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This Week's Wireless News Headlines
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NO POLITICS HERE This doesn't mean that nothing is ever published here that mentions a US political party—it just means that the editorial policy of this newsletter is to remain neutral on all political issues. We don't take sides.
A new issue of the Wireless Messaging Newsletter is posted on the web each week. A notification goes out by e-mail to subscribers on most Fridays around noon central US time. The notification message has a link to the actual newsletter on the web. That way it doesn’t fill up your incoming e-mail account. There is no charge for subscription and there are no membership restrictions. Readers are a very select group of wireless industry professionals, and include the senior managers of many of the world’s major Paging and Wireless Messaging companies. There is an even mix of operations managers, marketing people, and engineers — so I try to include items of interest to all three groups. It’s all about staying up-to-date with business trends and technology. I regularly get readers’ comments, so this newsletter has become a community forum for the Paging, and Wireless Messaging communities. You are welcome to contribute your ideas and opinions. Unless otherwise requested, all correspondence addressed to me is subject to publication in the newsletter and on my web site. I am very careful to protect the anonymity of those who request it. I spend the whole week searching the INTERNET for news that I think may be of interest to you — so you won’t have to. This newsletter is an aggregator — a service that aggregates news from other news sources. You can help our community by sharing any interesting news that you find.
Editorial Opinion pieces present only the opinions of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of any of advertisers or supporters. This newsletter is independent of any trade association. I don't intend to hurt anyone's feelings, but I do freely express my own opinions. |
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There is not a lot of news about Paging these days but when anything significant comes out, you will probably see it here. I also cover text messaging to other devices and various articles about related technology. |
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Overpaid and underperforming: Meet the bosses of US telecomIAIN MORRIS, News Editor 5/3/2022 Hans Vestberg's six and a half years in charge of Ericsson were probably some of the most disastrous in its 140-year history. It not only suffered a catastrophic loss of market share to China's Huawei but also ran its expeditionary Viking ship aground on the razor-sharp reefs of TV, media and the cloud. Then there was the not-insignificant matter of bribing government officials across a swath of countries, the details of which emerged only after Vestberg's departure. His reward for the sabotage and sloppy oversight was a 25% pay rise in 2016, his final year in charge, when Ericsson's share price sank 31%. But that reward of $7.8 million (at today's exchange rate) looks paltry compared with what came next. Joining Verizon as chief technology officer in April 2017, Vestberg had worked his way up to the CEO job by August the following year. His predecessor, Lowell McAdam, was to inspired management what Vladimir Putin is to world peace, having previously bet $9 billion on acquisitions of AOL and Yahoo, two arthritic Internet firms. Since Vestberg took over, Verizon's share price has dropped 15% and the new boss has trousered more than $57.5 million in total compensation.
Last year's roughly $20.3 million marked a 12% increase on his cut in 2019 and is more than 2.6 times what he collected for his final year at Ericsson, using today's exchange rate. The shocker, for Swedes and other Europeans, is that Vestberg is no outlier. While Europe has its fair share of fat-cat bosses, America's are morbidly obese. And they include telecom executives whose performance records are just as lousy as Vestberg's. The way this pay disparity best reveals itself is via calculating the pay ratio between the CEO and the average worker, something US and various other authorities now require companies to show. Vestberg's bulging wallet would seem less offensive if a typical Verizon employee collected roughly a few hundred thousand dollars each year. Only people who cite Das Kapital as their favorite book seriously expect there to be any kind of equivalence. Worse offendersWhat Verizon had to admit in the latest proxy statement it filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission in late March is that its pay ratio currently equals about 166:1. In other words, Vestberg's total haul in wages, stock options and other benefits is 166 times the median remuneration at Verizon. That figure, accordingly, is precisely $122,492. Let's remember, in this assessment, that vast numbers of Verizon employees will be on substantially less. Next to some other US companies, this does not seem egregious. Top of a ranking compiled last year by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) is clothes company Abercrombie & Fitch, whose outrageous pay ratio of 6,565:1 suggests other bosses are leading spartan lives. Median worker pay at Abercrombie & Fitch, however, is just $1,820 (no zeroes are missing there), meaning CEO Fran Horowitz makes about $12 million annually. Table 1: CEO compensation and pay ratios at European and US telcos
Chief offender in the telecom sector is likely to be Mike Sievert, who even grew a beard last year to make him look more sagacious and deserving of a $22.6 million package. On this basis, T-Mobile's boss makes 312 times as much as the median remuneration of $72,572. Intriguingly, he also makes three times more than Timotheus Höttges, who, as CEO of T-Mobile parent company Deutsche Telekom, is Sievert's putative boss. At least T-Mobile's share price is up a quarter since May 2020, when Sievert took charge. The same cannot be said for AT&T and John Stankey, its appropriately named CEO. Heavily involved in the failed $85 billion takeover of Time Warner that left such a stench in shareholder nostrils, Stankey pocketed $24.8 million in overall compensation last year, 18% more than he claimed in 2020. Meanwhile, AT&T's share price dropped 11% in 2021 and its headcount fell by 28,160 jobs as Stankey tried to slash costs. The pay ratio works out at 231:1 and has grown from 227:1 the year before. Worse offendersHow do shareholders feel about all this? Well, at least one reckons the entire system is rotten to the core. "The executive compensation and pay ratios of big Japanese and European companies are much less than one tenth of big American companies," goes the complaint in AT&T's proxy filing. "America's ballooning executive compensation is neither responsible for the society nor sustainable for the economy. There is no rational methodology to decide the executive compensation, particularly when there is no employee representation on boards." But lots of investors were brought into discussions about AT&T's executive compensation program, as AT&T points out in its response. And the disparity between Europe and the US, if not quite as extreme as the complaint suggests, is striking. The UK's BT, which also publishes these figures, paid its CEO 63 times the median remuneration last year. At rival Vodafone, the figure was 88. Some of Europe's telcos report much smaller gaps. Proximus in Belgium has a pay ratio of just 13:1 and its CEO makes only 27 times as much as its lowest-paid employee. Does the US get a better class of CEO in exchange for these riches? Only a madman would categorize Vestberg and Stankey as superior to Europe's current crop of telco bosses. As for Sievert, he seems a capable manager but one still cruising in the slipstream created by John Legere, perhaps the only outstanding leader the US telco sector has seen this century. Publishing these numbers, often at the behest of authorities, draws attention to a wealth gap that appears much worse in the US than it does in Europe. Whether it needs fixing, and how that could be done, are another matter entirely. Most investors possibly do not care about the sums involved provided management is effective. Tougher regulation is hardly desirable and would risk driving talent elsewhere. Now these figures are out in the open, the danger for AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon and other big brands is that egregious pay disparity becomes nearly as toxic as institutional racism or sexism. At a time of sharply rising costs, when many ordinary people are struggling to afford essential items, paying the top manager several hundred times as much as the average employee smacks of Victorian-era unfairness. It is not a good look. |
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| Source: | Light Reading |
| Leavitt Communications |
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Microsoft 365 update delivers a feature we've all been waiting forBy Will McCurdy published April 27, 2022 Microsoft 365 users set for less hassle when switching between email accounts
An update coming to Microsoft 365 web apps will allow users to switch freely between work and personal accounts at last. Managing workloads when juggling a plethora of different email accounts can be a pain for the best of us. But with the latest update, Microsoft 365 users will no longer need to rely on finicky workarounds to switch contexts effectively. Users will now be able to sign into multiple Microsoft accounts in the same browser, and switch between these accounts without needing to sign out and back in or use private browser windows. According to Microsoft, this feature will benefit consultants who need to regularly access emails from different external companies, as well as consumer users switching between their corporate workloads and personal tasks like holiday planning to-do lists. New Microsoft 365 featureTo get started with account switching, users need to access any of the Microsoft 365 web app and then click on the ‘Account Manager’ icon located in the top right corner. From here, users can then add a new account or switch to an existing signed-in account in the browser. Upon a successful add or switch, the page will refresh with content from the new account in the same browser tab. While a user can add multiple accounts in a Microsoft 365 web app, only one account will be active per app at a time. If a user ends up with two or more browser app tabs with different accounts, Microsoft says users will be notified to refresh the tabs with non-active accounts. Is it secure?Microsoft noted that the new feature is not changing data access permissions or mixing data from different accounts and organizations, but merely helping to reduce the friction users face working with multiple accounts in the Microsoft 365 web apps. Microsoft reiterated that each account would continue to only have access to the data which it has permission to access, and that it will maintain data integrity and privacy across different account and organizational boundaries. The new functionality is scheduled to be rolled out by June across the full productivity suite, spanning Office.com, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Microsoft 365 admin center. |
| Source: | TechRadar |
Paging Transmitters 150/900 MHz The RFI High Performance Paging Transmitter is designed for use in campus, city, state and country-wide paging systems. Designed for use where reliable simulcast systems where RF signal overlap coverage is critical.
Built-in custom interface for Prism-IPX ipBSC Base Controller for remote control, management and alarm reporting.
Prism-IPX Systems LLC. 11175 Cicero Dr., Alpharetta, GA 30022
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The Wireless Messaging News
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FCC Grants Experimental License to AST SpaceMobile for BlueWalker 3 Satellite Direct-to-Cell Phone ConnectivityFederal Communications Commission Authorization Will Support Testing in Texas and HawaiiMay 02, 2022 05:11 PM Eastern Daylight Time MIDLAND, Texas—(BUSINESS WIRE)—AST SpaceMobile, Inc. ("AST SpaceMobile") (NASDAQ: ASTS), the company building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network designed to be accessible directly by standard mobile phones, today announced it has received an experimental license from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) supporting its U.S.-based testing of the BlueWalker 3 satellite.
“We appreciate the diligent support of the FCC in providing the experimental license for our upcoming satellite launch,” said AST SpaceMobile Founder, Chairman and CEO Abel Avellan. “Together with other testing around the world, this license will enable us to conduct some of our most important testing here, at home, in the United States.” AST SpaceMobile continues to pursue additional authorizations with the FCC related to its planned constellation of BlueBird satellites. AST SpaceMobile's mission is to eliminate the connectivity gaps faced by today's five billion mobile subscribers moving in and out of coverage zones, and bring cellular broadband to approximately half of the world's population who remain unconnected. Partners in this effort are leading global wireless infrastructure companies, including Rakuten Mobile, Vodafone and American Tower. About AST SpaceMobileAST SpaceMobile is building the first and only global cellular broadband network in space to operate directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices based on our extensive IP and patent portfolio. Our engineers and space scientists are on a mission to eliminate the connectivity gaps faced by today's five billion mobile subscribers and finally bring broadband to the billions who remain unconnected. For more information, follow AST SpaceMobile on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Watch this video for an overview of the SpaceMobile mission. Forward-Looking StatementsThis communication contains “forward-looking statements” that are not historical facts, and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results of AST SpaceMobile to differ materially from those expected and projected. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the words “believes,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “potential,” “projects,” “predicts,” “continue,” or “should,” or, in each case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results. Most of these factors are outside AST SpaceMobile’s control and are difficult to predict. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to: (i) expectations regarding AST SpaceMobile’s strategies and future financial performance, including AST’s future business plans or objectives, expected functionality of the SpaceMobile Service, anticipated timing and level of deployment of satellites, anticipated demand and acceptance of mobile satellite services, prospective performance and commercial opportunities and competitors, the timing of obtaining regulatory approvals, ability to finance its research and development activities, commercial partnership acquisition and retention, products and services, pricing, marketing plans, operating expenses, market trends, revenues, liquidity, cash flows and uses of cash, capital expenditures, and AST’s ability to invest in growth initiatives; (ii) the negotiation of definitive agreements with mobile network operators relating to the SpaceMobile service that would supersede preliminary agreements and memoranda of understanding; (iii) the ability of AST SpaceMobile to grow and manage growth profitably and retain its key employees and AST SpaceMobile’s responses to actions of its competitors and its ability to effectively compete; (iv) changes in applicable laws or regulations; (v) the possibility that AST SpaceMobile may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; (vi) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against AST SpaceMobile; and (vii) other risks and uncertainties indicated in the Company’s filings with the SEC, including those in the Risk Factors section of AST SpaceMobile’s Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 31, 2022. AST SpaceMobile cautions that the foregoing list of factors is not exclusive. AST SpaceMobile cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. For information identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the Risk Factors incorporated by reference into AST SpaceMobile’s Form 10-K Registration Statement filed with the SEC on March 31, 2022. AST SpaceMobile’s securities filings can be accessed on the EDGAR section of the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov [sec.gov]. Except as expressly required by applicable securities law, AST SpaceMobile disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. ContactsAST SpaceMobile Media: |
| Source: | business wire | Thanks to: Michael C. Candell |
| PRISM IPX Systems |
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| Easy Solutions |
Providing Expert Support and Service Contracts for all Glenayre Paging Systems.The GL3000 is the most prolific paging system in the world and Easy Solutions gladly welcomes you to join us in providing reliable support to the paging industry for many more decades in the future. Easy Solutions provides cost effective computer and wireless solutions at affordable prices. We can help in most any situation with your communications systems. We have many years of experience and a vast network of resources to support the industry, your system and an ever changing completive landscape.
Experts in Paging Infrastructure
Please see our web site for exciting solutions designed specifically for the Wireless Industry. We also maintain a diagnostic lab and provide important repair and replacement parts services for Motorola and Glenayre equipment. Call or Easy Solutions |
GLENAYRE INFRASTRUCTUREService ContractsI would like to recommend Easy Solutions for Support of all Glenayre Paging Equipment. This Texas company is owned and operated by Vaughan Bowden. I have known Vaughan for over 35 years. Without going into a long list of his experience and qualifications, let me just say that he was the V.P. of Engineering at PageNet which was—at that time—the largest paging company in the world. So Vaughan knows Paging. GTES is no longer offering support contracts. GTES was the original group from Vancouver that was setup to offer support to customers that wanted to continue with the legacy Glenayre support. Many U.S. customers chose not to use this service because of the price and the original requirement to upgrade to version 8.0 software (which required expensive hardware upgrades, etc.). Most contracts ended as of February 2018. If you are at all concerned about future support of Glenayre products, especially the “king of the hill” the GL3000 paging control terminal, I encourage you to talk to Vaughan about a service contract and please tell him about my recommendation. Click on the image above for more info about advertising here. |
INTERNET Protocol Terminal The IPT accepts INTERNET or serial messaging using various protocols and can easily convert them to different protocols, or send them out as paging messages. An ideal platform for hospitals, on-site paging applications, or converting legacy systems to modern protocols.
Additional/Optional Features
Prism-IPX Systems LLC. 11175 Cicero Dr., Alpharetta, GA 30022 |
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TIA Begins Updating Tower, Antenna Standard with Focus on Drone InspectionsMonday, May 02, 2022 The Telecommunications Industry Association’s TR-14 Committee, which oversees TIA’s standards for towers and antenna supporting structures, has begun the process of updating the TIA-222-H standard since it’s last full revision in 2017. TIA invited all industry stakeholders to submit input for the update of TIA-222-H to TIA-222-I. TIA-222 is a structural standard that defines requirements for antenna supporting structures to ensure they meet the needs of modern communications systems in various environmental conditions like wind, snow, and ice. The standard has been in existence for over 60 years and is relied on by a range of organizations, including communications service providers, utility companies, construction firms and all levels of government. It is also relied upon by other standards and regulatory organizations such as the International Building Code and Operational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) which act to preserve public health and safety in the built environment. One of the new practices expected to be deliberated in the TIA-222 revision is standardization of the use of drones to inspect towers and structures. Drones are increasingly being used to reduce the number of climbs required by an engineer or technician and to provide near real-time information about the structure to tower owners, operators, and the maintenance work force, helping to save both time and money. “The TIA-222 standard is critical for wireless networks, backhaul, and especially 5G deployments to meet the need for more structures to host wireless antennas that will expand coverage and improve services,” said Tom McGarry, vice president of standards at TIA. “Our members have maintained this structural standard for over half a century, and now, with the potential inclusion of drones to help businesses reduce risk and costs, the standard will continue to be vital for the next generation of wireless network deployments.” |
| Source: | Radio Resource Mission Critical Communications |
Paging Data Receiver PDR-4 The PDR-4 is a multi-function paging data receiver that decodes paging messages and outputs them via the serial port, USB or Ethernet connectors. Designed for use with Prism-IPX ECHO software Message Logging Software to receive messages and log the information for proof of transmission over the air, and if the data was error free.
Prism-IPX Systems LLC. 11175 Cicero Dr., Alpharetta, GA 30022 |
Wireless Network Planners
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R.H. (Ron) Mercer |
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MEDTECH AI researchers at Mayo Clinic use the Apple Watch to detect silent, weakening heart diseaseBy Conor Hale May 3, 2022 02:41pm
Using simplified ECG data taken from an Apple Watch, researchers at the Mayo Clinic were able to use an artificial intelligence algorithm to spot people whose hearts may be having trouble pumping blood out to the rest of the body. The condition—known as low ejection fraction, where a smaller percentage of blood is pushed out of the heart with each beat—is linked with worsening heart failure and can go undetected with no signs or symptoms or be associated with shortness of breath or blood pooling in the legs. "Left ventricular dysfunction—a weak heart pump—afflicts 2% to 3% of people globally and up to 9% of people over age 60,” said Paul Friedman, M.D., chair of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Researchers at the clinic previously demonstrated that they could use AI to detect cases of low ejection fraction using a hospital-based ECG with 12 leads and multiple electrodes wired to the chest. Now, they’ve shown they can tune the system to get the number of leads down to one. “It is absolutely remarkable that AI transforms a consumer watch ECG signal into a detector of this condition, which would normally require an expensive, sophisticated imaging test, such as an echo cardiogram, CT scan or MRI," Friedman said in a statement. Participants from 11 countries signed up for the study over email. More than 125,000 ECGs were logged over a period of six months. According to the researchers, the test demonstrated an area under the curve of 0.88, a measure of prediction accuracy about equivalent to a treadmill-based cardiac stress test. “Advanced diagnostics that once required travel to a clinic can be accurately done, as this Apple Watch ECG study demonstrates, from a patient's wrist whether they live in Brazil or Baton Rouge,” said Bradley Leibovich, M.D., medical director of the Mayo Clinic's Center for Digital Health. The study’s findings were presented at the annual conference of the Heart Rhythm Society. Previously, the algorithms for analyzing 12-lead ECGs—which have received a breakthrough designation from the FDA and an emergency authorization for use against COVID-19—were licensed by nference and Mayo Clinic to Anumana, an AI developer working on their commercialization. Mayo Clinic and nference helped launch Anumana in April 2021 alongside a separate company, Lucem Health, a venture between Mayo Clinic and health tech-focused Commure that focuses on algorithms for crunching the numbers from remote patient telemetry devices. |
| Source: | FIERCE Biotech |
Brad Dye, Ron Mercer, Allan Angus, Vic Jackson, and Ira Wiesenfeld are friends and colleagues who work both together and independently, on wireline and wireless communications projects. Click here Note: We do not like Patent Trolls, i.e. “a person or company who enforces patent rights against accused infringers in an attempt to collect licensing fees, but does not manufacture products or supply services based upon the patents in question.” We have helped some prominent law firms defend their clients against this annoyance, and would be happy to do some more of this same kind of work. Some people use the title “consultant” when they don't have a real job. We actually do consulting work, and help others based on our many years of experience. “If you would know the road ahead, ask someone who has traveled it.” — Chinese Proverb
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Remote AB Switches ABX-1 switches are often used at remote transmitter sites to convert from old, outdated and unsupported controllers to the new modern Prism-IPX ipBSC base station controllers. Remotely switch to new controllers with GUI commands. ABX-1 ABX-3 switches are widely used for enabling or disabling remote equipment and switching I/O connections between redundant messaging systems. ABX-3 Common Features:
Prism-IPX Systems LLC. 11175 Cicero Dr., Alpharetta, GA 30022 |
A new YouTube video was released this week, "Two Teens, a Ham Radio, and Operation Deep Freeze."Produced by Lance Geiger, known as The History Guy, the video chronicles two teenage hams back in the mid to late 1950's who helped keep an expedition at the South Pole, during the international Geophysical year in 1957, in touch with family and friends throughout the entire winter. Jules Madey, K2KGJ, his brother John, K2KGH (now SK) are the hams profiled and their use of phone patches and relays to pass on messages from the crew at the pole. The video presents the back story of how this all came about with frequent expeditions by the US Navy to begin setting up a polar base. |
| Source: | The ARRL Letter for May 5, 2022 |
| Leavitt Communications |
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Science News Electronics can grow on trees thanks to nanocellulose paper semiconductors
Semiconducting nanomaterials with 3D network structures have high surface areas and lots of pores that make them excellent for applications involving adsorbing, separating, and sensing. However, simultaneously controlling the electrical properties and creating useful micro- and macro-scale structures, while achieving excellent functionality and end-use versatility, remains challenging. Now, Osaka University researchers, in collaboration with The University of Tokyo, Kyushu University, and Okayama University, have developed a nanocellulose paper semiconductor that provides both nano-micro-macro trans-scale designability of the 3D structures and wide tunability of the electrical properties. Their findings are published in ACS Nano. Cellulose is a natural and easy to source material derived from wood. Cellulose nanofibers (nanocellulose) can be made into sheets of flexible nanocellulose paper (nanopaper) with dimensions like those of standard A4. Nanopaper does not conduct an electric current; however, heating can introduce conducting properties. Unfortunately, this exposure to heat can also disrupt the nanostructure. The researchers have therefore devised a treatment process that allows them to heat the nanopaper without damaging the structures of the paper from the nanoscale up to the macroscale. "An important property for the nanopaper semiconductor is tunability because this allows devices to be designed for specific applications," explains study author Hirotaka Koga. "We applied an iodine treatment that was very effective for protecting the nanostructure of the nanopaper. Combining this with spatially controlled drying meant that the pyrolysis treatment did not substantially alter the designed structures and the selected temperature could be used to control the electrical properties." The researchers used origami (paper folding) and kirigami (paper cutting) techniques to provide playful examples of the flexibility of the nanopaper at the macrolevel. A bird and box were folded, shapes including an apple and snowflake were punched out, and more intricate structures were produced by laser cutting. This demonstrated the level of detail possible, as well as the lack of damage caused by the heat treatment. Examples of successful applications showed nanopaper semiconductor sensors incorporated into wearable devices to detect exhaled moisture breaking through facemasks and moisture on the skin. The nanopaper semiconductor was also used as an electrode in a glucose biofuel cell and the energy generated lit a small bulb. "The structure maintenance and tunability that we have been able to show is very encouraging for the translation of nanomaterials into practical devices," says Associate Professor Koga. "We believe that our approach will underpin the next steps in sustainable electronics made entirely from plant materials." Story Source: Materials provided by Osaka University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Journal Reference:
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| Source: | Osaka University. "Electronics can grow on trees thanks to nanocellulose paper semiconductors." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 26 April 2022. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/04/220426153659.htm. |
| Inside Towers Newsletter |
DISH Finally Rolls the 5G Dice in VegasDISH Network, after months of delay, launched its 5G service to consumers in Las Vegas yesterday, according to Reuters. The new service, named "Project Genesis," was originally planned to hit Las Vegas in September in an effort to diminish dependence on T-Mobile’s network. T-Mobile provided the power for DISH's prepaid wireless service, Boost, which was part of T-Mobile’s acquisition of Sprint. The now-merged carriers, in the face of anti-trust action, agreed to divest themselves of some wireless spectrum along with some assets that would be used by their new competitor, Inside Towers reported. Although DISH was allowed to use T-Mobile’s network, complications arose when T-Mobile decided to shut down its CDMA services which were being widely used by Boost customers. DISH is creating its own cellular network, with a mandate to bring it on-line by June in 120 markets. Customers signing up for the service will have to pay $30 per month and DISH is selling its first smartphone — the Motorola Edge+ — loaded with the service for about $900, the company said in a statement. |
| Source: | Inside Towers newsletter | Courtesy of the editor of Inside Towers, Jim Fryer. Inside Towers is a daily newsletter by subscription. |
| BloostonLaw Newsletter |
FCC Releases Draft “Enhanced A-CAM” NPRMOn May 4, the FCC released the text of its draft Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on a proposal by the ACAM Broadband Coalition (the “Coalition”) to establish an “Enhanced A-CAM” program that would target deployment of 100/20 Mbps broadband service in rural areas served by carriers currently receiving A-CAM support. The item is currently scheduled to be considered at the FCC’s May 2020 Open Meeting. See the full article below for more information. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Sal Taillefer. HeadlinesTentative Agenda for May Open Meeting AnnouncedOn April 28, the FCC issued the tentative agenda for its upcoming May Open Meeting, which is currently scheduled for May 19. At the meeting, the FCC is tentatively scheduled to consider the following items:
Each summary above contains a link to the draft text of each item expected to be considered at this Open Meeting. However, it is possible that changes will be made before the Meeting. One-page cover sheets prepared by the FCC are included in the public drafts to help provide an additional summary. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and John Prendergast. FCC Releases Draft NPRM on “Enhanced A-CAM” ProgramOn May 4, the FCC released the text of its draft Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on a proposal by the ACAM Broadband Coalition (the “Coalition”) to establish an “Enhanced A-CAM” program that would target deployment of 100/20 Mbps broadband service in rural areas served by carriers currently receiving A-CAM support. The item is currently scheduled to be considered at the FCC’s May 2020 Open Meeting. The Coalition’s proposal would extend both A-CAM I and A-CAM II by (i) requiring deployment of 100/20 Mbps service to 90% of locations in eligible census blocks, as determined by the FCC’s upcoming Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric (with the remaining 10% to be 25/3), but (ii) increasing monthly support for participating A-CAM carriers to the higher of 80% of a company’s model-estimated costs or $300 per location. The proposal adds six years of support for most A-CAM I and A-CAM II carriers (eight years of additional support in the case of A-CAM I carriers that did not accept Revised A-CAM I support in 2019), and would use the following milestones: 100/20 Mbps broadband service to at least 30% of eligible locations by the end of the second year after the program begins, and with an additional 10% for each subsequent year. The Coalition proposes to add census blocks that were ineligible for A-CAM I because they were FTTP-served by the incumbent or an affiliate, and census blocks that were excluded from A-CAM I because they were served by an unsubsidized competitor with at least 10/1 Mbps service. The draft NPRM indicates interest by the FCC in the Coalition proposal but the numerous questions posed by the FCC indicate that the proposal may be changed significantly if it is ultimately adopted. Key questions on which the FCC is seeking comment include:
The NPRM notes that the FCC plans to initiate a separate proceeding to review the deployment obligations and funding levels for Connect America Fund — Broadband Loop Support (“CAF-BLS”) recipients, and to bring the deployment obligations and timeframes for such carriers into closer alignment with the Enhanced ACAM mechanism. A more detailed analysis of the NPRM is forthcoming; in the meantime, carriers with questions on the FCC’s proposals, or with interest in filing comments, may contact the firm for more information. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Sal Taillefer. Sens. Capito, Klobuchar Introduce Rural Broadband Protection ActOn May 3, U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), both members of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, introduced the Rural Broadband Protection Act (S.4126), which would require “a more thorough vetting and verification process for Internet service providers seeking to participate in the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) high-cost programs.” Specifically, the bill would require the FCC to initiate a rulemaking to develop a vetting process similar to the technical and financial demonstrations required in recent auction applications, which would cover any high-cost USF funding provided through a competitive award process. Applications for future funding awards would be required to include, at a minimum, “a proposal containing sufficient detail and documentation for the Commission to ascertain that the applicant possesses the technical capability, and has a reasonable plan, to deploy the proposed network and deliver services with the relevant performance characteristics defined by the Commission and as pledged by the applicant.” The proposal must include “sufficient detail and supporting documentation for the Commission to reasonably ascertain whether the applicant and the technology that the applicant plans to use would have the ability to perform as required given the characteristics of the locations to be served.” The FCC is required to evaluate a proposal “against reasonable and well-established technical standards, including the technical standards adopted by the Commission in orders of the Commission relating to modernizing the FCC Form 477 Data Program” or any successor program. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Sal Taillefer. Law and RegulationSpectrum Innovation Act Introduced in House, SenateOn April 28, U.S. Representatives Mike Doyle (D-PA-18) and Bob Latta (R-OH-05), and U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and John Thune (R-SD), introduced the Spectrum Innovation Act of 2022, which is aimed at freeing up new airwaves for wireless broadband use by the public. As drafted, the key provisions of the Act would require an auction within seven years of enactment of at least 200 MHz in the 3.1-3.45 GHz band for non-Federal use, shared Federal and non-Federal use, or a combination of the two. “Our entire economy runs on mobile broadband technology today,” Congressman Doyle observed. “Congress must make as much spectrum as possible available for improved broadband service for consumers and for promoting new, innovative use of our airwaves. The Spectrum Innovation Act would do just that.” “I’m proud of the bipartisan work that went into the Spectrum Innovation Act of 2022,” said Latta. “This legislation is absolutely vital to deploy robust 5G networks, close the digital divide for rural Americans, and will allow innovators to create next generation communications technology.” “With such great capabilities to provide essential needs to the American people, the federal government cannot stand by while countless citizens, in New Mexico and across the country, are stuck struggling with little to no Internet connection,” said Senator Luján, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband. “Ensuring that communication providers have the necessary spectrum to deploy nationwide 5G has long been a priority for me,” said Senator Thune, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband. BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Cary Mitchell. FCC Proposes $100,000 Forfeiture for Violation of RDOF Prohibited Communications RuleOn May 3, the FCC issued a Notice of Apparent Liability to LTD Broadband LLC (LTD), for repeatedly engaging in prohibited communications of its bidding and bidding strategies during the FCC’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) Phase I Auction (Auction 904), and its failure to timely report such prohibited communications. As a result, the FCC proposed a forfeiture of $100,000. Specifically, the FCC found that LTD apparently willfully and repeatedly engaged in prohibited communications of its bidding, bidding strategies, and bidding results to Cox Communications, Inc. (Cox) via LTD’s investment agent, RJM & Company, LLC (RJM). LTD hired an investment agent named RJM to raise “capital for investment into LTD” in order to support and “expand LTD’s operations.” Although the specifics of the prohibited communications are redacted in the NAL, it appears that RJM reached out to Cox, another bidder in the RDOF auction, regarding a potential investment in LTD and disclosing some aspect of LTD’s auction participation. Carriers should take note that although the violation was actually committed by the auction applicant’s agent, it is the auction applicant against whom the fine has been proposed. Furthermore, it is also worth noting that LTD apparently did caution RJM to be careful when speaking to other auction participants, but the FCC found that this did not warrant favorable treatment to LTD because (i) the admonition came after LTD had communicated prohibited information RJM and, in any event, (ii) the informal warning from LTD “was in tension with RJM’s contractual mandate to identify investors or lenders; to contact those investors; and to [REDACTED].” BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Sal Taillefer. Comments on Pole Replacement FNPRM Due June 27On May 2, the FCC issued a Public Notice announcing the comment deadlines for its March 16, 2022 Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on whether further reforms are necessary to provide regulatory certainty with regard to pole replacements, particularly with regard to the allocation of costs for pole replacements. Comments are due June 27, and reply comments are due July 27. As we reported in a previous edition of the BloostonLaw Telecom Update, comment is sought on the following matters:
Carriers with questions about the FCC’s latest revisions to pole attachment rules may contact the firm for more information. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy and Sal Taillefer. Industry988 Geolocation Forum Scheduled for May 24On April 26, the FCC issued a Public Notice announcing that it will convene a forum on the challenges and opportunities related to geolocation for 988, the three-digit number designated for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. According to the Notice, this forum will include state and local stakeholders, suicide prevention and mental health experts and advocates, communications industry leaders, and technical experts. Stakeholders will present and participate on panels on a number of geolocation topics including 988 geolocation challenges, highlighting those on the front lines of suicide prevention and mental health crisis services. The forum will also feature discussions by industry and technical experts on the technical challenges of transmitting location information with a call to 988 and possible solutions. The full agenda for the forum will be released in a subsequent public notice. The geolocation forum for 988 is open to the public on the Internet via live feed from the FCC’s web page at http://www.fcc.gov/live. FCC Opens Third Filing Window for Emergency Connectivity FundOn April 28, the FCC announced the opening of a third application filing window to award at least $1 billion in Emergency Connectivity Fund support. From April 28, 2022 until May 13, 2022, eligible schools and libraries can submit requests for funding to purchase eligible equipment and services between July 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023. The FCC anticipates that, given past demand, the third application filing window will likely be the last opportunity for schools and libraries to request funding before available funds are exhausted. As we reported in a previous edition of the BloostonLaw Telecom Update, the FCC recently announced the 13th wave of funding, supporting over 170 schools, 30 libraries, and 4 consortia across the country, including for students in Alaska, Indiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Texas. Total commitments to date include over $4.79 billion for over 11,000 schools, 900 libraries, and 130 consortia. The funding can be used to purchase laptops and tablets, Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, routers, and broadband connections to serve unmet needs for off-premises use by students, school staff, and library patrons. FCC Grants 3.45 GHz LicensesOn May 5, the FCC granted 4,041 flexible-use licenses for wireless services in the 3.45 GHz band to winning bidders in Auction 110, which closed in January. With this action, the agency has completed its review and granted all licenses requested in the long-form applications of winning bidders in Auction 110. More information on the granted licenses can be found here. According to a Press Release, the 3.45 GHz auction resulted in gross proceeds exceeding $22.5 billion. Thirteen of the twenty-three companies with winning bids qualified as small businesses or as entities serving rural communities. In addition, compared to the prior 5G auction of spectrum in the 3.7 GHz band, this auction saw a substantial increase in the number of winning bidders per market: over one-third of the top 100 markets have at least four winning bidders, compared with 10% of the top 100 markets for Auction 107 (3.7 GHz band). DeadlinesMAY 31: FCC FORM 395, EMPLOYMENT REPORT. Common carriers, including wireless carriers, with 16 or more full-time employees must file their annual Common Carrier Employment Reports (FCC Form 395) by May 31. This report tracks carrier compliance with rules requiring recruitment of minority employees. Further, the FCC requires all common carriers to report any employment discrimination complaints they received during the past year. That information is also due on May 31. The FCC encourages carriers to complete the discrimination report requirement by filling out Section V of Form 395, rather than submitting a separate report. BloostonLaw Contact: Richard Rubino. [WAIVED; NEW DEADLINE NOT YET ESTABLISHED] JULY 1: FCC FORM 481 (CARRIER ANNUAL REPORTING DATA COLLECTION FORM). All eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) must report the information required by Section 54.313, which includes information on the ETC’s holding company, operating companies, ETC affiliates and any branding in response to section 54.313(a)(8); its CAF-ICC certification, if applicable; its financial information, if a privately held rate-of-return carrier; and its satellite backhaul certification, if applicable. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Sal Taillefer. JULY 1: MOBILITY FUND PHASE I ANNUAL REPORT. Winning bidders in Auction 901 that are authorized to receive Mobility Fund Phase I support are required to submit to the FCC an annual report each year on July 1 for the five years following authorization. Each annual report must be submitted to the Office of the Secretary of the FCC, clearly referencing WT Docket No. 10-208; the Universal Service Administrator; and the relevant state commissions, relevant authority in a U.S. Territory, or Tribal governments, as appropriate. The information and certifications required to be included in the annual report are described in Section 54.1009 of the FCC’s rules. BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Sal Taillefer. JULY 31: FCC FORM 507, LINE COUNT DATA (A-CAM AND ALASKA PLAN RECPIENTS). Sections 54.313(f)(5) and 54.903(a)(1) of the FCC’s rules requires all rate-of-return telecommunications carriers to provide line count information on FCC Form 507 to USAC, the universal service Administrator. Carriers receiving Connect America Fund Broadband Loop Support (CAF BLS) must submit this information annually on March 31st of each year, and may update the data on a quarterly basis. Carriers that receive Alternative Connect America Model (A-CAM) I, A-CAM II, or Alaska Plan support are required to file by July 1st of each year. For 2020, the FCC has extended the A-CAM filing deadline until July 31. BloostonLaw Contacts: Gerry Duffy and Sal Taillefer. JULY 31: CARRIER IDENTIFICATION CODE (CIC) REPORTS. Carrier Identification Code (CIC) Reports must be filed by the last business day of July (this year, July 31). These reports are required of all carriers who have been assigned a CIC code by NANPA. Failure to file could result in an effort by NANPA to reclaim it, although according to the Guidelines this process is initiated with a letter from NANPA regarding the apparent non-use of the CIC code. The assignee can then respond with an explanation. (Guidelines Section 6.2). The CIC Reporting Requirement is included in the CIC Assignment Guidelines, produced by ATIS. According to section 1.4 of that document: At the direction of the NANPA, the access providers and the entities who are assigned CICs will be requested to provide access and usage information to the NANPA, on a semi-annual basis to ensure effective management of the CIC resource. (Holders of codes may respond to the request at their own election). Access provider and entity reports shall be submitted to NANPA no later than January 31 for the period ending December 31, and no later than July 31 for the period ending June 30. It is also referenced in the NANPA Technical Requirements Document, which states at 7.18.6: CIC holders shall provide a usage report to the NANPA per the industry CIC guidelines … The NAS shall be capable of accepting CIC usage reports per guideline requirements on January 31 for the period ending December 31 and no later than July 31 for the period ending June 30. These reports may also be mailed and accepted by the NANPA in paper form. Finally, according to the NANPA website, if no local exchange carrier reports access or usage for a given CIC, NANPA is obliged to reclaim it. The semi-annual utilization and access reporting mechanism is described at length in the guidelines. BloostonLaw contacts: Ben Dickens and Gerry Duffy.
Calendar At-a-GlanceMay June July TBD Blooston, Mordkofsky, Dickens, Duffy & Prendergast, LLP is a telecommunications law firm representing rural telecommunications companies, wireless carriers, private radio licensees, cable TV companies, equipment manufacturers and industry associations before the FCC and the courts, as well as state and local government agencies. Our clients range from Fortune 500 companies to small and medium-sized enterprises whose vitality and efficiency depend on the effective deployment of communications. |
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Dear members and friends, After the great success of our Summit series in 2021, we will continue in 2022 as follows: #CMASummit22 with the focus on Collaborative Technologies. On June 21st, starting at 1:00 pm CETThe programme:
Discussions and more … So, please mark your calendar: June 21st, 1:00 to 4:00 pm CET. On the net.Another important note: The preparation of the face to face meeting in Paris has started. During the #CMAparis22. The focus of the meeting will be to talk about cooperation and more about CMA working groups.. And also drink a Côtes Du Rhône. So, please make a note in your calendar and look for flights: September 14th, noon, to September 16th, early afternoon. Please feel free to pass on the enclosed information (same wording as this e-mail) about the events to your environment (customers, organizations, press, etc.) so that we can reach as wide an international audience as possible. We hope you will join us and even more we are sure of your commitment. With best regards from all the members of the Board of Directors, Dietmar Gollnick |
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“Too Much Competition”Tuba Skinny
Final song of Tuna Skinny’s superb set on Royal Street, with a fellow busker sitting in on washboard. I like that you can hear Robin encouraging him on his solo. So great to see them back on Royal St. and a sincere thank you to everybody who voiced their opinion and getting the city to finally let the musicians get back to doing what they love. Recorded 4-25-22. |
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