The FCC's newest member lent his general support to the agency's thrust, following other recent supportive comments by Commissioner Brendan Carr (see 2104220036). The agency under acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has been focused on "doing things that just need doing," said Commissioner Nathan Simington during a virtual FCBA keynote Friday. Rosenworcel is "really managing the agency effectively," Simington said: "If you look at our voting records since I've joined up, there's a lot of unanimous decisions." There's a "lot of work we can get done," he said, and "that's exactly what we've been doing all year."
Noting the high use of texting by populations particularly at risk to suicide, such as kids and minorities, the four FCC members on Thursday approved a Further NPRM on a mandate that carriers provide capabilities to text the 988 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (see 2103310030). Also getting unanimous approvals at the commissioners' meeting were an order allocating spectrum for commercial space launches and an NPRM on setting a framework for informing 911 centers of network outages affecting them, as well as an NPRM on wireless mics in the TV and other bands and an order ending the 800 MHz rebranding process (see 2104220056). Commissioners also OK'd a $4.1 million slamming fine.
The FCC launched its robocall mitigation database Tuesday, said a Wireline Bureau public notice in docket 17-97. Voice service providers have until June 30 to submit the required information. Intermediate and terminating voice service providers must block traffic from providers not listed in the database, beginning Sept. 28. “Protecting consumers from scammers that use robocall and spoofing tools is a top priority,” said acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. "Our message to providers is clear: certify under penalty of perjury the steps you are taking to stop illegal robocalls, or we will block your calls.”
The FCC launched its robocall mitigation database Tuesday, said a Wireline Bureau public notice in docket 17-97. Voice service providers have until June 30 to submit the required information. Intermediate and terminating voice service providers must block traffic from providers not listed in the database, beginning Sept. 28. “Protecting consumers from scammers that use robocall and spoofing tools is a top priority,” said acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. "Our message to providers is clear: certify under penalty of perjury the steps you are taking to stop illegal robocalls, or we will block your calls.”
Communications companies and federal agencies are still deciding when to bring more employees back for in-person work, experts said in interviews. But with no clear federal rules, executives are weighing benefits and risks. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is expected to release updated guidance in the next few weeks.
The FCC expects Emprata to provide an initial data flow proposal for the new broadband data maps by April 12 and draft data architecture design by May 3, acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel told Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and Rep. Bob Latta, R-Ohio, in letters posted on the commission's site Monday (see 2103170026). Rosenworcel laid out the steps needed to create new maps, including a "framework for massive amounts of data" to "feed into a comprehensive, user-friendly dataset on broadband availability" and IT systems to collect and verify data (see 2103230071).
The FCC expects Emprata to provide an initial data flow proposal for the new broadband data maps by April 12 and draft data architecture design by May 3, acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel told Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and Rep. Bob Latta, R-Ohio, in letters posted on the commission's site Monday (see 2103170026). Rosenworcel laid out the steps needed to create new maps, including a "framework for massive amounts of data" to "feed into a comprehensive, user-friendly dataset on broadband availability" and IT systems to collect and verify data (see 2103230071).
Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel is pressing to get the FCC’s first version of broadband maps ready in four months, which Commissioner Brendan Carr supports. Experts said in recent interviews that it's doable to get something out, but the kinds of maps the FCC needs will likely take much longer. The maps are considered critical to the 5G Fund auction and the next phase of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. Those representing smaller carriers that are likely to contend for the 5G Fund were hopeful but uncertain that maps can be developed in a tight time frame.
Panelists called for more federal dollars and resources to help minority and female entrepreneurs and for the FCC to address the digital divide to facilitate tech startups outside big tech hubs. “You cannot build a technology company with dial-up internet,” Andy Stoll, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation senior program officer-entrepreneurship, said at an FCC Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment’s virtual event.
Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel is pressing to get the FCC’s first version of broadband maps ready in four months, which Commissioner Brendan Carr supports. Experts said in recent interviews that it's doable to get something out, but the kinds of maps the FCC needs will likely take much longer. The maps are considered critical to the 5G Fund auction and the next phase of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. Those representing smaller carriers, likely to contend for the 5G Fund, were hopeful but uncertain that maps can be developed in a tight time frame.