Public records show top tech and telecom executives gave campaign contributions in recent years to several members of Congress who objected to certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s victory. Numerous tech and telecom companies halted political action committee contributions after last week’s riot on Capitol Hill.
NTIA’s Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee will consider a draft updated memorandum of understanding on how NTIA and the FCC cooperate on spectrum Thursday. The MOU follows conflicts over the past two years between the FCC and federal agencies on bands, including Ligado's proposed terrestrial use of L-band spectrum, opposed by the DOD; the 2.5 GHz band, which raised questions at the Education Department; 5.9 GHz, opposed by the Transportation Department; and 24 GHz, which raised Commerce Department concern. Industry experts note CSMAC is a largely bipartisan group so its recommendations could be given weight in the new administration.
Regulators cleared three items circulated by Chairman Ajit Pai last week -- opening the 12 GHz band to 5G, proposing bidding procedures for a 2.5 GHz auction and unveiling the first round of selections for the agency's Connected Care pilot program (see 2101060061). Pai, who leaves next week, effectively forced a vote.
Chairman Ajit Pai’s final FCC commissioners' meeting Wednesday and its subsequent news conferences included condemnations of President Donald Trump by Republicans, speculation about future action on social media moderation, and presentations on staff work during Pai’s tenure. Pai said he had planned pre-election to leave the post after a single term, declining to comment on his plans or the second impeachment of President Donald Trump.
The Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol included about a dozen reported assaults and numerous threats against journalists. (See our news report here.) This could spur renewed interest in legislation to protect them, said journalism advocates in interviews this week.
Congress will revisit the possibility of a federal moratorium on face-scanning technology in the upcoming session, House Oversight Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., told us. Industry representatives expect the Biden administration to push for tighter face-scanning regulation. Reps from CTA, BSA|The Software Alliance and the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) said President Donald Trump’s most important artificial intelligence contribution will be his regulatory guidance to agencies.
Facebook, AT&T, Google, Microsoft, Intel and Airbnb said they’re limiting political contributions after Wednesday’s deadly riot at the Capitol. Also Monday, Amazon Web Services was hit with an antitrust lawsuit from Parler after AWS stopped hosting the social media service, which is popular with conservatives. The Computer & Communication Industry Association supported platforms’ right to suspend certain accounts involved “in the incitement of violence,” including President Donald Trump's. See here for our news bulletin on Twitter permanently yanking Trump's account Friday.
One change the FCC could make to wireless infrastructure policies of the past four years after Democrats take control next week is October's rollback allowing streamlined processing of expansions for collocation deployments up to 30 feet outside macro tower compound boundaries. Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks dissented (see 2010270043). Of the infrastructure changes adopted under Chairman Ajit Pai, that one could be the most vulnerable because it's the last to be approved and mechanisms are available to reverse it, local officials said in recent interviews.
The FCC moved forward 3-2 on another leftover issue Thursday evening, proposing fines against 10 entities for allegedly violating educational broadband service rules. All apparently didn't "provide the educational services” required. They "apparently failed to meet their obligations to maintain local program committees to inform the use of their respective licenses in the 2.5 GHz band.” Commissioner Brendan Carr raised issues in 2019 about how some EBS licensees are using the spectrum. Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks slammed the move, with Joe Biden's administration starting Jan. 20.
Texas legislators probably can’t quickly fix a state USF on the brink of collapse, a top state lawmaker told us Friday. The Public Utility Commission, which has been unwilling to make changes on its own authority, sought legislative guidance in a competition report this month. AT&T and cable companies agreed it's the legislature's job. Small telcos facing possible bankruptcy worry legislative relief won’t come fast enough, said Texas Telephone Association (TTA) Executive Director Mark Seale. Nebraska and Oklahoma commissioners could soon make USF contribution method changes after hearings this and last week.