Commerce Committee ranking member Roger Wicker of Mississippi and three other top Senate GOP leaders proposed allocating $65 billion for broadband Thursday as part of a $568 billion “framework,” countering infrastructure proposals from President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats (see 2103110060). Biden’s $2.3 trillion plan proposes $100 billion for broadband (see 2103310064).
A unanimously approved FCC order requiring disclosures on broadcasts of content sponsored by foreign governments has more relaxed diligence requirements than the draft version, agency officials told us. It may not have loosened enough to satisfy industry, sector officials said. “We streamlined the nature and frequency of the compliance requirements placed on the broadcasters,” said Media Bureau Chief Michelle Carey on a media call Thursday after the commissioners' meeting. NAB said the order didn’t sufficiently focus on the “handful” of stations airing foreign government-sponsored programming and creates burdens “for the vast majority of broadcasters that do not air this content.” Broadcasters indicate a legal challenge is possible (see 2104200074).
Disagreement on enforcement through private lawsuits threatens to derail two state privacy bills. The Washington state legislature ends regular session Sunday, and the Florida legislature closes April 30. Each state’s House supported including a private right of action, while their Senates seek only attorney general enforcement. Either state could become the third to pass a comprehensive law, after California and Virginia.
FTC Act Section 13(b) doesn’t authorize the agency to seek equitable monetary relief like restitution or disgorgement, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously Thursday in AMG Capital Management v. FTC (19-508). (See our news bulletin here.)
Noting the high use of texting by populations particularly at risk to suicide, such as kids and minorities, the four FCC members on Thursday approved a Further NPRM on a mandate that carriers provide capabilities to text the 988 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (see 2103310030). Also getting unanimous approvals at the commissioners' meeting were an order allocating spectrum for commercial space launches and an NPRM on setting a framework for informing 911 centers of network outages affecting them, as well as an NPRM on wireless mics in the TV and other bands and an order ending the 800 MHz rebranding process (see 2104220056). Commissioners also OK'd a $4.1 million slamming fine.
Apple and Google unfairly leverage their dominance over the app store market and engage in intimidation, representatives from Spotify, Match and competing companies told the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee Wednesday. Chairwoman Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and ranking member Mike Lee, R-Utah, detailed how the two companies’ unprecedented power lets them make arbitrary decisions that determine users and competitors' fate.
Commenters in docket 15-94 on FCC-proposed changes to wireless emergency alerts, state emergency communications committees (SECCs) and false alert reporting rules largely supported the plans. Some raised concerns about alert fatigue, confidentiality and how future “presidential” alerts should be designated to avoid public backlash. Proposed rule changes in a unanimously approved March NPRM (see 2103170070) stem from the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, which gives the FCC until June 30 to implement new rules.
The U.S. will get another wireless network as Dish Network launches 5G, said Bob Paige, Vertical Bridge senior vice president-mergers and acquisitions. “There seems to be a need for a fourth network.” Dish will deploy next-generation 5G using a “green-field” open radio access network, he said. Others told Wednesday's Wireless Infrastructure Association event that, with this and C-band deployments, the outlook for the tower sector is bright, but questions remain.
House Communications Subcommittee members of both parties largely agreed during a Wednesday hearing that to secure U.S. leadership on 5G technology, Congress must fully fund work on speeding adoption of open radio access networks, and that agencies should return to a unified spectrum policy approach during President Joe Biden’s administration. Tech policy bipartisanship was also evident as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and others of both parties introduced, as promised, a revised version of the Endless Frontier Act. It appears to be back on track (see 2104140069) for swift action after earlier GOP misgivings.
The Senate Commerce Committee expects to vote on advancing Lina Khan’s nomination to the FTC in a “few weeks,” Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., told us Wednesday after Khan’s confirmation hearing (see 2103290061). Republicans we interviewed remain neutral. And Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., had worries.