Technologies for making domain name system transactions confidential are gaining traction but could pose problems for ICANN, said panelists Tuesday at its meeting in Marrakech, Morocco, and in interviews. Domain name system (DNS) over Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) (DoH) and DNS over transport-layer security (TLS) (DoT) are throwing up complex issues, they said. ICANN's primary interest is to ensure the continuance of the single, unified namespace, Chief Technology Officer David Conrad said in an interview Monday.
Consumers should be able to turn off algorithm filtering that determines the online content they see, Senate Communications Subcommittee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., said during a hearing Tuesday, announcing legislative efforts. Ranking member Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, told reporters he likes the concept but suggested it could be folded into the Senate Commerce Committee’s ongoing privacy legislation talks.
More willingness to name and shame bad actors and stronger international requirements that satellites be actively brought down from orbit after their missions expire instead of waiting for drag and gravity were suggested by space experts Tuesday at Secure World Foundation’s space sustainability summit on an increasingly crowded orbital domain. As the pace of space activities and number of actors grow, there needs to be a shift from academic discussions to real-world policy debates, said Secure World Executive Director Peter Martinez.
Colorado municipalities are trying to work with the wireless industry on 5G infrastructure rollout despite shot-clock concerns and apparent differences between a 2017 state small-cells law and last summer’s FCC order, said local government representatives Tuesday at the livestreamed Mountain Connect conference in Dillon. It shouldn't be "us against them," said Scott Harry, Crown Castle government affairs manager, Rocky Mountain region. “We want to create an environment of collaboration."
Rural and small ISP officials urged Congress to step in to complement FCC actions aimed at fixing the agency's broadband coverage data collection practices. The appeal came during a House Small Business Committee Infrastructure Subcommittee hearing Tuesday. They cited legislation and the commission's planned August vote on a proposal from Chairman Ajit Pai (see 1906120076). The broadband mapping issue has repeatedly drawn the ire of lawmakers (see 1905150061). The House Rules Committee, meanwhile, cleared for floor consideration three broadband-related amendments to the FY 2020 budget bill (HR-3351) containing funding for the FCC and FTC (see 1906240061).
The 3.5 GHz citizens broadband radio service band is unlikely to play a big role in Wi-Fi and instead will provide the unlicensed component of 5G, Martha Suarez, new president of the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance, said in an interview. Suarez recently joined DSA after serving as general director of the National Spectrum Agency in Colombia. DSA’s global summit is this week in Washington.
FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly is open to contribution overhaul to support the USF but doesn't support adding a usage fee for broadband services, he said Tuesday in conversation with former Commissioner Harold Furchtgott-Roth. Adding a fee to broadband could tip the price of the service beyond the reach of some consumers, O'Rielly said. "Raising the cost could change adoption rates. It does matter." O'Rielly spoke about capping universal broadband funds at the Hudson Institute where Furchtgott-Roth is director of Center for the Economics of the Internet.
With an eye on mid-band spectrum for 5G, Ligado sought prompt FCC action on its license modification applications under section 7 of the Communications Act. They have been pending since Dec. 31, 2015, the company said Tuesday. Meanwhile, 40 MHz of spectrum that could be used for 5G isn’t (see 1906050062), the company said. Early in his chairmanship, Ajit Pai promised to “breathe life” into the section 7 rules (see 1703150020). The section requires the FCC to respond to petitions or applications proposing new technologies and services within a year. An NPRM on the section has been open since last year.
FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr is “leaning” toward a plan to loosen radio subcap limits that leave some limits in place in cities but open up ownership limits in smaller markets, he said at a Federalist Society luncheon Tuesday. Carr said he hasn't made a final decision. He acknowledged the plan proposed by NAB and described in the 2018 ownership quadrennial review NPRM is “consistent” with where he's leaning.
The House Communications Subcommittee advanced the compromise Stopping Bad Robocalls Act (HR-3375) Tuesday. But Senate Majority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., also renewed his concerns about it not being a direct companion to his Senate-passed Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (Traced) Act (S-151). HR-3375 would clarify the definition of a robocall and clarify exemptions to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. It would direct the FCC to issue rules requiring carriers to offer opt-out robocall blocking and caller ID services to consumers for free; increases to three years -- and in some cases, four -- the statute of limitations for illegal spoofing; and would increase FCC ability to impose fines (see 1906200061).