As the FCC works on new broadband availability maps, experts said in recent interviews that building a nationwide map requires a focus on answering specific questions about connectivity. Some said it may be months before a final map is released.
California's legislature could be close to finalizing billions of dollars for broadband deployment and related bills to update the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF), stakeholders told us. Three preemptive telecom bills also are sailing toward passage despite warnings by some local governments.
No broadband-related actions President Joe Biden asked the FCC to take in his Friday executive order on competition can easily proceed until there are additional commissioners to secure a Democratic majority, EO supporters and opponents told us. The directive encourages the FCC to at least bring back rescinded 2015 net neutrality rules and act against some other communications sector practices. Congressional Democrats have become increasingly frustrated by Biden’s slow nominations process (see 2106160056). (For the EO's tech provisions, see 2107090060.)
Intelsat is upping the estimated price tag for its part in the C-band clearing by more than $100 million, while SES and Eutelsat are dropping theirs, per updated transition plans posted Thursday in docket 18-122 (see 2106230038). The FCC didn't comment.
The $518,000 proposed fine against Gray Television for a top-four rule violation (see 2107070066) might be a message for the industry or a hint of what direction ownership rules under this FCC could take, said a broadcast attorney, media consolidation opponents and academics in interviews Thursday. “We are hopeful that once the FCC is up to full capacity, it will act to close all of these shell company loopholes that enable broadcast giants to control stations they aren't legally allowed to own,” said Free Press Research Director Derek Turner.
House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle, D-Pa., believes lawmakers could include language in an infrastructure spending package aimed at encouraging buildout of “future-proof” broadband networks, despite the smaller amount of connectivity money in a bipartisan framework President Joe Biden endorses (see 2106240070). Senate Appropriations Financial Services Subcommittee Chairman Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and GAO criticized the FCC’s current 25/3 Mbps minimum broadband speed benchmark.
It will be a challenge for state attorneys general to prove Google has a monopoly over the Android app store market, former FTC and DOJ officials told us Thursday. Consumer groups welcomed Wednesday’s lawsuit from AGs in 36 states and Washington, D.C.
After the FCC wrapped up the comment cycle on possible use of 12 GH for 5G, some experts said having a permanent chair will help move things along. Divisions remain on whether the FCC can safely open the band. Replies were due Wednesday. Proponents and critics told us the key will be how convincing the FCC finds the technical case asserting that incumbent satellite operators in the band can safely share with terrestrial use.
Former President Donald Trump sued Facebook, Google, Twitter and their CEOs Wednesday, alleging illegal online censorship. Experts dismissed this as a baseless effort without First Amendment grounds.
A draft NPRM on updating some radio technical rules isn’t expected to draw controversy and could be voted before the FCC’s July 13 meeting, said industry and agency officials in interviews. “This really strikes me as housekeeping, but good housekeeping,” said broadcast attorney David O’Neil of Rini O’Neil. “They want to clean this stuff up a bit,” said broadcast engineer Tim Sawyer of TZ Sawyer Technical Consultants. He believes some provisions may have been motivated by the upcoming November window for noncommercial educational construction permits (see 2104210076).