A local official on the Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee said he may support the group’s final recommendations even though local government representatives are greatly outnumbered by those from industry. Andy Huckaba, city councilmember from Lenexa, Kansas, said in an interview that local governments won’t get everything they want, but the committee has worked hard to compromise. Other local officials said this month’s BDAC meeting validated their fears about low representation.
A local official on the Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee said he may support the group’s final recommendations even though local government representatives are greatly outnumbered by those from industry. Andy Huckaba, city councilmember from Lenexa, Kansas, said in an interview that local governments won’t get everything they want, but the committee has worked hard to compromise. Other local officials said this month’s BDAC meeting validated their fears about low representation.
Strong privacy and transparency protections must be included in legislation renewing Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Section 702 authority, said privacy and global cloud-based business groups Friday at a TechFreedom/Engine event. With new European privacy protections coming next year that U.S. global companies must meet, it’s time for Congress to ensure that 702 authority adds privacy protections that can build confidence among overseas business partners, said Christian Dawson, co-founder of the Internet Infrastructure Coalition. Many global clients are deeply concerned about data privacy in U.S.-based cloud services, he said, and will closely watch how Congress updates 702 authority expiring Dec. 31.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative late on the afternoon of Nov. 17 released an updated list of NAFTA negotiating objectives, including new language on objectives to “increase transparency” in import and export licensing processes among the parties and to reinforce commitments to continue practices to review and correct countries’ final administrative actions, “if warranted.” The updated list continues most of the language of the original negotiating objectives released in July (see 1707180022), including all of the same customs proposals, consisting of positions to raise Canada’s and Mexico’s de minimis thresholds to $800, reduce customs documents and procedural formalities, and provisions to provide for automation for import, export and transit processes.
More claims are flying about alleged FirstNet efforts to dissuade states from opting out, as the Dec. 28 deadline nears. An executive from Verizon, planning to provide an alternative core network and services to public safety (see 1708170040), claimed at the NARUC conference this week that FirstNet told some states that opting out may prevent them from buying competitors’ services. FirstNet and Rivada disputed that, though a Colorado official said FirstNet caused confusion when it put AT&T in charge of the core network. Rivada CEO Declan Ganley raised concerns about a report claiming the network authority sent 24 pages of “opposition research” on his firm to New Hampshire. That report was then corrected.
The House Communications Subcommittee's Thursday hearing on 5G is aimed mainly at educating members on potential benefits of and barriers to 5G deployments, but it also could feature debate about related proposals to pre-empt state, local and tribal siting rules and exempt projects from some existing review requirements, lawmakers, House aides and lobbyists told us. Senate Commerce is evaluating the Streamlining Permitting to Enable Efficient Deployment of Broadband Infrastructure Act (S-1988) and a draft bill from committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., and House Communications Subcommittee ranking member Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, both geared toward easing siting requirements (see 1710200047 and 1710310057). The hearing begins at 10 a.m. in 2123 Rayburn.
The House Communications Subcommittee's Thursday hearing on 5G is aimed mainly at educating members on potential benefits of and barriers to 5G deployments, but it also could feature debate about related proposals to pre-empt state, local and tribal siting rules and exempt projects from some existing review requirements, lawmakers, House aides and lobbyists told us. Senate Commerce is evaluating the Streamlining Permitting to Enable Efficient Deployment of Broadband Infrastructure Act (S-1988) and a draft bill from committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., and House Communications Subcommittee ranking member Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, both geared toward easing siting requirements (see 1710200047 and 1710310057). The hearing begins at 10 a.m. in 2123 Rayburn.
The House Communications Subcommittee's Thursday hearing on 5G is aimed mainly at educating members on potential benefits of and barriers to 5G deployments, but it also could feature debate about related proposals to pre-empt state, local and tribal siting rules and exempt projects from some existing review requirements, lawmakers, House aides and lobbyists told us. Senate Commerce is evaluating the Streamlining Permitting to Enable Efficient Deployment of Broadband Infrastructure Act (S-1988) and a draft bill from committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., and House Communications Subcommittee ranking member Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, both geared toward easing siting requirements (see 1710200047 and 1710310057). The hearing begins at 10 a.m. in 2123 Rayburn.
The World Trade Organization recently posted the following notices:
Stakeholders objected to proposed FCC Lifeline actions in a draft item on the agenda for next Thursday's commissioners' meeting, with many against a possible move to eliminate low-income funding support for resellers. Wireless industry parties, civil rights advocates, tribal groups and others voiced concerns about the combined draft orders and notices, in meetings and filings posted Wednesday and Thursday in docket 11-42.