Noticed at online check-in AC gave an option to upgrade using LMU (800+ euro for FRA-yow!) or alternatively eUpgrade. Not sure if this is something new they finagled but at least it seems an improvement to what I have seen before.

Although there were tons of open seats, I had to wait for my other 2 R wait list seats to clear at about T-40 hours, and no switch to LMU was offered on them of course.

In a way, the new R system of hardly ever being available at T -7 days saves a ton of stress trying to get to the phone right on time, and seems to make a lot of sense. The next step would be to just allow wait list for R to be posted anytime after booking to avoid any further phone call.