The FCC will soon adopt rules that "crack down on revenue sharing” and exclusive access arrangements between broadband providers and building owners in multi-tenant environments said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel during an Incompas policy summit in Washington Tuesday (see 2201210039). The record the FCC received last year on broadband access in MTEs “made one thing very clear,” Rosenworcel said: “The agency’s existing rules are not what they could be.” Commissioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington encouraged NTIA to prioritize unserved areas in its new broadband programs. Other panelists urged the FCC to revise the USF.
Speakers at the Incompas Policy Summit expressed hope Tuesday that the FCC will act soon to allow use of the 12 GHz band for 5G. Incompas has been a leading member of the 5G for 12 GHz Coalition, which seeks new rules for the band (see 2107080055).
State and local governments sought close coordination as billions of broadband dollars come from the federal infrastructure law, in comments we received. Comments were due Friday on NTIA’s request for comments on implementing broadband programs in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Industry groups sought NTIA assurance the broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) and middle mile programs would be technologically neutral. Advocacy groups wanted maximum stakeholder participation and a focus on equitable deployment.
Industry disagreed on allowing use of session initiation protocol 603 as a permanent notification option for blocked calls, in comments posted Monday in docket 17-59 (see 2201040034). The code allows call recipients to block a call without identifying a reason. The FCC Wireline Bureau previously partially granted USTelecom’s request for reconsideration and clarification that SIP code 603 could be used during the transition to SIP codes 607 and 608 (see 2112150039).
Senate Commerce Committee officials are hoping they will be able to act next week on Democratic FCC nominee Gigi Sohn, after repeated delays in scheduling an advancement vote over the past two months. The committee is eyeing including Sohn and Democratic FTC nominee Alvaro Bedoya (see 2201240055) on the agenda for a potential Feb. 2 executive session, Senate aides and communications lobbyists told us. Opponents hope the delays resulted in traction for their ethics concerns about Sohn’s role as a board member for Locast operator Sports Fans Coalition (see 2201130071).
News Media Alliance affiliate American Press Institute hires Michael Bolden as executive director-CEO; he's from the San Francisco Chronicle and starts at API by Feb. 14 ... National Emergency Number Association taps Brooks Shannon as interoperability program manager; he was vice president-geographic information systems, RapidDeploy ... CommScope hires Markus Ogurek from Cisco as senior vice president-segment leader, Venue and Campus Networks business ... Strategic Venue Partners taps former AT&T executive Kevin Hetrick as chief operating officer of the provider of in-building wireless-connectivity-as-a-service.
Senators and industry officials are eyeing a laundry list of policy matters they want Alan Davidson to prioritize once he becomes NTIA administrator. The Senate confirmed Davidson Tuesday on a bipartisan 60-31 vote, as expected (see 2201050056). The chamber voted 64-30 Monday to invoke cloture on Davidson (see 2201100058).
Industry and advocacy groups are preparing comments by the Jan. 18 deadline for an FCC notice of inquiry on its report to Congress on the future of USF (see 2112160074). The document is due by August on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s impact on existing programs and what they should look like moving forward.
An FCC Further NPRM on gateway providers and curbing illegal robocalls got a mixed reaction in comments posted through Monday in docket 17-59. Several questioned whether the proposed rules are duplicative. Most backed ending the foreign provider prohibition, which the commission paused enforcement on during the proceeding.
Representatives of the 5G for 12 GHz Coalition spoke with aides to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioners Geoffrey Starks and Nathan Simington on use of the 12 GHz band for 5G. “The Coalition has drawn a diverse group of supporters that have coalesced around the evidence showing the feasibility of coexistence” there, said a filing posted Thursday in docket 20-443: “The technical, engineering and economic studies submitted into the record were intended to assist the Commission staff in evaluating the feasibility for coexistence in this band and address other questions raised by the Commission in the 12 GHz NPRM and by third-party commenters.” Representatives of Incompas, Dish Network, Airspan, the Rural Wireless Association, Public Knowledge, Open Technology Institute at New America and RS Access were among those on the calls.