The FCC has recognized the potential of television broadcasting to evolve and has allowed licensed operators to transition to an all IP-based broadcast technology called Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC 3.0) or NextGen TV. This wireless standard, the result of work that was aligned with Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPPP) and other IP-based communications platforms, is just now being deployed. By the nature of its underlying awareness of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), and ability to transport time synchronous data packet payloads, there now exists a new tool that has an ability to impact the world of Position/Navigation/Timing (PNT).

Ericsson, Qualcomm Technologies and U.S. Cellular announced that the companies have successfully achieved the first extended range 5G New Radio (NR) millimeter wave (mmWave) data call in the U.S. on a commercial network.

Verizon was included in a list of eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) who own equipment or services from Huawei Technologies and ZTE that was released by the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) and Office of Economics and Analytics (OEA).

The FCC denied a request from the city of Irvine, California, to allow participating commercial mobile service (CMS) providers to participate in an end-to-end Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) test on Oct. 15.

The Enterprise Wireless Alliance (EWA) announced the lineup of keynote speakers for its 2020 Wireless Leadership Summit. The summit will be held virtually, October 13 – 15.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai sent letters to CTIA, the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) and Qualcomm to assist in Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) geotargeting efforts.

A sale of the U.S. subsidiaries of Hytera Communications that was expected to be approved by a bankruptcy court on Aug. 27 was delayed. Additionally, the court approved a stipulation between Hytera and Motorola Solutions that lifted a stay the bankruptcy case put on other legal proceedings between the two entities.

The FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau and Wireless Telecommunications Bureau announced a temporary freeze on the acceptance and processing of certain applications in the 4.9 GHz band.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai shared with his colleagues a draft proposal that would take decisive steps toward making the 3.45 – 3.55 GHz band available for commercial use throughout the contiguous U.S. This item will be on the agenda of the FCC’s September 30 open meeting and, if adopted, would position this 100 megahertz of mid-band spectrum for commercial 5G use.

A variety of public-safety and industry entities argued that an auction of the T-band spectrum will not be successful and finding spectrum to relocate incumbents will be costly and difficult in comments to the FCC.