The FCC’s 6 GHz order faces a potential court fight and petitions for reconsideration, but Wi-Fi advocates and others said it should easily survive the challenges. Commissioners approved allocating 1,200 MHz for sharing with Wi-Fi and other unlicensed use in the 6 GHz band 5-0 in April, after extensive technical analysis by FCC engineers (see 2004230059). The regulator is unlikely to make extensive changes based on the recon petitions, and appellate courts usually give the agency’s technical expertise wide sway, industry observers said.
The House Appropriations Financial Services Subcommittee approved by voice vote Wednesday major funding increases for the FCC and FTC for FY 2021. The bill includes $60 billion in broadband infrastructure grants and money to implement the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act (HR-4998) and Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability Act broadband mapping law (S-1822). Riders on other telecom policy issues may make an appearance once the full committee marks up the measure, lawmakers and lobbyists told us.
Hype about Friday's Disney+ release of Hamilton, with theaters closed during COVID-19 lockdowns, showed consumers’ appetite for viewing theatrical content in a streaming format. In May, Disney Chairman Robert Iger tweeted the decision to bring Hamilton to Disney+, 15 months before planned theatrical release.
The wide spectrum of groups against the Earn It Act shows it’s an ill-conceived bill that will repeat the same mistakes as anti-sex trafficking legislation passed in 2018, said representatives from progressive, conservative, industry and academic groups, in interviews. A child advocate noted the wide-ranging support from victims’ rights organizations.
Despite telecom industry arguments it needs longer (see 2006230022), a 24-month nationwide implementation of the 988 suicide prevention hotline seems feasible, experts told us. Others see meeting that deadline being a big challenge, though everyone agrees the FCC isn't likely to budge further, having already compromised from an 18-month implementation deadline. The commission didn't comment. The draft order directing providers to have 988 operational by July 16, 2022, will be voted on at the July 16 commissioners' meeting.
States and privacy advocates hailed a federal court ruling Tuesday that said Maine’s ISP privacy law isn’t preempted by Congress or the FCC. The U.S. District Court of Maine order (in Pacer) is a preliminary win for Maine’s 2019 law countering Congress’ 2017 Congressional Review Act (CRA) repeal of 2016 FCC broadband privacy rules. It could pave the way for more state privacy laws and may have implications for state net neutrality laws, said the state law's supporters.
The FCC is likely to move forward on reallocating part of the 3.1-3.55 GHz band, after release of an NTIA report Monday (see 2007060054), industry and FCC officials said in interviews Tuesday. Commissioner Mike O’Rielly called the report overly conservative, though it does appear to open the door for 5G in at least 100 megahertz. The band has been a longstanding O’Rielly focus (see 2001080035).
Broadcast news stations and journalism watchdog groups told us this month that incidents between reporters and police remain a concern throughout the U.S. during protests against racial inequality. That's despite assurances from government officials (see 2006080051) as well as an outpouring of support for the news media doing their jobs.
The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act Monday (see 2007060009), in much-watched Barr v. American Association of Political Consultants. Justices upheld the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling, which declared a 2015 government debt collection exemption unconstitutional and severed the provision from the remainder of the law. Experts said after SCOTUS heard arguments in April the court was unlikely to overturn all of the TCPA (see 2005060051).
Threats to wireless security are “continuously evolving” and artificial intelligence will play a key role in protecting networks as 5G is deployed, said GSMA Chief Technology Officer Alex Sinclair at the association’s virtual China conference Thursday. Officials said it's launching an AI in Security Taskforce.