The FCC will vote Nov. 17 on rules aimed at improving the delivery of outage information to public safety answering points by requiring operating service providers (OSPs) and covered 911 providers to “utilize special diligence to obtain and maintain up-to-date contact information for each 911 special facility they serve,” said a draft report and order released Thursday. The FCC also announced that it won't be pursuing an inquiry into the agency's reliance on Nielsen ratings in a draft broadcast order on updating the publication used to determine broadcast DMAs (see 2210260081).
Howard Buskirk
Howard Buskirk, Executive Senior Editor, joined Warren Communications News in 2004, after covering Capitol Hill for Telecommunications Reports. He has covered Washington since 1993 and was formerly executive editor at Energy Business Watch, editor at Gas Daily and managing editor at Natural Gas Week. Previous to that, he was a staff reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Greenville News. Follow Buskirk on Twitter: @hbuskirk
The FCC approved 4-0 Thursday an NPRM that proposes new rules to make the emergency alert system and wireless emergency alerts more secure. Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said the rulemaking is one part of the FCC’s current focus on making systems more secure. FCC officials said, as expected (see 2210250057), there were only minor changes over what Rosenworcel proposed, FCC officials said.
FCC commissioners approved 4-0 Thursday, as expected (see 2210240047), an order launching a notice of inquiry on the 12.7 GHz band. The agency also cleared a plan to extend USF support to eligible mobile and fixed carriers in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and an NPRM addressing Stir/Shaken caller ID authentication standards. Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel acknowledged she had circulated an item focused on the 4.9 GHz band (see 2210260064).
The FCC will tackle 911 calling at its Nov. 17 commissioners' meeting, Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said Wednesday. The agenda is light, with only a broadcast item and an enforcement action also set for a commissioner vote. Drafts are expected to be released after Thursday's meeting.
5G is happening, but more slowly than hoped, especially for companies that will use the new generation of wireless to transform their business, said Andreas Mueller, Bosch chief expert-IoT communication technologies, Wednesday during day two of New York University’s in-person and virtual Brooklyn 6G Summit, also sponsored by Nokia. Other speakers said industry is already looking to 6G.
The emerging world of the metaverse and digital twinning (see 2210190017) will require more powerful networks, though how much more powerful is an open question, said Nokia CEO Pekka Lundmark at the Nokia and New York University Brooklyn 6G Summit Tuesday. The metaverse has been defined as the ability to render 3D virtual worlds in real time, with an unlimited number of users able to experience them at the same time, he said.
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel circulated for a vote Wednesday an order and NPRM on the 4.9 GHz band, industry and FCC officials confirmed. The item wasn't circulated for action at the FCC’s Nov. 17 meeting. The order would establish a national band manager, which would govern the leasing process in the band, and the NPRM asks for feedback on details of how the leasing process could work, officials said. The order would allow public safety to interrupt any commercial operations. In May 2021, shortly after becoming acting chair, Rosenworcel got the FCC to stay a 2020 order that gave states control over how the band is used (see 2105270071), over a dissent by Commissioner Brendan Carr. Both Rosenworcel and fellow Democrat Geoffrey Starks had opposed the earlier order (see 2009300050). In September 2021, commissioners asked new questions in a Further NPRM (see 2109300053).
A draft notice of inquiry exploring the future of 13 GHz spectrum is expected to be approved Thursday largely as circulated by Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel (see 2210060062). Only CTIA filed comments in 22-352, the docket created for the proceeding. FCC officials said outreach to the commission and discussion of the item among the offices have been minimal, which they said is typical for an NOI.
The U.S. government charged two Chinese intelligence officers with attempting to obstruct a criminal case against Huawei, in the Eastern District of New York, DOJ said Monday. The charges against Guochun He and Zheng Wang were announced by Attorney General Merrick Garland, FBI Director Christopher Wray and other officials. The agents thought they recruited “an asset,” but the individual was “actually a double agent working on behalf of the FBI,” Garland said at a news conference: “The defendants paid a bribe to the double agent to obtain nonpublic information, including files from the U.S. attorney’s office in the Eastern District. They did so in the hope of obtaining the prosecution’s strategy memo, confidential information regarding witnesses, trial evidence and potentially new charges to be brought against” Huawei. The defendants, who are still at large, allegedly paid about $61,000 in Bitcoin bribes to the FBI agent, DOJ said. The complaint said the incident took place after January 2019. In 2020, the U.S. accused Huawei of conspiring to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (see 2002130030). If convicted, He faces up to 60 years in prison, Wang up to 20 years, DOJ said. “Anyone still wanna make the case that concerns about Huawei are overblown?” tweeted Michael Sobolik, fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council. “Sorry not sorry, Huawei is a tech cancer,” tweeted Nathan Leamer, an aide to former FCC Chairman Ajit Pai: “We must secure our networks and kick them out.”
Verizon took a hit on Wall Street Friday after announcing the loss of 189,000 wireless consumer postpaid phone customers Q3, partially as a result of raising prices. Consumer wireless postpaid churn was 1.1%. Verizon’s share price was down as much as 6% and closed down 4.46% at $35.35. Chief Financial Officer Matt Ellis warned that pricing pressure would continue into Q4.