ASPEN, Colo. -- Unfounded hype about 5G could have wide fallout, a longtime spectrum expert worried. Silicon Flatirons Executive Fellow Dale Hatfield isn't "so sanguine" about 5G wireless, which he nonetheless called interesting and exciting. Others on a Technology Policy Institute panel Monday conceded too much hype could pose harms but don't think it's being overhyped.
The FCC circulated a proposed "administrative clean-up" order and Further NPRM to address "serious and persistent" problems with waste, fraud and abuse in the Lifeline program, said agency officials Monday. If adopted, the new order would prohibit participating carriers from enrolling subscribers unless a national verifier database identifies the customer as living or the customer produces documentation demonstrating both identity and status as living. It would also prohibit telecom carriers from paying commissions to employees or sales agents based on the number of consumers who apply for Lifeline, and would require employees and sales agents to register with the Universal Service Administrative Co. before accessing any program databases.
The Commerce Department gave rural U.S. carriers that use Huawei equipment a 90-day reprieve Monday from a ban on doing business with the company. At the same time, the U.S. ratcheted up pressure on the Chinese vendor, adding 46 more of Huawei’s non-U.S. affiliates to a list of subsidiaries subject to export restrictions. Three months ago, the U.S. similarly gave U.S. carriers more time to deal with sanctions (see 1905210013). The delay means Huawei can continue to send updates to handsets and maintain existing networks and equipment.
NARUC, CTIA and consumer advocacy groups asked the FCC to postpone plans to change minimum service requirements for Lifeline until it can review a market study that's underway. That's per replies posted through Friday to docket 11-42. NARUC at the most recent meeting of state telecom commissioners asked the federal regulator to postpone such changes (see 1907230040).
Congress can protect privacy and national security by letting the Patriot Act-related phone records program and other unwanted surveillance authorities expire (see 1905060048), said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore. Friday's comments responded to Office of National Intelligence outgoing Director Dan Coats’ request that the Senate Intelligence and Judiciary Committees permanently reauthorize certain Patriot and USA Freedom Act-related authorities. Coats seeks permanent authorization of a controversial call detail records (CDR) program he acknowledged the intelligence community suspended. Privacy advocates hoped ODNI would allow some provisions to expire, after reports the program had gone dormant (see 1904240068).
NAB and several large radio groups defended an FM translator interference order, in filings in docket 18-119 posted Friday opposing petitions for reconsideration by the LPFM Coalition, Skywave Consulting and several radio licensees (see 1907290064). The FCC “was on solid empirical ground” in deciding the 45 dBu contour limit and other policies for the revamped translator interference rules, said iHeart, Entercom, Cox, Neuhoff, Radio One and Beasley. Media Alliance supported of the LPFM Coalition’s recon petition, saying the revamped rules violate “citizen rights to petition a government agency for redress.”
New ways to help farmers get the best yields from their crops and the most from their broadband connections are being pushed by some rural ISPs, we found in interviews last week. Policymakers are looking at how to advance precision agriculture and expand broadband access to farms in unserved communities. The FCC plans a precision agriculture task force (see 1906170024). And the USDA's ReConnect funds are for expanding connectivity to unserved rural areas (see 1812130064).
Low-power broadcasters, TV translator stations and FM broadcasters seeking reimbursement for costs from the post-incentive auction repacking have until Oct. 15 to file with the FCC, said the Incentive Auction Task Force and the Media Bureau in public notices Thursday on the procedures and banking policies. Industry officials told us many broadcasters paid for relocation costs some time ago and need the funds.
Different sides offered the FCC conflicting readings of initial comments on alternative plans for opening the C band for 5G. Those comments showed little move toward consensus (see 1908080041) on how the regulator should address the band, which has emerged as a top commission spectrum priority. The FCC sought input on a proposal by America’s Communications Association, the Competitive Carriers Association and Charter Communications and a study by Jeff Reed of Virginia Tech and Reed Engineering on sharing the band with fixed point-to-multipoint (P2MP) operations (see 1907020061). The regulator also asked about an AT&T letter raising technical and band plan issues. Replies posted through Thursday in docket 18-122.
Faced with divisions whether to repurpose 611 for a national three-digit suicide hotline or add that to 211 (see 1812110033), the FCC is recommending to Congress 988 be used instead. That route may not become a compromise solution all stakeholders rally behind, interviews show.