Top Senate Commerce Committee leaders told us they aren’t yet completely ruling out proposals to make the USF subject to Congress’ annual appropriations process as part of a legislative revamp of the program. However, some panel Democrats are dubious because of flaws in the funding system, amplified by the ongoing government shutdown (see 2510230049). In comments submitted to Congress' bipartisan USF working group, some stakeholders also strongly advocated for shifting to an appropriations-based funding model (see 2509160064). Meanwhile, panelists at a Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition event Wednesday said they see appropriations as a largely unappealing option to give USF more sustainable long-term funding.
Liberty Media Vice Chairman Robert Bennett becomes chairman, effective Jan. 1, replacing John Malone, who becomes chairman emeritus … FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty names the Wireless Bureau's Nellie Foosaner as her acting legal adviser, temporarily replacing Will Holloway, who's on paternity leave for three months ... Fiber and wireless network provider BCE Canada will nominate Louis Vachon, J.C. Flowers, as chair, contingent on his reelection to the board, replacing Gordon Nixon, leaving in May … Network systems integrator Black Box names Suman Roy, ex-HCL, as senior vice president for Europe, a newly created position … Cloud communications provider Fusion Connect appoints Ken Worcester, formerly YourSix, as chief revenue officer, replacing Jim Delis, who's leaving the company … Dustin Vance, ex-Ingersoll Rand, joins Broadcast Electronics as sales manager for the Western region and Canada, replacing Ben Marth, now at GatesAir.
Consumer Technology Association CEO Gary Shapiro praised the FCC for not proposing a tuner mandate or mandatory transition in the ATSC 3.0 NPRM on Tuesday (see 2510280024).
There's no longer a need for broadcast-ownership restrictions, said American Action Forum’s Jeffrey Westling and Aryan Mirchandani in a post Wednesday. Ownership limits intended to promote viewpoint diversity and competition are outdated because of the prevalence of modern media options, they wrote. “There are costs to keeping these rules in place, and if the FCC’s goal is to promote a robust and diverse broadcast market, eliminating these rules can help,” the post said. “By eliminating the restrictions, the FCC could create efficiencies for firms, lowering costs and better allowing broadcasters to compete with digital alternatives.”
Citing FCC restrictions on Dahua products, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) said Wednesday that he had opened an investigation into whether security camera maker Lorex Technology is selling products that use components sourced from the Chinese video equipment maker. Texans "should never have to worry that the devices protecting their homes could be tied to foreign adversaries," Paxton said.
Comments are due Nov. 26, replies Dec. 26, on the submarine cable Further NPRM that FCC commissioners adopted Aug. 7 (see 2508070037), the agency said Tuesday (docket 24-523). The NPRM proposes that submarine cable applications that meet certain security standards should be exempted from license reviews by the Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the U.S. Telecommunications Services Sector. Rules in the subsea cable order that accompanied the FNPRM also take effect Nov. 26, the agency said.
Communications Daily is tracking the lawsuits below involving appeals of FCC actions.
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, told us he’s still planning to bring in FCC Chairman Brendan Carr for a hearing before year-end, but Democrats are concerned that he’s slow-walking scheduling that panel amid their ongoing airing of grievances about Carr's tenure leading the commission, particularly actions that critics say targeted the media’s free speech rights. As expected (see 2510280053), Senate Commerce Democrats used Wednesday's hearing on the Biden administration's social media censorship to again raise concerns about Carr’s comments last month against ABC and parent Disney, which were widely perceived as influencing the network’s since-reversed decision to pull Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Government speech coercion might be unconstitutional, but companies with business before the government aren't going to push back, panelists said Wednesday during a conference about online speech organized by the Center for Democracy & Technology and Stand Together. Free-speech advocates also criticized the FCC and FTC for increasingly weaponizing their regulatory powers.
The FCC would seek comments on options for the upper C band, including an auction of up to 180 MHz of it, in an NPRM to be voted on at the agency's Nov. 20 meeting. Congress has directed the FCC to auction at least 100 MHz of upper C band by July 2027. "We have no time to spare," agency Chairman Brendan Carr said Wednesday. "So it is now time to start making important decisions on how best to unleash new wireless services quickly in the band."