CBRS Alliance President David Wright and telecom lawyers said Thursday they are hopeful the COVID-19 pandemic won't further affect the citizens broadband radio service auction. The FCC last month delayed it to July 23 (see 2003250052). Commissioners Mike O’Rielly and Jessica Rosenworcel had noted concerns about further pandemic-related effects on the CBRS sale and other spectrum auctions (see 2003310049).
COVID-19 demonstrates why flexibility is important for enforcers while also showing the benefits of contact tracing, FTC Commissioner Noah Phillips said Tuesday. An industry representative and privacy attorney in interviews debated recent contact tracing-related testimony to the Senate Commerce Committee.
Changes to the FCC orbital debris order, as expected (see 2004170011), netted 5-0 commissioner adoption Thursday at the agency's April meeting. Some commissioners said they approved after several items were moved from the draft order to the accompanying Further NPRM.
Commissioners approved an order 5-0 Thursday allocating 1,200 MHz for sharing with Wi-Fi and other unlicensed use in the 6 GHz band. The unanimous vote was expected (see 2004170057), as was the approval of a number of tweaks sought by FCC members. Commissioners said they had no worries that allowing very low-power (VLP) devices without automated frequency control throughout the band will be harmful to incumbents. A Further NPRM now seeks comment on the portable use of standard-power devices. NAB, AT&T and others raised concerns.
The 1 dB standard for determining harmful interference to GPS, pushed by the GPS industry and others opposed to Ligado's planned low-power terrestrial L-band network plans, doesn't assess harmful interference and isn't directly correlated with it, the FCC said in its 74-page Ligado order adopted Sunday (see 2004200011) and released Wednesday.
Commissioners approved an NPRM Thursday on the proposed 5G Fund over partial dissents by Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks, as expected (see 2004200063). Both said the NPRM offers a false choice and the FCC can’t rely on bad maps or wait until 2023 or later to start offering support. Commissioner Mike O’Rielly supported the NPRM, but also had concerns. Members met via teleconference, for the second month during COVID-19.
With the Google antitrust probe ongoing, there are reasons to be concerned about a monopoly in advertising tech and its harm to competition, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) said Wednesday. Depriving rivals access to necessary data inputs is potentially anticompetitive, he said. “Competitors that hope to compete with Google in the online digital marketplace may not be able to do so if Google maintains a strategic bottleneck on access to critical user data,” he told the American Bar Association. He noted he wasn’t speaking directly about the ongoing Google probe (see 1909090060).
The first of the major wireless carriers to report since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, AT&T's took a hit. Executives said the full effect is expected in Q2. The telco withdrew guidance for 2020 because of COVID-19 uncertainty. It reported a $605 million hit to Q1 revenue and $433 million to EBITDA. Bad debt, cutting some customers a break on payments and production shutdown costs meant lower earnings, AT&T said. Verizon reports Friday.
Lawmakers and groups drilled down Wednesday on tech and telecom provisions in an anticipated fourth major COVID-19 legislative package, including broadband funding and aid for local media. President Donald Trump renewed his interest Tuesday in including connectivity money in future pandemic-related bills (see 2004210060). He previously cited interest in pursuing $2 trillion in infrastructure spending as part of future aid legislation (see 2003310070).
The FCC approach to a proposed 900 MHz realignment relies on negotiations between licensees to make 6 MHz available for broadband services and technologies, according to the May meeting item draft released Wednesday. The draft order and NPRM on regulatory fees meantime said foreign-licensed satellite operators argued a "parade of horribles" if the FCC begins charging them regulatory fees, but they were unconvincing. Also released were orders on ending the requirement broadcasters publish application notices in local newspapers and allow for online notice though links to actual FCC databases, and expanding use of earth stations in motion (ESIM).