House Commerce Committee Republicans touted their legislative proposals on broadband deployments, network security and emerging tech, saying Monday they’re “in line” with the Trump administration's October national strategy (see 2010150047). The Republicans cited their June package of bills aimed at streamlining broadband deployments (see 2006250068), a response to House Democrats’ earlier proposal for $100 billion in broadband funding. They noted their support for the Utilizing Strategic Allied Telecom Act (HR-6624/S-3189) and Trump’s March signing (see 2003120061) of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act (HR-4998). Appropriators are wrangling over allocating money for the law’s proposed funding to rip and replace suspect equipment on U.S. networks, including from Chinese vendors Huawei and ZTE (see 2009140062). HR-6624/S-3189 would require the FCC to create an NTIA-managed open radio access network R&D grant program (see 2004240032). House Commerce Republicans cited leaders’ May emerging tech agenda and the September refiling of the Safely Ensuring Lives Future Deployment and Research In Vehicle Evolution (Self Drive) Act (HR-8350) to create a legal framework for autonomous vehicles.
House Commerce Committee Republicans touted their legislative proposals on broadband deployments, network security and emerging tech, saying Monday they’re “in line” with the Trump administration's October national strategy (see 2010150047). The Republicans cited their June package of bills aimed at streamlining broadband deployments (see 2006250068), a response to House Democrats’ earlier proposal for $100 billion in broadband funding. They noted their support for the Utilizing Strategic Allied Telecom Act (HR-6624/S-3189) and Trump’s March signing (see 2003120061) of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act (HR-4998). Appropriators are wrangling over allocating money for the law’s proposed funding to rip and replace suspect equipment on U.S. networks, including from Chinese vendors Huawei and ZTE (see 2009140062). HR-6624/S-3189 would require the FCC to create an NTIA-managed open radio access network R&D grant program (see 2004240032). House Commerce Republicans cited leaders’ May emerging tech agenda and the September refiling of the Safely Ensuring Lives Future Deployment and Research In Vehicle Evolution (Self Drive) Act (HR-8350) to create a legal framework for autonomous vehicles.
House Commerce Committee Republicans touted their legislative proposals on broadband deployments, network security and emerging tech, saying Monday they’re “in line” with the Trump administration's October national strategy (see 2010150047). The Republicans cited their June package of bills aimed at streamlining broadband deployments (see 2006250068), a response to House Democrats’ earlier proposal for $100 billion in broadband funding. They noted their support for the Utilizing Strategic Allied Telecom Act (HR-6624/S-3189) and Trump’s March signing (see 2003120061) of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act (HR-4998). Appropriators are wrangling over allocating money for the law’s proposed funding to rip and replace suspect equipment on U.S. networks, including from Chinese vendors Huawei and ZTE (see 2009140062). HR-6624/S-3189 would require the FCC to create an NTIA-managed open radio access network R&D grant program (see 2004240032). House Commerce Republicans cited leaders’ May emerging tech agenda and the September refiling of the Safely Ensuring Lives Future Deployment and Research In Vehicle Evolution (Self Drive) Act (HR-8350) to create a legal framework for autonomous vehicles.
The U.S. renewed a national emergency authorizing sanctions against Sudan despite suggesting that it was considering ending some restrictions, the White House said Nov. 2. “Despite recent positive developments,” the White House said, the crisis in Sudan “has not been resolved” and continues to threaten U.S. security.
U.S. export controls on foundational technologies would impede U.S. innovation and do little to reduce national security concerns, the Computer and Communications Industry Association said in a letter to the Bureau of Industry and Security. The group urged BIS to construct a “narrowly tailored” export regime or risk stymieing U.S. leadership in a range of technologies.
The FCC should end more than a decade of indecision about giving states access to the network outage reporting system (NORS), said current and former state commissioners in interviews last week. NARUC will vote at its annual meeting Thursday-Friday and Nov. 9-11 on proposed resolutions asking the FCC to grant a 2009 California Public Utilities Commission petition to share NORS information and urging state legislatures to authorize commissions to reduce intrastate inmate calling service (ICS) rates to cost-based prices. NARUC will consider the resolutions just days after a presidential election that might change control of the FCC in 2021.
Firefighters and paramedics continue to be sent to incorrect addresses in potentially life-and-death emergencies in the nation's capital city, even with increased scrutiny on 911 errors there. Our review of recent radio communications and interviews this week with stakeholders found continuing problems. Some also spoke of increased difficulties in recent days amid a potential technology upgrade at the 911 center. The city's auditor plans an audit, and House Commerce Committee members express concern.
A proposal on changing FM booster rules to let radio stations geotarget content was circulated to the eighth floor, said FCC officials and a release from Commissioner Geoffrey Starks. The draft NPRM hews closely to an April petition from GeoBroadcast Solutions (see 2006040024) and doesn’t focus on an additional proposal from a group of broadcasters seeking to be allowed to originate content on FM translators, an FCC official told us. Starks has repeatedly praised the proposal and did so again Wednesday: “I am pleased to support this innovative proposal, which could offer a potential lifeline to small, women, and minority broadcasters that are struggling to retain their listening audiences and earn advertising revenue at a time when consumers have multiple options.”
It’s inequitable for regions with similar privacy values, like the U.S. and EU, to “point fingers” about upholding privacy rights, FTC Commissioner Noah Phillips said Tuesday on effects of the Schrems II decision (see 2009250071). Policymakers should recognize shared privacy values while drawing the line against countries that don’t respect privacy, he told a U.S. Chamber of Commerce event. “We have so much more in common with Europe than that which separates us, and I think that needs to be a critical part of the conversation.” Countries with data localization standards ought to be the “barriers to trade” that allies focus on, he said.
The FCC approved an order making further changes to wireless infrastructure rules Tuesday, with dissents from Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks as expected (see 2010220048). The order addresses equipment compound expansions as part of collocations, clarifying that an infrastructure modification doesn’t cause a “substantial change” if it entails excavation or deployments up to 30 feet outside macro tower compound boundaries (see 2010060060). Commissioner Brendan Carr indicated there were some changes from the draft. The FCC moved quickly, with a Further NPRM OK’d in June (see 2006090060).