House Commerce ranking member Greg Walden, R-Ore., and Communications Subcommittee Vice Chair Doris Matsui, D-Calif., backed open radio access networks, during an Open-RAN Policy Coalition webinar Tuesday. Both are co-sponsors of the Utilizing Strategic Allied (USA) Telecoms Act. S-3189 would require the FCC create an NTIA-managed O-RAN network R&D grant program (see 2004240032).
Expect the Senate Commerce Committee to question the FTC on how it's responding to President Donald Trump’s social media executive order (see 2007280053) when commissioners testify Wednesday, senators said in interviews. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, said he’s more concerned about political influence at the FCC. A day earlier, Trump withdrew the renomination of Commissioner Michael O’Rielly (see 2008030072).
The draft order on relaxing radio non-duplication rules will be expanded to apply to FM and AM stations, and draft items on broadcast antenna siting and telephone relay service rules are expected to be approved before Thursday’s commissioners' meeting, FCC and industry officials said in interviews this week. FCC Democrats are seen likely to oppose the expanded radio item, agency officials said.
The FCC is expected to make some changes on inmate calling services when members vote Thursday (see 2007160072), including adding questions to an NPRM. Staff for commissioners has been discussing tweaks, and talks have been mostly amiable, agency and industry officials said in interviews this week. Providers and proponents of lower calling rates for inmates want changes to the draft, including over how calls are classified. Eighty percent of traffic is classified as intrastate, the rest interstate, and ICS providers warn that could flip based on the order.
President Donald Trump’s withdrawal of renomination of FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly (see 2008030072) is getting considerable scrutiny on Capitol Hill and within the communications industry. Some officials suggested Trump’s action will have repercussions for commission politics and policymaking heading into 2021. O’Rielly’s removal will likely make it very difficult for the Senate to confirm a nominee this year to replace him, given the limited amount of time left on the legislative calendar before this Congress ends, lawmakers and lobbyists said in interviews through Tuesday.
Libraries are increasingly taking on the role of filling gaps caused by a lack of broadband access, and the pandemic exacerbated the issue, said librarians, educators and digital access nonprofits during the FCC Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment’s virtual workshop Monday. Libraries lending mobile Wi-Fi hot spots to patrons is a “Band-Aid” for the larger issue of web access, said Lisa Shaw, workforce development specialist for the Maine State Library. “When you’re bleeding, you need a bandage, and we’re bleeding very heavily.”
The House Antitrust Subcommittee’s hearing with Big Tech CEOs showed a glaring partisan divide, so it’s unlikely the Judiciary Committee will deliver a bipartisan report, antitrust attorneys told us. Public Knowledge is more hopeful: Policy Counsel Alex Petros said both parties delivered well-researched claims against the industry at the hearing (see 2007290063). Attorneys said the evidence focused more on harm to competitors, rather than consumers, which doesn’t make a strong case.
California’s net neutrality law could remain unenforced for months despite litigation resuming this week. A federal court set a schedule Thursday that would delay the state law at least until Q4, and it could be much longer if DOJ and industry win preliminary injunction against the state (see 2007300041). Timing remains hazy for enforcing Vermont’s frozen law. Net neutrality advocates say the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in Mozilla v. FCC allowed state laws; others disagreed.
Relatively low bidding so far in the citizens broadband radio service auction is in line with expectations and has no negative implications for the December C-band auction, observers told us. The auction hit $1.28 billion at the end of 19 rounds Monday, which translates to 6 cents per MHz/POP nationwide. FCC officials on Monday said bidding is about as expected at this stage.
President Donald Trump withdrew his renomination of FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly to another term, the White House announced Monday (see 2008030072). The Trump administration and O’Rielly’s office didn’t comment. The agency declined to comment.