National 911 groups will explore how operators could field calls from home, heads of the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) and National Association of State 911 Administrators (NASNA) said in interviews last week. Operators began working remotely in Alexandria, Virginia, when the coronavirus struck the U.S. Most public safety answering points (PSAPs) don’t allow that, despite widespread safety concerns of having call takers working near each other indoors (see 2003180033).
The FCC -- perhaps as soon as summer's end -- is expected to act on petitions to reconsider its Ligado order (see 2005210043), instead of letting the petitions sit in limbo, participants and watchers said in interviews last week. Three House Armed Services Committee leaders are pressing the commission about a potential “conflict of interest” involving Technological Advisory Council Chairman Dennis Roberson “that may cast doubt” on the commission’s Ligado approval. The Senate Armed Services Committee advanced a version of the FY 2021 National Defense Authorization Act last week that would bar “use of DOD funds to comply” with the Ligado order pending further review (see 2006110026).
Industry views the wireless infrastructure NPRM OK'd by FCC commissioners 3-2 Tuesday (see 2006090060) as potentially having bigger implications than the accompanying declaratory ruling. The NPRM seeks comment on a Wireless Infrastructure Association request for amended rules saying a modification doesn’t cause a “substantial change” if it entails excavation or deployments at up to 30 feet outside macro tower compound boundaries. State and local government groups are lining up against the NPRM.
The FCC wireless infrastructure declaratory ruling and NPRM had numerous changes between when it was circulated and Tuesday when commissioners OK'd it 3-2 (see 2006090060), based on our side-by-side analysis. As indicated by Commissioner Mike O’Rielly, the biggest changes were on the NPRM seeking comment on a Wireless Infrastructure Association request for amended rules that a modification doesn’t cause a “substantial change” if it entails excavation or deployments at up to 30 feet in any direction outside the boundaries of a macro tower compound. The item was in Thursday’s Daily Digest.
It’s unlikely the FTC has motivation or authority to police social media companies for conduct President Donald Trump cited in his executive order (see 2005290058), compliance attorneys said in interviews this week. Some noted that comments from Commissioners Christine Wilson and Rohit Chopra suggest bipartisan interest in examining social media algorithms.
The FCC Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council approved a report Wednesday that warned vulnerabilities in 4G networks could carry over into a 5G world. The report was developed by the Managing Security Risk in the Transition to 5G Working Group and is expected to be posted by the FCC Thursday, officials said. CSRIC also got an additional charge from the FCC to look at duplicative weather alerts. The group met virtually for the second time because of COVID-19.
The Regulatory Commission of Alaska might have to push forward uncertainly in telecom matters until it meets resistance, Chairman Bob Pickett said at one in a series of summer meetings about the RCA's telecom jurisdiction after 2019 deregulation law SB-83 (see 2005130039). There should be no confusion about what authority the agency retains, said Alaska Telecom Association Executive Director Christine O'Connor in an interview.
The FCC is seemingly confident the C-band band transition plan cost estimates due Friday won't be inflated. Eutelsat warned about possible abuse of relocation funding (see 2005150028) and Director-Regulatory Affairs and Spectrum Wladimir Bocquet told us some cost estimate ranges in the FCC's draft cost catalog were considerably high, particularly for launches and replacement satellites. Cable interests are asking for more time to review the satellite transition plans.
The Senate Intellectual Property Subcommittee plans to release draft legislation in December for updating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, according to a tentative schedule from the office of Chairman Thom Tillis, R-N.C. The schedule includes hearings July 28, Sept. 16 and Oct. 6 leading up to December release of draft text for “stakeholder consideration and comment.”
Commissioners 3-2 approved procedures for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction Tuesday, with partial dissents from Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks. The Democrats repeated concerns about spending most of RDOF's $20.4 billion 10-year support before the agency has access to reliable data on all areas unserved by 25/3 Mbps.