California agencies are advancing on broadband action items from the state’s multibillion-dollar effort to increase access, the California Broadband Council was told its final 2021 virtual meeting. The council is seeking to do more to sign up consumers for the emergency broadband benefit (EBB), said Chair Amy Tong. Much work must be done to implement recent $6 billion broadband funding and California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) revamp laws, said California Public Utilities Commission Assistant General Counsel Helen Mickiewicz on an FCBA webinar later Wednesday.
President Joe Biden’s designation of Jessica Rosenworcel as the first woman to hold the permanent FCC chair and his intent to nominate Democratic ex-FCC official Gigi Sohn as the first openly LGBTQ+ commissioner are being hailed as milestones. Biden also is renominating Rosenworcel to the commission. See our report here.
Senators told us they believe there's a feasible if narrow legislative window to reconfirm FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel this year, act on fellow Democratic commission pick Gigi Sohn and affirm NTIA administrator nominee Alan Davidson. The White House announced President Joe Biden’s intent to choose the trio Tuesday, as expected. Biden designated Rosenworcel Tuesday as permanent chair. She had been acting head since January. The White House also nominated Winston & Strawn patent lawyer Kathi Vidal as Patent and Trademark Office director.
The FCC received mixed reaction as it sought to refresh the record on broadband access in multi-tenant environments, in comments posted through Thursday in docket 17-142 (see 2109070047). Many telecom and consumer groups urged to limit or outright exclusivity agreements and other practices that limit MTE options for ISPs and consumers. Others argued against additional regulation.
The FCC shouldn’t act on its own to combat ransomware attacks against communications networks unless a “whole of government” approach doesn’t materialize, said Commissioner Nathan Simington Thursday in a virtual Q&A with former Commissioner Robert McDowell, now at Cooley. Combating ransomware attacks like the recent strike against Sinclair isn’t outside the agency’s authority, but might be outside its capabilities, “unless Congress gives us another thousand people to man that desk,” Simington said (see 2110210045).
Broadcasters, cable groups and emergency alerting companies resisted FCC suggestions for persistent emergency alert system warnings and changes to alerting codes. “It is simply not feasible to incorporate these changes cost-effectively into the existing, well embedded system,” said NCTA. Comments were due Tuesday in docket 15-94.
Witnesses praise a dozen communications-focused bills set to be the focus of a Wednesday House Communications Subcommittee hearing, in written testimony. The subpanel intends the dozen bills, including the Spectrum Coordination Act (HR-2501) and Spectrum Innovation Act (HR-5378), to highlight bipartisan cooperation on the House Commerce Committee, lobbyists said. At least one witness backs the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (HR-3684) and parts of the Democratic-sought budget reconciliation package, which could inject talk of the fracas over the timeline for considering those measures into the hearing, lobbyists said.
FCC commissioners OK’d a Further NPRM on the future of the 4.9 GHz band 4-0, as expected (see 2109280051), and an order that reverses an order from last year giving control of the spectrum to the states. It also partially lifts a licensing freeze on the band. Commissioner Brendan Carr voted at Thursday's commissioners meeting for the FNPRM but concurred on overturning the original order adopted 3-2 under Republicans over dissents then by now-acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioner Geoffrey Starks.
State legislation to assign broadband jurisdiction to the New York Public Service Commission will return this January, said sponsor Sen. Sean Ryan (D) in an interview. With more authority provided by S-5117 and A-7412, the PSC could take a fresh look at broadband prices after a federal court threw out the state’s law to require $15 monthly internet for low-income customers (see 2106110064), he said.
FCC commissioners approved an NPRM on making networks more resilient during disasters 4-0 Thursday, as expected (see 2109280051). Commissioners said more mandates could come as a result of the investigation. Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said the FCC plans a virtual field hearing as part of the Oct. 26 meeting on Hurricane Ida. Rosenworcel and Commissioner Brendan Carr traveled to Louisiana this week to tour areas hit by the latest storm. Commissioners also unanimously adopted an order on foreign ownership and an NPRM about closing two methods for scammers taking control of victims' mobile phones, SIM swapping and port-out fraud. Such actions were as expected (see 2109280009).