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Airport 5G restrictions should be made permanent, says aviation body

Airport 5G | Airliner on final approach at night

Last year saw temporary airport 5G restrictions imposed after safety concerns were voiced over potential interference with radio altimeters on airliners. A body representing the aviation industry has now called for these restrictions to be made permanent.

It’s the latest development in what began as an embarrassing clash between two different government agencies …

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Carrier location data usage again under investigation, after promises broken

Carrier location data | Satellite photo of New York City

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is again investigating the collection and use of carrier location data – the information mobile networks have about where your mobile devices are, as well as your movement patterns.

It follows a previous investigation which last year found that wireless carriers broke federal law by selling this private data to a number of third-party companies …

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Delete TikTok from app stores, says FCC commissioner to Apple and Google

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An FCC commissioner has called on both Apple and Google to delete TikTok from their respective app stores, giving the companies until July 8 to respond. It is not clear what measures the Federal Communications Commission might take if the companies do not comply.

The lengthy four-page letter says that TikTok is not a video-sharing app, but a “sophisticated surveillance tool” for the Chinese government …

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6G launch planning should start now to avoid another 5G mess – FCC

6G launch planning should start now to avoid another 5G mess

New Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair Jessica Rosenworcel has today told delegates at the Mobile World Congress that 6G launch planning should begin now, even though switch-on is not expected until 2030.

Her remarks follow the embarrassing clash between the FCC and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) over the safety of the expanded 5G rollout …

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FCC chairman Ajit Pai to resign next month after controversial four years under President Trump

Controversial FCC chairman Ajit Pai has announced that he will resign as of January 20, 2021. This announcement is not necessarily surprising, as this is the same day that President-elect Joe Biden will be inaugurated and it is tradition for the FCC chairman to step down in conjunction with the inauguration of a new president.

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Apple urges FCC to leave ‘super-high’ radio spectrum available for 5G and future innovation

Apple has urged the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) to leave the so-called ‘super-high’ radio spectrum free for use for 5G and other uses that may be developed later.

The FCC licenses a number of different radio spectrums, which means that they are reserved for a specific purpose, like mobile voice calls or television. Unlicensed radio spectrum can be used for a variety of purposes, and Apple wants to see frequencies in the 95GHz to 3000GHz range remain unlicensed …


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AT&T fined $7.75M by FCC for letting scammers bill customers for ‘sham’ directory service

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The FCC today announced that it has agreed to a settlement with AT&T for the carrier allowing unauthorized third-party charges on customers’ monthly bill. AT&T will pay a total fine of $7.75 million, $6.8 million of which will be refunds to affect customers. The other $950,000 will be a federal fine paid to the U.S. Treasury.


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Apple asks FCC to recognize Made For iPhone hearing aids to encourage accessibility innovation

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Apple recently has filed a new document with the Federal Communications Commission in which it argues that Made for iPhone, or MFi, accessories should be acknowledged by the organization as alternatives for hearing aid compatibility compliance. Recently, the FCC has proposed that all phones and consumer wireless devices must be compatible with hearing aids.


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iPad Pro receives FCC clearance as release date nears

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Last month, Apple finally unveiled the long-rumored iPad Pro, which sports a large 12.9-inch display and 64-bit A9X processor — the closest thing to a tablet/laptop crossover the company has announced so far. In an FCC filing that just went public, the iPad Pro has officially been cleared for sale and use in the United States.

The report (originally spotted by GforGames) states that the iPad Pro has been registered with model number A1652, with both Wi-Fi-only and Wi-Fi+LTE models approved. Apple’s Pro tablet will support 802.11 Wi-Fi standards a/b/g/n/ac in 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies, and optionally LTE Cat. 4, with maximum download speeds of 150Mbps. These listed specs match those shown on the iPad Pro specs page on Apple’s site. It’s also worth noting that the iPad Pro’s Apple Pencil has also passed through the FCC.

Other specifications include built-in stereo speakers on both ends of the device, for a total of four speakers, and a Touch ID sensor for unlocking and making purchases on iTunes and with Apple Pay. There’s an 8MP iSight camera with f/2.4 aperture on the back with 1080p video and slo-mo, and a 1.2MP FaceTime HD camera on the front.

When it was announced, Apple stated that the iPad Pro will be available to buy in November, but preorders could begin later this month. According to our sources, Apple will make the iPad Pro available to order online within the next two weeks, with devices arriving at retail stores in early November. It’ll cost $799 for the 32GB Wi-Fi only model and $949 for the 128GB version, while the 128GB Wi-Fi + Cellular version will ship with an Apple SIM and cost $1079.

AT&T granted Wi-Fi calling waiver, calls for investigation over T-Mobile sidestepping FCC

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AT&T was officially granted an FCC waiver this week to enable Wi-Fi calling for its customers with supported devices like iPhones running iOS 9. Wi-Fi Calling first appeared during the iOS 9 beta period and remained functional for those who enabled it previously, but AT&T stopped sign-ups for the feature once iOS 9 was publicly released due to requirements set by the Federal Communications Commission.

While AT&T has officially turned on Wi-Fi calling for its subscribers, the carrier is doubling down on its position that rivals T-Mobile and Sprint have deployed and marketed Wi-Fi calling features for a while without proper FCC approval. At issue with the FCC is how Wi-Fi calling lacks support for teletypewriter (TTY) devices. And although AT&T has been cleared to turn on Wi-Fi calling without meeting that requirement, it wants in FCC investigation into its competitors’ behavior.
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Apple Bluetooth LE 4.2 ‘Magic Mouse 2’ & new Wireless Keyboard hit the FCC

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It appears plans for future Apple wireless accessories have (again) been spoiled by the FCC. According to a pair of filings that hit the organization’s website yesterday, Apple is preparing to soon debut new versions of its Bluetooth Magic Mouse and Wireless Keyboard. According to images indicating the FCC label location on the accessories, the new mouse will be called the “Magic Mouse 2.” As for the new wireless keyboard, there are no indications of a name change as of yet.


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