction,” the filing said. T-Mobile reports quarterly earnings after the close of the financial markets Thursday. “It is good to see progress on the issue, though the voluntary commitments do not quite match what we asked for in the record,” emailed PK Legal Director John Bergmayer. “There are some timing differences,” but the biggest difference is T-Mobile is committing to unlocking Mint Mobile and Ultra Mobile devices, “as opposed to all devices on the T-Mobile network,” he said: “It’s not just Mint customers that would benefit from unlocking, and having a uniform policy would probably be simpler.” It’s “in the public interest to unlock all new devices on T-Mobile’s network, not only the acquired Mint Mobile customers,” said Michael Calabrese, director of the Wireless Future Program at New America: “A uniform policy for all T-Mobile customers would also bring the U.S. closer to the sort of industry-wide unlocking policy that is already required by the regulators in Canada” and the U.K.

Fixed wireless access compares favorably to fiber in the eyes of consumers, said a new Ericsson report surveying 2,000 U.S. households. Respondents "believe 5G Fixed Wireless achieves fiber-level performance while delivering an equitable service experience to Fiber,” the report said. 5G FWA and fiber were rated similarly on capacity, in-door coverage, latency, reliability, security and speed. FWA won in two categories, customer loyalty and price, but lost to fiber on equipment quality. "This enthusiasm for FWA among users is highlighted by the fact that fewer than 1 in 10 households using 5G FWA would consider terminating their subscription within a year," the report said: "Notably, residents of metropolitan areas and of rural towns and villages report the highest 5G FWA network satisfaction."

Samsung Electronics America representatives met with aides to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel about the company’s request for a waiver for a 5G base station radio that works across citizens broadband radio service and C-band spectrum (see 2309130041). The company refuted concerns raised about the potential interference threat to CBRS (see 2404090058). Samsung was “the first phone manufacturer to offer a phone operating in CBRS in the United States and a leading supplier of CBRS base stations around the country,” said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 23-93: “Samsung has every incentive to ensure its proposed radio does not intentionally interfere with its and others’ CBRS radios.” The waiver request “has been pending more than 600 days and is ripe for grant,” the company said.

The FCC wants comments by May 23, replies by June 24, in docket 22-238 on a Further NPRM concerning steps the commission can take under the Safe Connections Act that will help survivors of domestic violence access safe, affordable connected car services, said a notice in Tuesday's Federal Register. Commissioners approved the item earlier this month (see 2404080072).

T-Mobile on Tuesday unveiled two fixed wireless access offerings, Home Internet Plus and an Away plan for frequent travelers. The Plus plan includes T-Mobile’s latest 5G gateway, a Wi-Fi mesh access point and unlimited tech support. The price is $70/month with AutoPay, or $50/month with AutoPay and a premium voice line. The Away plan targets “frequent travelers like RVers, campers and digital nomads,” and offers 200 GBs of data for $110/month with AutoPay, unlimited data for $160/month. The announcement comes days before T-Mobile reports quarterly results on Thursday. “Whether it’s expanding your home Wi-Fi signal to cover more spaces and connected devices, or taking the internet with you on the road, T-Mobile has the internet options that fit your needs -- and it’s all backed by the nation’s leading 5G network,” said Allan Samson, chief broadband officer.