House Commerce Committee Republicans launched a probe Tuesday of NTIA’s communications with state-level broadband offices related to the $42.5 billion broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program. Long-standing Republican criticisms of BEAD, meanwhile, became a major issue during a House Communications Subcommittee hearing that morning on the FCC’s FY 2025 budget request (see 2407090049). Lawmakers sparred over the propriety of GOP Commissioner Brendan Carr publicly slamming the program.
Broadcast groups demanded that the FCC acknowledge their industry’s increasing competition with tech companies and loosen regulations. Meanwhile, the Free State Foundation and Public Knowledge seek more spectrum, according to reply comments filed by Monday’s deadline in docket 24-119. The comments will inform the 2024 State of Competition in the Communications Marketplace report to Congress (see 2406070001)
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel showed no willingness Tuesday to abandon a March Further NPRM that would ban bulk billing arrangements between ISPs and multi-dwelling unit owners (see 2403050069) despite bipartisan criticism during a House Communications Subcommittee hearing. She was similarly unmoved by GOP skepticism about a proposal requiring disclosure of AI-generated content in political ads (see 2405220061). During the hearing, Republican Commissioner Brendan Carr called for the FCC to backtrack on both proposals because of the U.S. Supreme Court’s June Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo decision and other rulings (see 2407080039).
The FCC will hold a forum on direct video calling (DVC) and related issues July 30. The session will explore how government agencies can implement DVC, an internet service that allows communication between American sign language users without the need for a translator. The session will begin at 1 p.m. in the Commission Meeting Room at FCC headquarters. The forum "features an overview of relevant Executive Orders regarding accessible Federal customer services ... and exhibits by DVC providers," the FCC said.
Samsung Electronics America representatives met with an aide to FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks about the company’s request for a waiver on a 5G base station radio that works across citizens broadband radio service and C-band spectrum (see 2309130041). “Samsung has no incentive to cause harmful interference to its own devices in any band,” a filing posted Monday in docket 23-93 said. The radio would enable carriers “to deploy mid-band spectrum more efficiently and effectively relative to two standalone radios,” Samsung said.
The FCC on Monday approved a waiver of rules that require environmental sensing capability systems to protect federal incumbents in the citizens broadband radio service band from harmful interference for markets in Texas hit by Hurricane Beryl. Federated sought a waiver Friday. The Wireless Bureau said the waiver is similar to those granted for similar storms and applies only to areas affected by power outages.
The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology on Monday sought comments, due July 29, on a C3Spectra proposal to join the list of companies operating an automated frequency coordination (AFC) system to manage access to the 6 GHz band. OET conditionally approved C3Spectra’s application, subject to a testing process, “which may begin immediately.” In February, OET approved AFC operations by seven companies and sought initial comments on C3Spectra’s proposal, in docket 21-352 (see 2402230050).
The FCC Wireless Bureau sought comment on a waiver sought by McMurdo of FCC performance standards for emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs) the company hopes to market and sell in the U.S. McMurdo “explains that its EPIRBs currently meet an updated standard that is not referenced in the FCC’s rules” and that the updated standard is “as at least equivalent to the version cited in the current FCC regulations,” the bureau said. Comments are due July 29, replies Aug. 8, in docket 24-206.
The Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association told the FCC the FirstNet Authority can best utilize the 4.9 GHz band. The 4.9 GHz band is “mid-band spectrum that can be used to support FirstNet 5G services while protecting incumbent uses in the band,” the chiefs said in a filing posted Monday in docket 07-100: “For the fire and emergency service," the band "presents an opportunity to develop technology to track firefighters in buildings; support Unmanned Aerial Systems and robots; and improve the data available to an incident commander on the scene in a major incident.”
The FCC Enforcement Bureau issued an initial determination order against Veriwave Telco Monday for failing to comply with the commission's call blocking rules for providers suspected of carrying illegal traffic. The bureau ordered the company to respond to its order within 14 days, otherwise other providers must block Veriwave's voice traffic. An investigation found suspected illegal traffic originated at Veriwave earlier this year. "Providers must do their part to prevent these junk calls from getting to consumers," Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a news release. If they don't, "they will face significant consequences," she added.