An NCTA-led coalition said the FCC should take a fresh look at the 5.9 GHz band sought for Wi-Fi. The FCC has been looking at sharing the band between Wi-Fi and dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) since 2013 (see 1301160063). With the agency considering shared use of the 6 GHz band in an NPRM set for a vote next week, coalition members said a new look at 5.9 GHz makes sense.
Supporters of the Streamlining the Rapid Evolution and Modernization of Leading-Edge Infrastructure Necessary to Enhance (Streamline) Small Cell Deployment Act took center stage at a Friday Senate Commerce Committee 5G deployment field hearing in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to extol the bill's virtues. FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr and other national and state stakeholders endorsed the bill in written testimony, as expected (see 1810090049). S-3157, filed in June by Senate Commerce Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., and Senate Communications Subcommittee ranking member Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, aims to implement a “reasonable process and timeframe guidelines” for state and local small-cell consideration (see 1806290063). The friendly panel was in contrast to opposition S-3157 faces from other state and local governments (see 1810040055).
The FCC said restoration of "light-touch" broadband regulation reflects the best read of the Communications Act and its goal of an internet "unfettered" by federal and state regulation. The "internet freedom" order is backed by the agency's "legal analysis, public policy concerns, and the extensive record," said the FCC/DOJ brief Thursday, responding to challenges (see 1808210010) in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in Mozilla v. FCC, No. 18-1051. Though the decision reversed a 2015 Title II net neutrality order, the FCC "had ample discretion, following a 'change in administrations' to reevaluate its policies," it said, citing the 2005 Supreme Court Brand X deferring to the commission classification of cable broadband as a Title I information service.
Florida counties are working together to ensure 911 calls are answered from places hit hard by Hurricane Michael, county emergency management officials told us Friday. The hurricane left some Virginia 911 call centers running on generators, state officials there said. The FCC Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) communications status report Friday included nine Georgia counties added Thursday at the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s request, bringing the total number of counties covered to 110.
An FCC business data service deregulatory draft isn't looking very contentious as commissioners head toward a planned vote at their Oct. 23 meeting. Stakeholders aren't expecting major changes to the order and two Further NPRMs, though tweaks are possible. Rural telco representatives are largely supportive and no opposition has surfaced so far in the draft's docket.
Bipartisan interest in federal broadband funding mechanisms and criticism of FCC coverage data collection practices dominated Thursday's Senate Commerce Committee hearing on rural broadband, as expected (see 1810030055). The panel also became a forum for Senate Commerce Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., and other committee members to tout broadband-related legislation eyed for potential combination into a package bill (see 1807250056).
Most cellphones appeared to get wireless emergency alert test messages and most broadcasters appeared to transmit emergency alert system messages, but a number did not, based on a survey of our operations, some others, social media and events we attended during the simulation. On Twitter, #PresidentialAlert trended after the first nationwide test of the WEA system Wednesday. Early results of the fourth nationwide test of the broadcast EAS went largely as expected and mirrored past tests, said EAS officials and broadcasters. The WEA test started at 2:18 p.m. and lasted for 30 minutes, while the EAS test began at 2:20 p.m.
Wednesday’s wireless emergency alert test “will not adversely affect your service or device,” Verizon General Counsel Craig Silliman said Tuesday. Silliman posted information about the test due to "controversy on social media” about the alert (see 1809210032). The alerts are “really critical, lifesaving information” that citizens should want to receive, a Federal Emergency Management Agency official said Tuesday on a media call with FCC and FEMA officials who spoke on background, not allowing their names to be used. A journalist and two small-business owners in New York City sued (in Pacer) the government last week at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, claiming the presidential alerts violate First and Fourth Amendment rights to be free from government-compelled listening and warrantless trespass into cellular devices. People mightn't get the alert if their device is configured incorrectly or if they are on a phone call or have an active data session ongoing throughout the 30-minute window, the official said. The wireless industry is working on standards to address those issues, said another FEMA official. The first nationwide WEA test will start at 2:18 p.m. EDT and last 30 minutes, and the fourth nationwide emergency alert system exercise starts at 2:20 p.m., the agencies said. The WEA message will carry the header “Presidential Alert” and read, “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.” The EAS simulation will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Emergency Alert System. This system was developed by broadcast and cable operators in voluntary cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Communication Commission, and local authorities to keep you informed in the event of an emergency. If this had been an actual emergency an official message would have followed the tone alert you heard at the start of this message. A similar wireless emergency alert test message has been sent to all cell phones in the nation. Some cell phones will receive the message. Others will not. No action is required.” The FCC looks forward to more dialogue and lesson sharing with stakeholders after the test, Public Safety Bureau Chief Lisa Fowlkes blogged Tuesday. The agency plans to engage with FEMA and wireless providers, and welcomes public feedback, she said. D.C. text alert subscribers received a notice about the WEA and EAS tests Tuesday. The test was previously postponed due to response efforts to Hurricane Florence.
DOJ likely will convince the courts to throw out California's new net neutrality law, analysts told us Monday. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and other supporters of the FCC's recent broadband regulation rollback voiced confidence in DOJ's lawsuit, filed in federal court as SB-822 was signed by California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) Sunday. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, Commissioner Mike O'Rielly and their supporters welcomed the suit, while Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel and net neutrality advocates criticized it, and industry rivals called for congressional legislation.
A pending report to Congress required by the Spectrum Pipeline Act should make clear the threat to smaller entities from a notice of proposed rulemaking last year on changes to the rules for the citizens broadband radio service band, the Wireless ISP Association said in reply comments in docket 14-177. In initial comments, NTIA and others encouraged the FCC to make more spectrum bands available for 5G (see 1809110040). The FCC sought comment on the initial rules creating the shared CBRS band and on other bands that can be reallocated for broadband (see 1808100033). The NPRM “threatens to pull the rug from under stakeholders who, in reliance on the 2015 rule changes, made significant, long-term investments in preparation for launching innovative products and services -- including those targeting rural and underserved markets -- utilizing the CBRS band,” WISPA said in comments posted Thursday The FCC can rightfully report that the results of the 2015 rules were “positive and promising,” WISPA said. “But ... the Commission must also report on the chilling effect the 2017 NPRM has had on those changes.” The Utilities Technology Council said it opposes comments in the record that “seek to downplay the complexity of expanding the use of the 6 GHz band … and the associated risks of interference to the safety, security and reliability of electric, gas and water services, as well as numerous other services that depend on the 6 GHz band for mission-critical communications.” Federated Wireless said the FCC should report that CBRS “will play a critical role in providing the mid-band spectrum access needed to ensure that the United States leads the world in the race to 5G.” Federated said there's significant support in the record on the importance of that band. “It is paramount that the Commission continue its work to expeditiously authorize CBRS initial commercial deployments and issue final certifications to Spectrum Access System Administrators and Environmental Sensing Capability Operators to enable full commercialization of the CBRS band,” Federated commented.