It's possible some states will miss Wednesday's filing deadline for NTIA’s broadband, equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program, Incompas CEO Chip Pickering said Thursday in an interview. However, he said he remains optimistic about the BEAD program’s future. “It will have some failures, a lot of success, and overall, it will move the country ahead.”
Industry groups continued to disagree on whether the FCC should include an assessment of broadband speed benchmarks and higher speed goals in its annual report to Congress about the state of broadband deployment and competition. At issue is Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel's proposal in the agency's notice of inquiry to increase the definition of broadband to 100/20 Mbps with a long-term goal of reaching 1 GB/500 Mbps. Reply comments were posted Tuesday in docket 22-270 (see 2312040024).
Industry and consumer groups clashed on whether the FCC should reclassify broadband internet access as a Title II service under the Communications Act in comments posted through Friday in docket 23-320 (see 2310190020). Commenters against reclassification warned that it would stifle innovation and competition. Supporters said the proposal would ensure consumers have equal access to broadband ahead of anticipated federal broadband deployment programs.
Citing the need to speed up resolution of pole attachment disputes, FCC commissioners during their open meeting Wednesday unanimously adopted an order, declaratory ruling and Further NPRM revising rules to make for faster and cheaper broadband deployment. The item builds on a 2022 proceeding seeking comment on the commission's cost allocation principles (see 2203160031).
Frameplay, in-game advertising platform, hires Skai’s Sandy Shanman, also former Samba TV, as chief operating officer, and Google’s Vishal Arora as chief technology officer... IBM elects Marianne Brown, former Fidelity National Information Services COO, to its board ... The Arena Group tech platform and media company terminates the employment of CEO Ross Levinsohn, and names majority owner Manoj Bhargava interim CEO; Levinsohn's termination follows last week's firing of Chief Operating Officer Andrew Kraft, Media President Rob Barrett and corporate counsel Julie Fenster ... Ayar Labs, silicon photonics company for “chip-to-chip connectivity,” names co-founder and CTO Mark Wade its next CEO, succeeding Charles Wuischpard, serving in an advisory capacity before transitioning out of the company in mid-January ... Cybersecurity company Resillion, formerly Eurofins Digital Testing, names Qualitest co-founder Yaron Kottler executive chairman; previous Resillion CEO Dik Vos takes a board seat as a nonexecutive director ... Webcomics platform Webtoon Entertainment hires Inevitable Tech's David Lee, also former Zynga, as chief financial officer and COO, and promotes Yongsoo Kim to chief strategy officer.
Senate confirms former National Security Agency Executive Director Harry Coker as national cyber director on 59-40 Tuesday vote (see 2307250067) ... Pillsbury promotes Jessica Nyman to partner, communications …. Caveonix, platform for hybrid multicloud governance, compliance and security management, appoints Zscaler’s Aloysius Boyle CEO, succeeding Kaus Phaltankar, who transitions to chief strategy officer-board chairman … The Arena Group tech platform and media company terminates the employment of CEO Ross Levinsohn, and names majority owner Manoj Bhargava interim CEO; Levinsohn's termination follows last week's firing of Chief Operating Officer Andrew Kraft, Media President Rob Barrett and corporate counsel Julie Fenster.
Industry and consumer groups disagreed on whether updating the FCC's broadband speed benchmarks is necessary (see 2311010062). Some cited ongoing federal broadband deployment programs and private investments and encouraged the FCC to focus its report to Congress regarding the state of broadband on policies that could further facilitate deployment. Comments were posted Friday and Monday in docket 22-270.
Industry groups expressed caution regarding any adoption of a new support mechanism and fiber mandates for the FCC's high-cost USF programs, according to a reply comment posted Wednesday in docket 10-90 (see 2310240062). Don't require the provision of standalone voice service as a prerequisite for funding, said the Wireless ISP Association. "There is no longer a need to require high-cost recipients to offer standalone voice service," the group said. WISPA also urged tech neutrality and not to mandate fiber connections. "The commission has never required the use of fiber ... or precluded the use of technologies for its high-cost programs, and it should not do so here," WISPA said. The FCC's enhanced alternative connect America cost model should "be based on forward-looking technology and should not require certain technologies that will unnecessarily raise the cost to taxpayers," it added. The record doesn't support the adoption of a new support mechanism for operational expenses, said Incompas, adding no clear path forward has been provided to establish any new support mechanism. The group said there isn't enough time to adopt a new mechanism before states begin soliciting applications for NTIA's broadband, equity, access and deployment program. The FCC should instead "evaluate the continued need of each USF program in order to evaluate the future of the USF most effectively and how it relates to the billions of dollars coming from federal and state funding," Incompas said.
Incompas CEO Chip Pickering praised House Communications Subcommittee member Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., for her longtime role in communications policymaking following the lawmaker's announcement that she won’t seek reelection in 2024 (see 2311210073). “I had the honor of serving in Congress with” Eshoo “and to say she will be missed is an understatement,” said Pickering, a Republican who served on House Communications with Eshoo. “Her time in Congress was marked by three decades of tirelessly advocating for her constituents in California, and pushing forward bipartisan policies that have shaped our telecommunications history and paved the way forward for its future. Even after my time with her in the halls of Congress, we remained friends and worked together to continue to advance America's position as the global leader in technology and work to ensure Internet for All.” Eshoo is one of seven House Commerce Committee members who have announced they won’t be seeking reelection next year. The others: Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del.; Michael Burgess, R-Texas; Tony Cardenas, D-Calif.; Bill Johnson, R-Ohio; Debbie Lesko, R-Ariz.; and John Sarbanes, D-Md. Cardenas is the only other sitting House Communications member who’s retiring.
NTIA released a conditional waiver of the broadband, equity, access and deployment program's letter of credit requirement Wednesday. More than 300 groups in September urged the agency to remove the requirement, citing potential limitations on small providers' participation (see 2309060022).