Senators, communications sector lobbyists and other observers are bracing for the potential impact that a pending DOD study’s recommendations for repurposing the 3.1-3.45 GHz band could have on prospects for Capitol Hill to reach a deal on a spectrum legislative package that allocates some future auction revenue to pay for telecom projects. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., cited the study’s release as a reason to object to efforts to renew the FCC’s spectrum auction authority for a period ending before Sept. 30, which led to the mandate’s March expiration (see 2303090074).
Amazon's decision to charge for public IP4 addresses on its cloud network could help spur businesses to move to IPv6, backers of the technology said. They have been pushing for years to persuade internet companies to move away from IP version 4 (see 1806070001). Now the cost-benefit analysis for IPv6 is shifting, leading to hope for a swifter transition.
T-Mobile’s MetroPCS won judgment Friday against the California Public Utilities Commission in a dispute about USF surcharges (case 3:17-cv-05959-JD). "The Court concludes that the CPUC’s 2017 and 2018 resolutions are preempted as applied to MetroPCS because they would impose surcharges on revenues from services that are not subject to surcharge, in violation of federal law,” Judge James Donato of the U.S. District Court for Northern California wrote.
TV broadcasters are seeing increases in commercial advertising, but they have concerns about being compensated for their programming and don’t see big M&A opportunities on the horizon, said Tegna, Gray Television and Sinclair Broadcast executives in those companies’ Q2 earnings calls last week. “Increased competition from technology companies, streaming content providers, and the [broadcasting] networks as well as continued regulatory constraints means that we must transform to remain relevant and to grow impressions and revenue,” said Sinclair CEO Chris Ripley.
The independent programmer NPRM circulated on the 10th floor last month (see 2307120072) is largely seeking to refresh the record of the 2016 indie programming NPRM, FCC officials told us. The NPRM is light on conclusory language and asks a lot of questions about issues like most-favored-nation (MFN) and alternative distribution method provisions in program carriage agreements, they said. Indie programmers and allies said the need for FCC intervention hasn't lessened in the intervening years.
The FTC defended its enforcement track record under Chair Lina Khan this week, as detractors criticized her aggressive antitrust approach as being anti-free market.
FCC commissioners approved a notice of inquiry on the use of AI and other technologies in managing how spectrum is used and an order providing an up-to-$75 monthly broadband benefit, through the affordable connectivity program, for subscribers living in qualifying high-cost areas, both 4-0 Thursday.
Industry experts raised concerns Wednesday about the future of the FCC’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program. Panelists during a Broadband Breakfast webinar urged quicker action from Congress on additional funding (see 2307180079).
The FCC’s draft notice of inquiry on understanding nonfederal spectrum use “through new data sources, technologies and methods” appears to be generating little official reaction from the wireless industry. Only one party filed comments on the draft in a new docket, 23-232 -- the Institute for the Wireless IoT at Northeastern University. No one reported meetings at the FCC about the draft. Some experts said it's unclear what the NOI will accomplish. Commissioners are expected to approve the item at their Thursday meeting, officials said.
The CEOs of the major U.S. tower companies in recent calls with analysts all acknowledged a general slowdown in Q2 on carrier deployment of 5G. SBA on Monday became the last of the big three to report earnings.