Comments are due Nov. 4 at the Bureau of Industry and Security in docket BIS-2021-0021 to help the secretaries of Commerce and Homeland Security prepare a report to the White House on supply chain disruptions in the “critical sectors and subsectors” of the information and communications technology “industrial base” by the one-year deadline of President Joe Biden’s Feb. 24 executive order, says Monday’s Federal Register. The notice seeks information on the “needed capacities” of the U.S. for “ICT design and manufacturing of products and services, including the ability to modernize to meet future needs.” The agency wants the public to identify “gaps” in U.S. design and manufacturing capabilities, “including nonexistent, extinct, threatened, or single-point-of failure capabilities,” it says. Commerce and Homeland Security “are specifically interested in comments related to validation standards of component and software integrity, standards and practices ensuring the availability and integrity of software delivery and maintenance,” says the notice. They want to know what “security controls” are in place “during the manufacturing phase of ICT hardware and components.” The agencies seek “specific policy recommendations important for ensuring a resilient supply chain for the ICT industrial base.” The recommendations may include strategies for “sustainably reshoring supply chains," says the notice. It’s not the goal of U.S. chipmakers to “onshore everything,” Semiconductor Industry Association CEO John Neuffer told a Sept. 8 Center for Strategic and International Studies webinar (see 2109090001). “We’re trying to diversify our supply chains and spread out our risk.”

AT&T asked the FCC to reject an Alarm Industry Communications Committee request to delay AT&T's Feb. 22 3G data sunset, but others backed AICC. Replies were posted through Wednesday in docket 21-304. Only four commenters (see 2109010056) backed AICC, AT&T said. None “offers evidence relevant to AICC’s arguments for the alarm industry, such as the sufficiency of the repeated notices AT&T gave to the alarm companies of its 3G sunset between 2016 and February 2019 (its official 3G sunset announcement), the extent to which those companies have had access to customers’ homes despite the COVID-19 pandemic, and the extent to which alarm companies have been able to obtain the chipsets necessary to upgrade their particular alarm monitoring systems,” AT&T said. AICC said comments show sunset risks outweigh benefits. The record shows “millions of safety related devices depend on the 3G network, besides alarm systems: ‘Ankle bracelet’ monitors to track violent offenders; vehicle collision avoidance systems; vehicle roadside assistance systems; elevator emergency phones; and emergency radios for ‘lone worker’ situations,” the group said. The pandemic “caused significant delays in being able to replace 3G alarm signaling radios in customer premises for more than one year, and the worldwide microchip shortage has compounded the problem considerably,” AICC said. The FCC has “clear legal authority in this matter and the compelling public interest reasons” to consider the petition, said Access Humboldt, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, Center for Rural Strategies, Open Technology Institute and Public Knowledge. “There are millions of people affected by the looming shutdown of services besides alarm systems and those services are unquestionably subject to the FCC’s [Communications Act] Title II authority,” the groups said: “Even if AT&T were right about the statutory basis for its services to the alarm industry, that does not deprive the FCC of the ability to consider the public interest harms that would result from the shutdown.”

Free Press is “reviewing the petition submission” it filed with the FCC on its request for a notice of inquiry into the agency’s history of anti-Black racism, it said Wednesday after former officials condemned the language (see 2109140041). The petition included some attached personal comments that were submitted to Free Press by members of the public and contained violent language. Free Press condemned the comments and “[apologized] to FCC staff who received this submission.” Reject the petition, ex-commission officials said a series of tweets. Commissioner Brendan Carr condemned the comment in a tweet and said the FCC “should dismiss this submission today.” NAB General Counsel Rick Kaplan tweeted Free Press should withdraw its filing because the attached comments “are ridiculous and many have zero to do with apparent point of the filing in the first place.” Kaplan said it “arguably violates FCC rules.” “Calls for violence are unacceptable,” said FCC acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel in a statement. A spokesperson said the commission “will no longer consider this petition as-is for further comment” and “encouraged” Free Press to refile: “Acting Chair Rosenworcel remains committed to advancing an inclusive vision for the FCC and we condemn anyone who resorts to threats that undermine that mission.”

The FCC should issue a notice of inquiry on the agency’s history of anti-Black racism, said more than 100 public interest and diversity groups in a letter Tuesday to acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “Examine the roots of its failure to create a racially just media system,” said Free Press, the Future of Music Coalition, Greenpeace US, National Hispanic Media Coalition, Common Cause, Public Knowledge and others. “It’s time for the FCC to acknowledge that its policies and practices are a primary reason for deep structural inequities existing in the media and telecom industries that have harmed the Black community.” Rosenworcel said Tuesday in a statement that the agency would seek comment on the groups' request. “I recognize we can’t build a better, more equitable future without a reckoning of how our past continues to influence our present and how too many communities continue to be overlooked and underserved," she said. Along with investigating past policies, the agency should “identify reparative actions” that could be taken “to redress the structural racism that exists in our media system” due to FCC policies, the groups said. They seconded a recent call for an “equity audit” from legislators (see 2106290072). The National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters and the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council, which frequently lobby the FCC on diversity matters, weren’t signatories and didn’t comment.

T-Mobile Senior Vice President-Government Affairs Kathleen Ham slammed AT&T Tuesday during a Media Institute webinar after the rival asked the FCC to adopt a spectrum screen for 2.5 GHz-6 GHz (see 2109010069). AT&T fired back. “What an about face,” Ham said: “For AT&T now to be endorsing a screen is really a complete 180” degrees. AT&T fought “very hard and very mightily” against low-band aggregation limits sought by T-Mobile, she said. “Competition is indeed working.” AT&T “is feeling the heat, they’re realizing that T-Mobile is the leader in 5G right now and we’re pushing them,” she said. AT&T wants regulation to “help them out, to basically protect them from competition,” she said. A screen is “supposed to be pro-competitive, not anticompetitive,” Ham said. T-Mobile will have more to say in filings, she said. “Mid-band spectrum plays a critical role in the buildout of 5G networks,” an AT&T spokesperson emailed. “Its value should be reflected in a separate screen -- as is low-band and high-band spectrum -- when determining whether a proposed transaction would harm the competitive landscape. Our proposed screen would not prevent any carrier from acquiring more spectrum as needed to meet demand. Rather, it would level the playing field.” T-Mobile “doesn’t sit on a megahertz, we build it out,” Ham said. T-Mobile wants the FCC to enforce buildout requirements, recognizing that every band is different, she said. T-Mobile led the industry in clearing AWS spectrum of government users “because we had to” and needed the spectrum for 3G, she said. T-Mobile hopes for a 2.5 GHz auction in Q1 or Q2, she said. “It’s time for the remaining spectrum to be auctioned.” Other 3 GHz spectrum is the most likely to be examined next for auction “and then other bands to be determined,” she said. Ham said there are “very positive signals” that Congress will approve federal infrastructure legislation. T-Mobile likes the commitment to “affordability,” she said: “We’re very active participants in the current emergency broadband benefit program, which is really continued as part of that legislation.” She added to T-Mobile’s Washington, D.C., office, but staffers have been unable to gather in one location since the start of this pandemic. “We’ve had some great webcasts and we do get together online on a regular basis,” Ham said: “That’s been a challenge.” T-Mobile is requiring all employees be vaccinated by Oct. 25, which should mean more in-person work, she said. T-Mobile is offering in-home broadband in markets where it has excess capacity on top of its mobile network, Ham said. “We’re finding, particularly in rural areas and smaller towns … there’s a real hunger for this,” she said: Plans are to expand the program to 7 million-8 million customers by 2025.

Microsoft’s petition for reconsideration of relaxed interference rules for distributed transmission systems is “illogical and contrary to the public interest,” said NAB and America’s Public Television Stations in a call with FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington Thursday, per a filing posted Monday in docket 20-74. “There is no track record of [TV White Space] TVWS success, or even the potential for success, that would warrant limiting broadcasters’ efforts to improve service to viewers,” the associations said. “Despite Microsoft’s repeated efforts to amplify the purported successes of TVWS deployments ... just 322 TVWS devices [are] authorized in the United States today.” Microsoft didn’t comment. In a separate filing, APTS and NAB targeted replies from Public Knowledge, Tribal Digital Village and the New America Foundation’s Open Technology Institute. New DTS rules don’t give broadcasters new spectrum rights or new protections, the broadcasters said: “Despite the length of the Interest Groups’ comments, they are rife with factual errors and misleading conflations and reflect no effort to engage seriously with the substance of this proceeding.” The groups didn’t comment.

Wireless entities urged fixes in the challenge process for mobile coverage maps (see 2108060064), in comments posted Monday in docket 19-195. The process needs to be fixed to be effective, the Rural Wireless Association said. Technical requirements “should be adjusted to account for unique testing and rebuttal issues in rural areas,” RWA said. The notice says it will initiate an inquiry when it has a “critical mass” of complaints, the group said: Because the FCC doesn’t “define what that inquiry trigger is, any use of crowdsourced data to trigger an inquiry could be deemed arbitrary.” Emphasize flexibility and efficiency, said CTIA. “Start by focusing on challenges to outdoor stationary maps” and “defer consideration of any challenges to in-vehicle maps,” the group said. CTIA recommended first improving the accuracy of 4G and 5G coverage maps and supports a proposal to “aggregate speed-test data collected from various challengers.” The Competitive Carriers Association warned that proposed requirements for data submissions are “inconsistent in certain respects with industry standard practices for drive testing.” CCA wants more transparency on the FCC data collection app, saying that “could increase the number of users.” Authorizing third-party speed test apps “concurrently with the Commission’s own app will help ensure that the Commission receives more accurate, diverse, and reliable crowd-sourced data,” CCA said: “Limiting the evidentiary weight given to rebuttals that use only infrastructure data in response to a challenge will reinforce the Commission’s stated preference for real-world as opposed to wholly predictive data.” Implement the program in phases, “beginning with the stationary 4G LTE maps, giving" stakeholders "the chance to work through the challenge and verification procedures and adjust,” Verizon said. Limit the program to outdoor stationary maps of 4G and 5G, and not 3G because that's being retired, T-Mobile said. The carrier said the FCC should seek comment on applications for third-party speed-test apps before they’re authorized. Ookla, which offers speed tests, warned that details need to be further developed.

A draft FCC NPRM seeks comment on how to improve access to the E-rate program for eligible tribal entities (see 2109090068).

COVID-19 forced cancellation of the Oct. 11-14 Cable Tec Expo in Atlanta as a physical show, announced the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers Friday. The event will instead be a “virtual experience” next month, “due to the health and safety risks to attendees posed by the public health epidemic,” it said. It blamed the surge in the delta variant and federal travel restrictions on foreign visitors to the U.S., plus employee travel bans at “some corporations." It’s planning to return the 2022 expo to a physical event next September in Philadelphia, it said.

Comments are due Oct. 12, replies Oct. 25, in RM-11798 on an FCC Wireless Bureau notice seeking to refresh the record on use of the 5030-5091 MHz band by drones (see 2108230034), says Friday's Federal Register.