Public safety issues rarely dominate the agenda of any FCC chairmen, as in 2004 when one of the biggest focuses of then-Chairman Michael Powell was the 800 MHz rebanding, aimed at protecting safety users from interference. Four years later, then-Chairman Kevin Martin pushed through a failed plan to reallocate the 700 MHz D block for public safety. The main contender, Frontline, dropped its pursuit of the band, which went unsold at auction but now is part of FirstNet. Every chairman since has focused on a few public safety issues.
The FCC is poised to send a message on China at the commissioners’ May 9 meeting, rejecting China Mobile’s application to provide telecommunications services in the U.S. A draft order circulated by Chairman Ajit Pai says granting China Mobile a Section 214 authorization wouldn’t be in the public interest due to national security and law enforcement risks that can’t be addressed through a mitigation agreement, a senior FCC official said Wednesday. Unlike some meetings under Pai, there isn't a broader meeting-wide theme. The FCC also will consider a previously promised FM translator interference item, revised video relay service (VRS) rules, a proposal for the 1675-1680 MHz band sought by Ligado and satellite and a toll-free number auction items.
The FCC is poised to send a message on China at the commissioners’ May 9 meeting, rejecting China Mobile’s application to provide telecommunications services in the U.S. A draft order circulated by Chairman Ajit Pai says granting China Mobile a Section 214 authorization wouldn’t be in the public interest due to national security and law enforcement risks that can’t be addressed through a mitigation agreement, a senior FCC official said Wednesday. Unlike some meetings under Pai, there isn't a broader meeting-wide theme. The FCC also will consider a previously promised FM translator interference item, revised video relay service (VRS) rules, a proposal for the 1675-1680 MHz band sought by Ligado and satellite and a toll-free number auction items.
The FCC is rechartering its Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council for a new two-year term and seeking members. Nominations are due at the FCC May 8 and the expected first meeting is in June, the FCC said Tuesday. CSRIC's future was initially unclear after Chairman Ajit Pai took over in 2017 and the FCC withdrew a CSRIC report on recommendations for communications sector cybersecurity risk management (see 1702060059). CSRIC has focused on other issues over the past two years. The FCC said the council’s work may include the reliability of communications networks and infrastructure, emergency calling issues, emergency alerting and national security/emergency preparedness communications. “It is no longer enough to be first to 5G, the networks we deploy must also be secure,” Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel tweeted in response: “That's why the @FCC needs to refocus the work” of the CSRIC “on 5G security and the time to do it is now.”
Since ATSC 3.0 won't be backward-compatible with 1.0, a big broadcast industry challenge is showing a clear transition plan to get TV manufacturers interested in turning out 3.0 TV sets, Sasha Javid, Spectrum Co. chief operating officer, said at an FCBA event Monday. That was a big motivator of the NAB Show announcement that 3.0 services will roll out to the top 40 U.S. TV markets by the end of 2020 (see 1904080071), he said.
Since ATSC 3.0 won't be backward-compatible with 1.0, a big broadcast industry challenge is showing a clear transition plan to get TV manufacturers interested in turning out 3.0 TV sets, Sasha Javid, Spectrum Co. chief operating officer, said at an FCBA event Monday. That was a big motivator of the NAB Show announcement that 3.0 services will roll out to the top 40 U.S. TV markets by the end of 2020 (see 1904080071), he said.
Open Technology Institute promotes Andi Wilson Thompson to senior policy analyst and Amir Nasr to policy analyst ... American Council for Technology-Industry Advisory Council names David Wennergren, from Deloitte, CEO, effective May 13, replacing Executive Director Kenneth Allen, pursuing new opportunities ... Macom Technology Senior Vice President-Chief Financial Officer Robert McMullan resigning for personal reasons, Conor Hegarty advances to principal financial officer and principal accounting officer ... Shift Technologies appoints Sean Foy, ex-Enjoy Technologies, chief operating officer.
Open Technology Institute promotes Andi Wilson Thompson to senior policy analyst and Amir Nasr to policy analyst ... American Council for Technology-Industry Advisory Council names David Wennergren, from Deloitte, CEO, effective May 13, replacing Executive Director Kenneth Allen, pursuing new opportunities ... Macom Technology Senior Vice President-Chief Financial Officer Robert McMullan resigning for personal reasons, Conor Hegarty advances to principal financial officer and principal accounting officer ... Shift Technologies appoints Sean Foy, ex-Enjoy Technologies, chief operating officer.
Now that the World Trade Organization has ruled that Russia was justified in blocking transit of Ukrainian goods across its territory under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade's national security exception, lawyers are trying to project how a different panel will view the U.S. use of the same rationale for its steel and aluminum tariffs.
President Donald Trump and FCC Chairman Ajit Pai are expected to make a joint announcement Friday clarifying that the U.S. isn't headed toward a nationalized 5G network, industry and government officials said. Trump is also expected to discuss the push to deploy 5G in rural areas. Details were still emerging at our deadline. Trump has been working to associate himself with 5G and a U.S. win. National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow told a CTIA event last week the U.S. definitely isn't losing the race to 5G (see 1904040048). Earlier in the week, CTIA said the U.S. is catching up with China (see 1904020004). The FCC and the White House didn’t comment.