Somos got pushback in comments posted last week on its September petition asking the FCC to make changes to how phone numbers are assigned and move away from its legacy systems to an IP world. The petition came as the agency shut down the North American Numbering Council (see 2506240074).
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said at CES Thursday that making spectrum available for licensed and unlicensed use is critical to U.S. “geopolitical leadership.” When the U.S. frees up spectrum, "the world takes notice," he said, with jobs and innovators coming to the country and new devices and technology launching here first. “It’s really good for consumers.” Carr spoke during a fireside chat with Consumer Technology Association CEO Gary Shapiro.
The FCC released a draft 6 GHz order and further NPRM Thursday, one of four items that Chairman Brendan Carr circulated Wednesday for votes at the Jan. 29 open meeting (see 2601070051). The FCC also released drafts of two orders that address foreign control of regulated entities and an NPRM that asks what, if anything, the FCC should do to ensure the continuation of IP relay service offerings that employ communications assistants.
Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, said Wednesday at CES that the Donald Trump administration's efforts to head off state AI laws are most important for small companies trying to gain a toehold in the AI space. Trump signed an executive order in December that directed NTIA to potentially curtail non-deployment funding from the BEAD program for states that the administration determines have AI laws that are overly burdensome (see 2512110068).
The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions said this week that the FCC's further NPRM seeking comment on tougher call ID rules gets the facts wrong on the issue of Stir/Shaken and the role that rich call data (RCD) could play. Other industry commenters said handing down rules now could chill industry progress addressing caller ID issues. In addition to proposed rules on caller ID, the FNPRM, approved in October, also seeks input on requiring labels for calls that originate outside the U.S. (see 2510280024). Comments were posted this week in docket 17-59.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said Wednesday that the agency will vote at its Jan. 29 meeting on an order that increases the level at which 6 GHz devices can operate while seeking to protect incumbents through geofencing. A second order on the agenda would establish new attestation and disclosure requirements for holders of agency licenses and other approvals.
Consumer Technology Association CEO Gary Shapiro waited until the end of his comments at CES on Tuesday to criticize Trump administration trade policies, while other speakers explained why AI is dominating the annual tech show and why it’s important to industry and consumers. Nearly all the keynotes at the conference this week are focused, at least in part, on AI.
Industry commenters urged the FCC to move with caution in imposing new restrictions in response to a further NPRM approved in October as part of a broader order that further tightens the agency's equipment authorization rules (see 2510280024). The call for caution wasn’t new, as the Consumer Technology Association and Telecommunications Industry Association sought clarification last month about parts of the order itself (see 2512230008). Comments on the FNPRM were due Monday in docket 21-232.
The Conservative Political Action Coalition Foundation said in FCC comments Monday that a problem for consumers like unwanted robocalls doesn't necessarily justify “prescriptive regulatory intervention.” Other filers urged the agency to adopt proposals in a caller ID further NPRM approved by commissioners in October (see 2510280024). Comments were due Monday in docket 17-59.
While the tech industry faces continuing challenges, the global tech and durables market will hit $1.3 trillion by the end of this year, said Brian Comiskey, senior director for innovation and trends at the Consumer Technology Association, in an opening keynote Monday at CES. Overall, the market is “static,” he said, with growth in some regions and contraction in others. He cited challenges including uncertainty and pressure from Trump administration tariffs. “Consumers are still buying technology, just more intentionally.”