The FCC should reconsider proposed changes in an April NPRM on rules for Section 214 international authorizations (see 2304200039), CTIA and others said in reply comments, posted Tuesday in docket 23-119. The order authorized a one-time collection of foreign-ownership information from authorization holders and sought comment on rules requiring carriers to renew the authorizations every 10 years, “or in the alternative,” periodic updates. The FCC got pushback in the initial comment round but general support from DOJ, DOD and Department of Homeland Security, sometimes called Team Telecom (see 2309010058).
Big telecom companies differed with rural telcos on how much the Nebraska Public Service Commission should rely on new FCC broadband data for Nebraska USF (NUSF) high-cost distributions. The PSC posted comments Monday on short-term issues in a comprehensive USF review opened Aug. 29 (see 2308290044).
The Senate confirmed FCC Commissioners Geoffrey Starks and Brendan Carr to new five-year terms Saturday, providing stability for the agency and assuring a 3-2 Democratic-controlled commission through the end of the current administration. Two big, contentious items are already in the pipeline -- a net neutrality NPRM at the commissioners' Oct. 19 open meeting and a Nov. 15 statutory deadline to issue digital discrimination rules, with a commission meeting also scheduled for that day. If the Senate hadn't acted, Starks would have had to leave in January and the FCC would have been back to a 2-2 split between Democrats and Republicans.
Most commenters want the FCC to use a nonexclusive licensing approach for the 42 GHz band, they said in reply comments posted Monday and last week in docket 23-158. Among the major carriers, only T-Mobile filed comments (see 2308310053). Commenters also urged the FCC to approve a similar regime for the lower 37 GHz band. Commissioners approved 4-0 an NPRM in June asking about three potential approaches in the band -- nationwide nonexclusive licensing, site-based licensing and technology-based licensing (see 2306080042).
Broadband experts raised concerns about the affordability requirements for middle-income households through NTIA's broadband, equity, access and deployment program, speaking during an American Enterprise Institute event Monday. Some said imposing pricing requirements and the FCC's efforts to reclassify broadband as a Title II service could hurt the BEAD program's deployment goals (see 2309280084).
The Biden administration’s effort to protect national security by limiting tech investment in China could have the opposite effect by putting American companies at a disadvantage, tech associations told the Treasury Department in comments due Thursday (see 2308100003).
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit show cause order Thursday giving the FCC 90 days to complete its 2018 quadrennial review was characterized Friday by NAB as a “big win” in an email to members. But broadcast and public interest attorneys said the agency was likely already on a path to approve the QR in that timeline.
The California Public Utilities Commission would reject cable industry calls to limit support from the state’s $750 million broadband loan loss reserve fund (BLLRF) program to unserved areas, under a proposed decision posted Thursday (docket R.23-02-016). Rural counties praised the proposal, which the CPUC said it may vote on at the agency’s Nov. 2 meeting.
Steve Lang, who recently replaced Anna Gomez as head of the U.S. delegation to the World Radiocommunication Conference (see 2309120069), is already hard at work preparing for the conference, said Austin Bonner, deputy U.S. chief technology officer-policy, at the Mobile World Congress in Las Vegas last week. Lang has been “out on the road, meeting his counterparts to help pave the way for U.S. success,” she said. The WRC starts Nov. 20 in Dubai.
With the FCC keeping its doors open until at least Oct. 20 (see 2309280084), the communications industry faces less of a challenge if the federal government closed Saturday night, industry experts agree. The FTC also would remain open. NTIA is expected to furlough many employees. For the FCC, there are questions about what would happen after Oct. 20. The last federal shutdown, in 2018-2019, went on for 35 days. A closure in 1995-1996 lasted 21 days and one in 2013 16 days.