Talks on a third economic stimulus bill addressing the effects of COVID-19 appeared likely to drag on into the weekend, with telecom-related provisions likely still in the negotiations mix. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Friday he considers “inadequate” the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (S-3548) from Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. Schumer and other Democrats were pushing strongly for the third COVID-19 bill to address pandemic-related infrastructure, including broadband capacity and distance learning resources (see 2003180066), lobbyists told us.
The massive shift of workers and students to their homes due to COVID-19 is gobbling up data transmission availability and challenging employers with their networks optimized for an in-office workforce, network and data experts said in interviews last week. Employers are rapidly ramping up the number of VPN licenses. The issue isn’t expected to reach the point where carriers have to plow additional investments into their networks.
The COVID-19 pandemic comes as Ajit Pai enters what is likely to be the homestretch of his time as FCC chairman. Pai has sketched out an ambitious agenda for the rest of 2020, but no one knows how long the pandemic will last. Industry officials agree it will likely slow work on at least some items due to refocusing on coronavirus-related orders. The crisis offers Pai a chance to write a new legacy, they said.
Telecom and tech continued responding to COVID-19. Actions included moving to telework and the cancellation or postponement of events, or moving them virtual.
FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr isn't backing down from comments on Twitter earlier in the week criticizing China for spreading false reports that the U.S. is responsible for COVID-19, he told a Broadband Breakfast teleconference Thursday. Carr said more FCC actions on the pandemic are on the way. “We’re going to be in for a tough time,” he warned. So far, networks seem to be holding up, he said.
ATSC is “hatching a plan” to give members a “soapbox for the momentum that’s building into April” for the U.S. deployment of 3.0 products and services in 2020, President Madeleine Noland told us Thursday. “We’re in conversations with other organizations that might want to partner with us on that.”
Facebook and Google aren’t sharing location data with the government for tracking COVID-19, the companies said Thursday after reports of such industry consultation. Ed Markey, D-Mass., raised privacy concerns and other senators criticized the tech industry’s response to online misinformation.
In a key early test of the FCC’s ability to wrap up big items in a coronavirus world, commissioners are expected to vote in April to allow Wi-Fi to share the 6 GHz band (see 2003050058). The Office of Engineering and Technology hadn’t completed work on the order before FCC staff was ordered to telework last week, but most industry and FCC officials said they still expect the order to be ready for a vote at the April 23 meeting, though questions remain difficult.
The telecom and other high tech communities continued to respond to COVID-19 with telework and cancellation and postponement of events, or moving them virtual.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., told us Wednesday he’s optimistic about the bipartisan coalition pushing amendments for Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act reauthorization (see 2003160065). It’s a “small miracle” the Senate is considering amendments after Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., tried to force a decision on the underlying bill through a cloture vote, Paul said.