Completing a review of the service outages caused by the Dec. 25 bombing in Nashville, which partially destroyed an AT&T central office (see 2012280048), is one of the FirstNet Authority’s “top priorities” this year, Chairman Tip Osterthaler told the authority's board Wednesday. The organization plans to make recommendations to AT&T on how to improve network redundancy, said the public safety network's CEO Edward Parkinson.
House Majority Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina confirmed Wednesday he will again seek $100 billion in broadband funding as part of coming infrastructure legislation, as expected (see 2011200056). The House Commerce Committee, meanwhile, proposed $7.6 billion in E-rate remote learning funding as part of its portion of the coming COVID-19 budget reconciliation measure. It’s bringing the bill up for a committee markup Thursday, also as expected (see 2102090079). Commerce Democrats’ decision to fast-track consideration of the measure drew committee Republicans' ire.
NARUC's Telecom Committee unanimously agreed the FCC should closely review Rural Digital Opportunity Fund long-form applications to ensure RDOF providers have what's needed to deliver on promises. The committee cleared that proposed resolution Wednesday at NARUC's virtual meeting. Earlier, an analyst raised concerns about young companies winning bids. Committee Chair Karen Charles Peterson urged the new FCC to revisit broadband reclassification and net neutrality rules, revamp USF contribution and restore Lifeline voice support.
The 1,200 MHz of spectrum the FCC opened for Wi-Fi at 6 GHz is spurring action by regulators worldwide, experts told the Fierce Wireless Wi-Fi Summit Tuesday. Raghuram Rangarajan, Amazon engineering leader, told us adoption of the band will happen quickly. Wi-Fi 7, with 320 MHz channels, is a few years away, speakers said.
FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks' top priority for the next few weeks is ensuring as many people as possible can access the $3.2 billion emergency broadband benefit program. He told Incompas Tuesday it could reach more low-income households and communities of color than any other program to help close the digital divide (see 2102090079). It's important to broadly publicize the program and encourage ISPs to participate, he added.
Expect some commercial space policy changes, but not dramatic ones, from President Joe Biden's White House and acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel's FCC, experts told us. Many see the FCC under Rosenworcel's interim leadership likely to act to advance the orbital debris Further NPRM. The FCC didn't comment.
House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J., hoped the COVID-19 aid package Democrats are aiming to pass via budget reconciliation includes additional E-rate funding. Pallone emphasized during an Incompas event the committee’s part of the pandemic bill, which it intends to mark up Thursday, is unlikely to address other telecom matters. More broadband money is almost certain to make it into additional economic aid measures and an infrastructure bill targeted for later this year, Pallone said.
State commissioners needn't worry about satellite and fixed wireless winning large amounts of Rural Digital Opportunity Fund money, said SpaceX and Wireless ISP Association officials Tuesday. Trust in FCC staff’s close review of short-form applications, they said on a virtual panel Tuesday at NARUC’s winter conference. NARUC is scrutinizing RDOF amid concerns by some members that unfamiliar entities won large amounts of federal funding in their states (see 2101290028).
Adopting final service rules for the 12 GHz band will probably take the FCC at least 18 months, with more engineering and other study needed, experts said Monday during an Incompas webinar. Commissioners approved an NPRM 5-0 in January (see 2101130067) at the last meeting under then-Chairman Ajit Pai. Experts said comments will help the FCC decide what action to take.
Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and others cited the 25th anniversary Monday of the Telecom Act’s signing as a jumping-off point for a range of communications and tech policy proposals for this year, including the need for more broadband funding in coming legislation. Some noted the importance of the ongoing debate over revamping Communications Decency Act Section 230, enacted as part of the 1996 law.