There's widespread interest in the citizens broadband radio service auction, but it’s not clear who will pursue licenses or how they will be used, Commissioner Mike O’Rielly said during a FierceWireless webinar Monday. The FCC faced pressure to delay the start of the auction July 23 because of credit market jitters tied to COVID-19 (see 2005140050). “The insatiable demand” for mid-band spectrum “is only going to increase over time,” he said.
Small satellite operators (SSO) challenging the FCC's C-band clearing order (see 2005050047) asked the agency to delay acting further pending judicial review before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Proceeding watchers said the agency is unlikely to accede. The commission didn't comment.
Recent changes to Congress’ operations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic are getting a mixed response from lawmakers and experts amid questions about implications. The House agreed 217-189 Friday to change its rules to temporarily allow proxy voting and virtual participation in committee business. Senate leaders resist allowing remote or proxy voting in that chamber, but the Rules Committee recently agreed to let senators and witnesses appear via webcam. Those changes followed almost two months in which legislating on telecom and tech issues was severely disrupted (see 2003130073).
The FCC’s June 9 agenda item saying some ownership limitations doesn't precisely apply to TV broadcasters banding together to use ATSC 3.0 to lease their spectrum for wireless uses isn’t a new policy but more of a clarification, said Commissioner Brendan Carr and industry attorneys in interviews. The item includes an NPRM seeking comment on other rule changes that could help datacasting.
Commissioners will act at their June 9 meeting on CTIA and Wireless Infrastructure Association proposals for more changes to wireless infrastructure rules designed to accelerate siting of towers and other 5G facilities, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said Monday. The move was expected, as is a fight from local and state governments (see 2005110029). Pai will also ask commissioners to approve auction procedures for Phase I of the FCC's 10-year, $20.4 billion Rural Digital Opportunity Fund and proposed an NPRM on the use of very high-band spectrum. ATSC 3.0 also is on the agenda (see 2005180066).
EU rules on liability of online intermediaries shouldn't change under upcoming draft legislation, some stakeholders said. The Digital Services Act (DSA) is intended to update the 2000 EU e-commerce directive, which set minimum liability standards for internet intermediaries and established "safe harbor" exemptions. Although work on the proposal is in an early stage, digital rights activists and some European Parliament members urge retaining the safe harbor provisions. The European Commission told us it intends to unveil a proposal for consultation in coming weeks, and a draft measure "later this year."
Broadcasters are divided whether the FCC should change how it determines whether a station is significantly viewed in a market. Hubbard agrees with NCTA and Nielsen that the agency shouldn’t disrupt the status quo. Gray Television and others want more flexibility.
The FCC was close but not spot-on in its preliminary cost category schedule for C-band relocation expenses, said numerous interested parties in docket 18-122 filings posted Friday, suggesting additions and changes. There was some opposition to reimbursements for gold-plated upgrades and support for not finalizing the cost category schedule until after the FCC has filed, reviewed and approved satellite operator transition plans.
Scrambling to fill programming hours amid canceled community events and having to train public officials on the use of videoconferencing platforms are among challenges public, educational and government channels face during the pandemic, operators and officials told us. The smallest operations had the toughest time, and there are funding concerns the longer the pandemic goes on, said Alliance for Community Media President Mike Wassenaar.
Despite the Covid-19 surge in the use of residential landline phones, stakeholders don't expect a reversal in the long-term trend toward mobile-only households. Residential landline voice traffic rose dramatically this spring as Americans sheltered in place, with volume reaching traditional Mother's Day levels in March.