Calls for redefining broadband to 100 Mbps symmetrical as part of the White House's proposed $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan (see 2103310064) will face sizable cable industry opposition and could get caught up in partisan disagreements, broadband experts told us. The fiber broadband industry is the chief proponent of that redefinition, and some think 100 Mbps symmetrical will be an uphill battle.
Matt Daneman
Matt Daneman, Senior Editor, covers pay TV, cable broadband, satellite, and video issues and the Federal Communications Commission for Communications Daily. He joined Warren Communications in 2015 after more than 15 years at the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, where he covered business among other issues. He also was a correspondent for USA Today. You can follow Daneman on Twitter: @mdaneman
A growing number of parties suggested technical conditions for any FCC approval of SpaceX's pending license modification to allow a lower orbit for more than 2,800 proposed satellites (see 2004200003), reflecting a sense that some think agency OK will be forthcoming, we're told. A lawyer involved in the proceeding said approval could come as soon as the end of the month. The commission and SpaceX didn't comment Tuesday.
Five of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline's 180 centers nationwide already have the technology and staff training to handle text-to-988 and chat messages, and it's not clear whether they will need more if the FCC mandates that providers support texting 988, we're told. Kim Williams, CEO of Vibrant Emotional Health, which administers Lifeline, said the Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is working on a report that would include recommendations. SAMHSA said it's partnering with the FCC and carriers on the approach to implementing three-digit functionality for Lifeline. It said the ability of call centers to accommodate text-based utilization "has been -- and will continue to be -- a focus of the hotline’s operations." The FCC will vote at its April meeting on a Further NPRM on text-to-988 requirements and a possible July 16, 2022, implementation deadline (see 2103310054).
FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington said ensuring "the highest and best" intense use of spectrum and easing the path to infrastructure investment are among his top policy priorities. During a virtual AGL event Thursday, he said shrinking guard bands could be a potentially viable route. Simington said he's "skeptical" that a nationwide fiber buildout could be accomplished at $80 billion and cautioned that a Title II regulatory approach to broadband could raise the threshold for what constitutes a viable community for a broadband provider to offer connectivity. The FCC has done "quite well" in making low- and high-band spectrum available for commercial wireless, but midband needs remain, and that spectrum has a strong ability to drive 5G updates, Simington said: The FCC has the tools to make more spectrum available for terrestrial wireless, but the most effective way to use those tools is clear and open communication with federal users. "Often it's important to not let things get too far down the road before engagement." Simington said he hasn't heard any discussions about a twilight towers agenda item, though the issue could be under study at the staff level. Asked about Communications Decency Act Section 230 action at the FCC, he said it seems clear the agency has authority to take action, but whether it should is less clear. Congress might take up Section 230 without the FCC, he said, and the agency isn't likely to move any item forward before it has a fifth commissioner. He was largely critical of municipal broadband, saying systems frequently require ongoing taxpayer subsidization. Muni broadband "has on occasion filled gaps in some areas," but it's not an effective systemic solution to unserved areas, he said. Asked who will be permanent FCC chair, Simington said he has no insider knowledge, but acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel “has been doing a fantastic job. We are transacting business at a nice brisk clip.” Aurora Insight CEO Jennifer Alvarez said this fall's 3.45-3.55 GHz band auction won't be "quite as high-priced" as the C-band auction because while both represent midband spectrum, 3.45-3.55 GHz has to be shared with incumbent users. Localities lawyer Jonathan Kramer of Telecom Law Firm said small-cell deployments are varying widely in density, with two to three per square mile in some jurisdictions and 30-plus in others. He said local governments have pressing interests in knowing the numbers, locations and designs, because they are "the ones who will live with these things the next 30, 40 years."
The satellite broadband market likely can sustain three to four operators, given demand for connectivity, with one of those probably a non-North American constellation, OneWeb CEO Neil Masterson said Wednesday at a Satellite 2021-related forum. He said the amount of money nations want to put into having their own constellations could help determine that number.
The satellite industry is "at a bit of a crisis" on orbital debris, SES CEO Steve Collar said in a Satellite 2021-related panel Tuesday. Collar said the penalties need to be sufficiently high to dissuade behavior that could create problems. "We are at danger of getting that wrong," he said. SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said that until orbital debris rules are better defined, "everybody should be a good steward" of low earth orbit (LEO). She said SpaceX is "concerned" about high-altitude satellites of 1100-1500 km because of how long debris could remain in orbit. She said a satellite without propulsion capability "is not a great thing [and] puts a burden on everyone else." Viasat CEO Mark Dankberg urged a global discussion about debris issues like overlapping orbits of constellations. Shotwell said SpaceX has about 1,320 of its first-generation satellites in orbit now and global reach, but it doesn't yet have full connectivity globally. Once it does, the plan is to continue adding satellites for additional capacity, she said. She said there will be a variety of polar launches this summer. Eutelsat CEO Rodolphe Belmer said geostationary orbit (GEO) will still be significant source of profitability for the foreseeable future, and the company is focusing on that. LEO will become relevant someday for telecommunications, but when and the economic challenges of LEO constellations aren't clear, he said. Hughes Network Systems President Pradman Kaul said his company's partnership with OneWeb is letting it approach potential customers with a joint GEO/LEO strategy.
SpaceX faces increased heat from rival non-geostationary orbit satellite operators for supposedly changing types of antennas used on its Starlink satellites without notifying the FCC. Such a change could open the door to fines or the agency ordering the satellites shut down, experts said in interviews.
No satellite operators are reporting delays in C-band clearing in docket 18-122 status reports through Wednesday. Intelsat told FCC acting General Counsel Michelle Ellison and acting Wireless Bureau Chief Joel Taubenblatt its work is "on schedule and under budget," in an ex parte post. It said its ongoing Chapter 11 reorganization shouldn't affect things. The company urged guidance on the claims handling process to be implemented by the relocation payment clearinghouse. In its quarterly report, Intelsat said all encoding systems required to meet the first-phase Dec. 5 deadline are installed, and integrated receivers/decoders needed to complete phase one have been shipped to the earth station operators or are at Intelsat’s vendor’s warehouse. It said critical design reviews for the Galaxy 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36 satellites were completed in Q1, as was preliminary design review for Galaxy 37. SES said it's "on track and in some cases ... ahead" of schedule. It said it has done 57% of phase one satellite transitions, including installing 25% of antennas being done in the first phase, with the rest to be completed by Aug. 31. It said incumbent earth stations needing compression equipment have received it, and phase one transition of services needing compression will be done in Q2. It said the pandemic is affecting replacement satellite manufacturing, with some subcontractors' production capabilities impacted, which will delay component deliveries. Eutelsat said it ordered 500 filters and can confirm receipt of the first 100. No transition delays are expected due to filter procurement lead times, and virtual site audits have been completed for 24 of 33 antennas scheduled for transition. Embratel said it notified its Florida earth station customers about the coming retirement of its Star One C1 satellite and its use of spare capacity on SES' SES-4 to ensure continuity of C-band service. It said no earth station customer expressed interest in receiving C-band service after C1 is out of service.
Space launches would get dedicated spectrum, foreign-sponsored broadcast content would need identification, and 911 outage reporting rules would be harmonized under items on April 22's FCC meeting agenda, acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel blogged Wednesday. Also on tap are a Further NPRM requiring carriers to implement texting to the 988 nationwide suicide prevention hotline going live in 2022 (see 2103310054), declaring the 800 MHz rebanding done after 17 years, and an unspecified enforcement matter.
Mental health and disability interests so far back an FCC move toward making carriers enable texting to the 988 nationwide suicide hotline. This Further NPRM will be on the April 22 commissioners' meeting agenda (see 2103310030). So will drafts on dedicated space launch spectrum and sponsorship ID requirements for broadcast time leased by foreign governments (see 2103310050).