The FCC unanimously approved two Public Safety Bureau items on outage reporting and the emergency alert system Wednesday, as expected (see 2103120057). Though the final versions haven’t been released, industry officials told us they don’t expect either the NPRM on wireless emergency alerts (WEAs) and state emergency alert plans nor the order on outage reporting to have undergone significant changes from their drafts. The FCC “needs to fundamentally refresh its playbook for disaster preparedness and resiliency,” said acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel at Wednesday’s meeting of commissioners.
Senate Commerce Committee members delivered the opening salvos in what’s expected to be a vigorous debate over what Congress should include in a broadband title in coming infrastructure legislation, during a Wednesday hearing, as expected (see 2103160001). Committee Republicans cited lingering concerns about the speed of federal work to improve broadband coverage data, after an FCC announcement that it believes improved broadband coverage data maps won’t be available until at least late 2022 (see 2102170052).
Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Commerce Committee ranking member Roger Wicker, R-Miss., are open to antitrust proposals from potential FTC nominee Lina Khan (see 2103120071), they told us this week. Khan’s antitrust views resulted in comparisons to Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. She has worked as a staffer for FTC Commissioner Rohit Chopra and House Antitrust Subcommittee Chairman David Cicilline, D-R.I.
Commissioners approved 4-0 an item that moves the agency closer to a 3.45-3.55 GHz 5G auction starting in early October. A notice proposes a standard FCC auction, similar to the C-band auction, rather than one based on sharing and rules similar to those in the citizens broadband radio service band. The draft public notice got several tweaks, as expected, including offering 10 MHz rather than 20 MHz blocks, but keeps larger partial economic area-sized licenses (see 2103150052). Commissioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington concurred on parts of the order because of lingering concerns.
FTC attorneys should be paid as much as Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Public Company Accounting Oversight Board officials, FTC Commissioner Noah Phillips said Tuesday. He agreed with ex-FTC Chairman William Kovacic, who noted financial regulation attorneys and economists make about 20% more than FTC officials in similar roles.
A parade of New Jersey local government officials and residents testified Tuesday before the state Board of Public Utilities about problems with Altice broadband and customer service, as BPU considers opening an investigation. Commissioner Mary-Anna Holden said the hearing was initiated by numerous complaints around the state. “These services are essential for the residents,” and the board is concerned, said President Joseph Fiordaliso.
The FCC draft notice of inquiry on open radio access networks is likely to be expanded by adding a few additional questions, as reflected in various ex parte filings, FCC and industry officials said. Commissioners vote Wednesday and are expected to approve the NOI 4-0.
Senate Commerce Committee members are expected to spar over the size and scope of a hoped-for broadband title in coming infrastructure legislation during a Wednesday hearing on federal connectivity programs (see 2103150054). Lawmakers more broadly are sizing up the prospect that an infrastructure spending package of the scope envisioned by President Joe Biden and some congressional Democrats may move only if they advance it using the same budget reconciliation mechanism that just enacted the American Rescue Plan Act without GOP buy-in (see 2103110037).
After the Feb. 17 monthly commissioners' meeting, acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel held her first news conference in over a year, the first by any FCC Democrat since February 2020. It was via conference call, unavailable to the public and cut off after half an hour, before multiple reporters were able to ask questions. That continues a trend, begun under former Chairman Ajit Pai, of sharply reduced and fewer public press briefings at the FCC during the pandemic and reflects a decadeslong and gradual reduction in availability of commission officials to reporters.
Rolling out a global satellite-based broadband service is "a radical challenge," from the "tremendous amount of fiber" across the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific for the ground network to the numerous partnerships needed, Viasat CEO Rick Baldridge told us. The inaugural launch next year of its Viasat-3 three-satellite high-capacity constellation will let the satellite operator ramp up the number of addressable markets exponentially, Baldridge said. Viasat-4 is being designed now for launch in 2025 or 2026 with five times the capacity of Viasat-3, he said.