The FCC's new rules setting a list of covered communications equipment and services determined to be a national security risk take effect March 15, says Wednesday's Federal Register. Eligible telecom carriers that receive USF funds must remove such equipment or services, and all providers of advanced communications services must report whether their networks include any covered equipment acquired after Aug. 14, 2018. The rules also establish the Secure and Trusted Communications Network reimbursement program, which gives smaller providers funds to "rip and replace" such equipment (see 2011190059).
Chairman Ajit Pai said Tuesday a top challenge for the next FCC is the rising USF contribution factor (see 2012150018). “The current funding mechanism is regressive, hitting low-income Americans and seniors the hardest. We need to fix this problem, and fix it soon,” he said. Pai repeated his support for setting aside auction funds for broadband deployment in unserved communities and suggested Congress allocate $50 billion to fund USF for the next five years so lawmakers can identify a better contribution system. Pai also touted his efforts to close the digital divide during the event with the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council and National Grange. It's one of several events he is attending as he prepares to leave Jan. 20. Pai called the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (see 2012070039) his proudest initiative, saying it will “connect millions of Americans living in some of the hardest-to-serve places.” He continued responding to critics that providers may be unable to provide the services they successfully bid on (see 2012210026). The auction was “overwhelmingly a success,” he said. “There will always be those who are upset that other people are getting the money instead of themselves.” Part of the COVID-19 relief law provided funds to improve broadband mapping before the RDOF Phase II auction. “I hope that the next FCC will approach that phase with vigor,” Pai said. With millions relying on internet access for work and education, the $3.2 billion emergency broadband relief fund (see 2101070052) “will go a long way,” Pai said: “Our staff is moving quickly to stand up this program to help consumers who need that help." Pai touted his efforts to close the digital divide by visiting 49 states and two U.S. territories -- he would have visited all 50 if not for the pandemic, he joked. “I learned about a woman who was found dead in her home, clutching her cellphone,” Pai said. The woman dialed 911 38 times, but the calls never went through, Pai said: “There just wasn’t wireless coverage in her area.” The pandemic underscored the need for access to telehealth services, he said, praising the commission’s efforts to increase the budget for the rural healthcare program.
FCBA said 19 employers are in its inaugural diversity pipeline program, which will facilitate technology, media and telecom internship placements for law students. It said Monday that participating law firms are Davis Wright, Harris Wiltshire, Hogan Lovells, Kellogg Hansen, Kelley Drye, Lerman Senter, Mintz, Wilkinson Barker, Wiley and Willkie Farr. Also participating are ACA Connects, CTIA, NCTA, USTelecom, AT&T, Charter Communications, Comcast/NBCUniversal, T-Mobile and Verizon. The program remains open to employers in the Washington area through Jan. 18, said FCBA. Students may apply until Friday. “As the Tech Bar, the FCBA has real power to drive meaningful diversity, inclusion, and equity, and it is our responsibility to do so,” said President Natalie Roisman. Such efforts were discussed in our recent Special Report on diversity (see here and here).
The FCC dismissed petitions for reconsideration of a July order updating rules for finding the vertical location of wireless callers to 911 (see 2007160055). The vote was 5-0 with Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel concurring. CTIA sought reconsideration in September, citing COVID-19 delays (see 2009290024). APCO asked the agency to require providers to deliver dispatchable location for a minimum percentage of 911 calls. “We dismiss the petitions as procedurally defective and, as an alternative and independent ground for resolving the issues raised, we deny the petitions on the merits,” said Monday's order.
The FCC correctly decided it couldn’t retain outdated broadcast rules based on the hope that they promoted minority and female ownership, said the agency and broadcasters in replies Friday to the Supreme Court for the appeal of the 3rd Circuit’s Prometheus IV decision on media ownership (see 2012230062). The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ “15-year blockade of reasonable reforms, based on its atextual policy preferences, must now come to an end,” said NAB and broadcast industry petitioners. The 3rd Circuit’s order that the FCC gather a record on the likely effect of rule changes on minority and female ownership is “untenable,” the agency said. The FCC has treated ownership diversity as a “relevant criterion,” but it isn’t given “controlling weight,” and the ownership rule changes were adopted to benefit competition and localism, the brief said. The Prometheus public interest group arguments “flyspeck” the FCC’s reasoning and ignore “the agency’s cautious approach to a complicated question on an imperfect record,” the agency said. “The judgment of the court of appeals should be reversed,” the agency said. Oral argument is Jan. 19.
FCC members revised rules for over-the-air reception devices with an eye toward spurring 5G; Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks concurred. Commissioners approved the OTARD NPRM 5-0 last year, but local government and real estate groups raised concerns in comments (see 1906040053). The change was sought by wireless ISPs (see 1904120027). The order, adopted Wednesday and released Thursday, provides protections already afforded to OTARD devices to “hub and relay” antennas used for the distribution of broadband-only service to multiple customer locations. The FCC requires that the antenna be installed on property exclusively used or controlled by the antenna user, where the user has an ownership or leasehold interest in the property. “By making this modest adjustment to our rule while maintaining the other existing OTARD restrictions, we place fixed wireless broadband-only service providers on similar competitive footing with other service providers,” the order said: “This rule change should allow fixed wireless service providers to bring faster Internet speeds, lower latency, and advanced applications … to all areas of the country, and to rural and underserved communities.” Outgoing Chairman Ajit Pai said it's “common sense” reform of wireless infrastructure rules. It "reflects the realities of modern network architecture, including densification of transmission equipment and siting of infrastructure closer to end users, while preserving the rights of property owners or lessees to freely negotiate the terms of antenna placements,” Pai said: “Extending OTARD protection to qualifying broadband-only antennas will remove unreasonable barriers to deployment erected by third parties, such as local zoning laws and private restrictive covenants as well as excessive permitting fees.” The order “notches yet another win in the FCC’s work to accelerate the buildout of Internet infrastructure,” said Commissioner Brendan Carr, who spearheaded wireless infrastructure changes: It makes “it easier for fixed wireless providers to install the antennas needed to expand their networks."
The FCC doesn’t plan to release drafts on the 12 GHz NPRM or the 2.5 GHz auction notice before next week’s commissioners’ meeting, a spokesperson confirmed. Chairman Ajit Pai circulated both (see 2101060061) for a vote at Wednesday’s meeting, as expected (see 2101050053). Pai also circulated a public notice announcing the first round of selections for the $100 million Connected Care pilot program. Not posting drafts is in keeping with past precedent for items not circulated by the chairman three weeks before the meeting. “Because the commission is in the sunshine period, parties are not permitted to communicate with FCC staff," said Michael Calabrese, director of the Wireless Future Program at New America. "So there is no point in encouraging attempts by making the draft public.” Lobbying focused on Commissioners Geoffrey Starks and Jessica Rosenworcel. Public Knowledge and the Open Technology Institute at New America endorsed the 12 GHz NPRM in a call with an aide to Starks, said a filing posted Wednesday in RM-11768. An "NPRM is most appropriate at this time because there has already been considerable comment in response to the [multichannel video and data distribution service] petition and because it is clear that the band is grossly underutilized, particularly in rural areas, and is a near-term candidate for the authorization of at least opportunistic and/or unlicensed access aimed at reducing the digital divide,” they said. Incompas CEO Chip Pickering told a Rosenworcel aide that member companies "potentially could use the 12 GHz Band to deploy broadband and offer competitive alternatives,” the group said. “Move forward with an NPRM to seek comment on ways in which new terrestrial broadband services can be introduced while also allowing existing services to continue to operate and evolve unimpeded,” Federated Wireless executives asked a Starks aide.
Dish Network and SpaceX disagreed about the 12 GHz NPRM on circulation (see 2012290032), in RM-11768 ex parte postings Wednesday. Dish representatives told aides to FCC Commissioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington that terrestrial flexible use in the band, coordinated with direct broadcast satellite providers and terrestrial broadband operators, "is readily manageable." It said an NPRM would let the FCC determine means of coexistence between satellite and terrestrial services in the band. It said approval of SpaceX's request for lower orbits for 2,824 planned satellites operating in the 12 GHz band can't come until SpaceX shows how it will satisfy the equivalent power flux density limits that protect DBS from interference. SpaceX told a Simington aide that multichannel video and data distribution service licensees' own technical studies show the mobile rights they want in the band can't coexist with incumbent operators. SpaceX allies also opposed the NPRM. Connected Nation said it could hurt investment in low earth orbit satellite broadband, "artificially limiting what could otherwise be a true game changer for rural America." North Carolina State University's Friday Institute for Educational Innovation said it "would hate to see a last minute change in spectrum policy that hinders the nascent LEO technology."
The New York Stock Exchange dropped plans to delist China Telecom, China Mobile and China Unicom (see 2101040052). The NYSE on Monday cited “further consultation with relevant regulatory authorities in connection with Office of Foreign Assets Control.” The stature of the U.S. as "an international financial hub hinges on global companies and investors trusting the inclusiveness and certainty of its rules and mechanisms," said a Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Tuesday.
The FCC seeks comment on how to best distribute a $3.2 billion emergency broadband connectivity fund (see 2012210055), said a Wireline Bureau public notice Monday. Comments are due Jan. 25, replies Feb. 16, in docket 20-445. The funds are part of Congress' latest COVID-19 relief bill. Providers seeking to participate must be designated as eligible telecom carriers or approved by the commission. Eligible households will receive a discount of up to $50 monthly, those on tribal lands up to $75. "Our staff is moving quickly to stand up this program so we can quickly direct funding to consumers who need the help," said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said: "We need to find ways to get 100% of us connected in this country and this program is an essential part of making that happen.”