Two FCC Wi-Fi items, on rules for automated frequency control in 6 GHz and a notice of inquiry on IoT spectrum needs, likely will have smooth sailing Thursday with 4-0 votes. Neither has been particularly controversial since drafts circulated two weeks ago, though Lumen had recent calls with aides to all four commissioners, saying the AFC rules as proposed don’t go far enough. Commissioner Brendan Carr sought a few tweaks on the NOI, but otherwise both items are expected to be approved largely as-is.
Comcast wants to chat with local government associations about why only cable operators pay franchise fees, said Senior Vice President-Government Affairs Klayton Fennell Wednesday at NATOA’s virtual annual conference. Localities haven't had impacts from two recent court decisions on public, educational and government (PEG) channels, NATOA officials said in an interview. FCC staffers updated NATOA on local-federal engagement efforts.
A draft NPRM on automatic frequency coordination (AFC) in the 6 GHz band, set for a Sept. 30 vote, is an important next step for the band, said representatives of the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance (DSA) in a call with an aide to acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. They “encouraged the FCC to continue to work rapidly and to expedite AFC certification so that the full range of unlicensed devices may commence operations in the 6 GHz band while ensuring protection of incumbent services,” said a filing posted Thursday in docket 18-295. Standard power operations permitted by AFC “will support outdoor, indoor higher power, and indoor connectorized antenna deployments,” DSA said. Representatives of Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Aruba and Federated Wireless were on the call.
FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, the biggest question mark as the agency considers a draft order and Further NPRM on the 4.9 GHz band, indicated Wednesday he may support a proposal to take another look at the band, teed up for a Sept. 30 commissioner vote. Carr was the lone dissenter (see 2105270071) when the FCC stayed rules OK’d last year giving states control.
The FCC unanimously approved an order and NPRM on FY2021 regulatory fees released Thursday, shelving a proposed increase to broadcaster fees (see 2108260050), adopting subcategories of non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite regulatory fees based on system complexity, and seeking comment in docket 21-190 on getting regulatory fees from tech companies and unlicensed device manufacturers in the future. A proceeding on extending the payer base of fees is likely to be a struggle, said Pillsbury broadcast attorney Scott Flick, who represented state broadcast associations in the reg fee proceeding. “Almost any result would be better than the current approach,” he said.
The FCC's next steps on open radio access networks are unclear, three months after the agency wrapped up a comment cycle on a notice of inquiry, industry experts told us. The big question they have is what the FCC could propose in an NPRM that would help speed the deployment of ORAN. Experts said acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and other commissioners see open networks as offering an alternative to an equipment market with a limited number of players, but a decision may have to wait for a permanent chair and full contingent of commissioners.
The FCC unanimously approved an order and NPRM on FY2021 regulatory fees released Thursday, shelving a proposed increase to broadcaster fees (see 2108260050), adopting subcategories of non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite regulatory fees based on system complexity, and seeking comment in docket 21-190 on getting regulatory fees from tech companies and unlicensed device manufacturers in the future. A proceeding on extending the payer base of fees is likely to be a struggle, said Pillsbury broadcast attorney Scott Flick, who represented state broadcast associations in the reg fee proceeding. “Almost any result would be better than the current approach,” he said.
The FCC unanimously approved an order and NPRM on FY2021 regulatory fees released Thursday, shelving a proposed increase to broadcaster fees (see 2108260050), adopting subcategories of non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite regulatory fees based on system complexity, and seeking comment in docket 21-190 on getting regulatory fees from tech companies and unlicensed device manufacturers in the future. A proceeding on extending the payer base of fees is likely to be a struggle, said Pillsbury broadcast attorney Scott Flick, who represented state broadcast associations in the reg fee proceeding. “Almost any result would be better than the current approach,” he said.
The FCC's next steps on open radio access networks are unclear, three months after the agency wrapped up a comment cycle on a notice of inquiry, industry experts told us. The big question they have is what the FCC could propose in an NPRM that would help speed the deployment of ORAN. Experts said acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and other commissioners see open networks as offering an alternative to an equipment market with a limited number of players, but a decision may have to wait for a permanent chair and full contingent of commissioners.
The Universal Service Administrative Co. is “planning a comprehensive redesign” of LifelineSupport.org, said FCC acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. Her letters, posted Friday, went to Reps. Mike Quigley, D-Ill., Steve Womack, R-Ark., Frank Pallone, D-N.J., Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., and James Comer, R-Ky., and Sens. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Gary Peters, D-Mich., and Rob Portman, R-Ohio. The redesign will include “changes to navigational elements and content, informed by user feedback,” Rosenworcel said, and the FCC and USAC are also “determining technical development work” and other steps needed to transition checklifeline.org to the FCC.gov subdomain.