The White House is eyeing former acting NTIA Administrator Anna Gomez, ex-Wiley, and to a slightly lesser extent NASA Chief of Staff Susie Perez Quinn as the most viable potential candidates to replace ex-nominee Gigi Sohn as President Joe Biden’s pick fill the long-vacant third Democratic FCC seat, lobbyists and others said in interviews. Officials cautioned that the Biden administration is also looking at other potential candidates and several remained viable Tuesday, including Narda Jones, chief of staff to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.
More areas are eligible for state broadband funding under the California Public Utilities Commission’s more granular mapping approach for 2023, CPUC officials said Monday. The CPUC held a California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) virtual workshop with ISPs, consumers, local governments, and regional consortia. “The validation process we’re using for CASF … is more rigorous and more responsive to the reality on the ground than what we’re seeing at the federal level,” said Communications Division Director Robert Osborn.
T-Mobile is turning up the heat on the FCC to issue licenses bought in last year’s 2.5 GHz auction, linking the failure to do so to the agency’s focus on closing the digital divide. Neville Ray, T-Mobile president-technology, argued for issuing the licenses in a Thursday blog. Lawyers active in the proceeding said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel continues to believe the FCC doesn’t have the authority to issue the licenses after expiration of its auction authority, though the Office of General Counsel is studying the issue.
The telecom industry recoiled at the new direction for a California Public Utilities Commission rulemaking that previously focused on state USF charges. The CPUC has no business investigating provider-imposed charges, said phone, cable and wireless companies in comments Wednesday. Consumer advocates welcomed the review into discretionary charges they said aren’t always expected by customers.
IP captioned telephone service providers urged the FCC to proceed with caution in setting new rates for the service, which is funded through the Telecom Relay Services Fund, in reply comments posted Tuesday in docket 03-123. Industry agreed additional data is needed and new rates should account for the full cost of providing the service.
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Nanette Barragan, D-Calif., and 31 other caucus members urged President Joe Biden Wednesday to nominate “a qualified Latino” to the vacant fifth FCC seat after Gigi Sohn’s recent withdrawal from consideration as nominee (see 2303070082). CHC members didn’t mention any preferred candidates, despite communications sector lobbyists’ chatter that former acting NTIA Administrator Anna Gomez, ex-Wiley, and National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts President Felix Sanchez were under consideration for an endorsement (see 2303130001). CHC member and Senate Communications Subcommittee Chairman Ben Ray Lujan, D-Calif., told us he plans to recommend some potential contenders to the White House amid thus-far unfulfilled hopes the Biden administration will pivot quickly to name a candidate to replace Sohn.
The House Commerce Committee unanimously advanced the Satellite and Telecommunications Streamlining Act (HR-1338), Secure Space Act (HR-675), Launch Communications Act (HR-682), Precision Agriculture Satellite Connectivity Act (HR-1339) and Advanced, Local Emergency Response Telecommunications Parity Act (HR-1353) to the chamber floor Thursday. The panel was on track to move nine other communications policy-related measures, including the Spectrum Coordination Act (HR-1341). The markup session was delayed more than an hour following an extended hearing with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew (see 2303230064).
The “jury’s still out” on whether the FCC’s 3.45 GHz auction was a success, said John Hunter, T-Mobile senior director-technology and engineering policy, during an FCBA wireless lunch Wednesday. Speakers welcomed the administration’s early steps on a national spectrum strategy (see 2303200044).
California policymakers should reconsider what counts as free broadband service as it doles out public housing grants, said the California Broadband and Video Association (CalBroadband) Tuesday. In a petition at the California Public Utilities Commission, the state cable association raised concerns with a December CPUC resolution (T-17775), saying services made free by the federal affordable connectivity program (ACP) aren’t truly free. CalBroadband’s petition should be rejected, two consumer advocates responded Wednesday.
FCC action on Newsmax's January blackout on DirecTV (see 2301250042) is unlikely, though it generated a brief burst of complaints filed with the FCC plus House GOP lawmaker ire, media industry officials said in interviews. There also have been almost no signals a congressional hearing is likely in the near future, lawmakers and media observers told us. Newsmax and DirecTV didn't comment.