President-elect Joe Biden’s incoming administration is likely to boost prospects for a major infrastructure spending package, supporters of increased federal broadband spending told us. They welcome that change after hopes for progress were dashed during President Donald Trump’s administration. Lawmakers in both parties are hopeful but believe questions about how to pay for the additional infrastructure will remain a major sticking point amid expectations there will still be divided control of Congress (see 2011040052).
Bally's and Sinclair’s partnership to integrate gaming content into Sinclair’s 190 TV stations and 21 regional sports networks will be a factor in pending negotiations about distribution with sports teams, said Sinclair CEO Chris Ripley on a Thursday call. “It’s a proven phenomenon” from research and oversees markets that “real-money” sports betting “creates a virtuous circle of viewership,” said Ripley. “More gaming creates more viewership, creates more gaming, which creates more viewership.” Gaming will be a “huge megatrend in sports watching" that will ultimately make sports and sports rights more valuable, Ripley said.
All FCC action on the Telephone Consumer Protection Act isn’t focused on Facebook v. Duguid, to be argued before the Supreme Court Dec. 8, an FCBA webinar heard Thursday. Experts hope that case provides long-awaited clarity on what constitutes an automatic telephone dialing system (ATDS) under the TCPA (see 2011100052).
The FCC released the three draft items Chairman Ajit Pai is proposing for the Dec. 10 meeting (see 2011180065). The meeting will be headlined by a report and order implementing the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act, with an NPRM on equipment certification rules and an order on ATSC 3.0 datacasting. Industry officials said it's unclear whether FCC Democrats will consider any of the drafts controversial or major items that should be left for next year under the new commission.
FCC members agreed 5-0 to seek comment on revised internet-based telecom relay service rules, expanding the TRS fund contribution base for internet-based TRS of video relay service and IP relay service. Only Chairman Ajit Pai and Commissioner Mike O’Rielly had statements on the NPRM, which they didn’t read at Wednesday's meeting. O’Rielly said the agency doesn’t go far enough. The NPRM hasn’t been controversial, with no filings since it circulated three weeks ago. Democrats, who will control the agenda next year, had no statements.
5G security is the major focus of the FCC’s Dec. 10 meeting, Ajit Pai said Wednesday. The chairman released a skinny agenda by recent standards and won't further liberalize rules for Wi-Fi in the 6 GHz band, which had looked more in doubt in recent days (see 2011130045). Like the 5.9 GHz order, 6 GHz has been controversial and faced opposition from incumbents unhappy with the April order opening the band. December will also feature an order on ATSC 3.0 datacasting.
"What's the location of your emergency?" asked a District of Columbia Office of Unified Communications 911 call taker on June 5 just before 4 p.m. The caller, crying as she reported that her 59-year-old mother passed out after experiencing chest pains, answered, “414 Oglethorpe Street Northeast.”
The three Republicans vying to succeed House Commerce Committee ranking member Greg Walden of Oregon told us they intend to largely maintain his approach to telecom policymaking during the next Congress, which is expected to include more debate on net neutrality. Walden announced his retirement plans last year, sparking debate about Communications Subcommittee Republicans’ future path (see 1911260048).
The FCC on Wednesday approved 5-0 opening 45 MHz of the 5.9 GHz band for Wi-Fi, while allocating 30 MHz for cellular vehicle-to-everything, as expected (see 2011170058). Commissioners overruled the Department of Transportation, which asked that the band be preserved for safety applications. Commissioner Mike O’Rielly said the order was tweaked to speed use of the spectrum for C-V2X, and he would have preferred to see more changes. Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks voted to concur. Wi-Fi advocates said the FCC appeared to approve a change they sought that will make it easier to convert routers to use the spectrum.
Senate Commerce Committee GOP leaders are eyeing a vote to advance FCC nominee Nathan Simington to the full chamber amid likely uniform Democratic opposition and lingering uncertainties about whether there’s unanimous GOP support. FCC Republicans, meanwhile, sidestepped questions about whether they will cooperate with President-elect Joe Biden’s transition, given objections from President Donald Trump. Chairman Ajit Pai announced a national-security-heavy agenda Wednesday for commissioners' Dec. 10 meeting but avoided saying he’s acquiescing to Democrats’ calls for him to stop work on major items (see 2011180065).