Wireless has a big role to play in infrastructure building and looks like it will be part of bipartisan legislation, Wireless Infrastructure Association President Jonathan Adelstein told a Media Institute virtual event. "Fiber-only” may be “well-intentioned” but would “crash on the messy rocks of reality in rural America,” he said. At another event also Thursday, Commissioner Nathan Simington raised concerns about how far the FCC can go on data security and privacy.

The Communications Workers of America and Incompas launched lobbying on Thursday on a broadband title in coming infrastructure legislation (see 2107080066). CWA wants to bar companies receiving federal broadband money from interfering with union organizing and from hiring subcontractors for connectivity projects to avoid collective bargaining. Incompas and its BroadLand campaign released videos backing the Broadband Reform and Investment to Drive Growth in the Economy Act. S-2071, believed to form part of the basis for the $65 billion broadband component of a bipartisan infrastructure package President Joe Biden backed in June (see 2106290066), would allocate $40 billion for connectivity. The videos feature lead S-2071 sponsors Sens. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., and Angus King, I-Maine.

The Communications Workers of America and Incompas launched lobbying on Thursday on a broadband title in coming infrastructure legislation (see 2107080066). CWA wants to bar companies receiving federal broadband money from interfering with union organizing and from hiring subcontractors for connectivity projects to avoid collective bargaining. Incompas and its BroadLand campaign released videos backing the Broadband Reform and Investment to Drive Growth in the Economy Act. S-2071, believed to form part of the basis for the $65 billion broadband component of a bipartisan infrastructure package President Joe Biden backed in June (see 2106290066), would allocate $40 billion for connectivity. The videos feature lead S-2071 sponsors Sens. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., and Angus King, I-Maine.

After the FCC wrapped up the comment cycle on possible use of 12 GH for 5G, some experts said having a permanent chair will help move things along. Divisions remain on whether the FCC can safely open the band. Replies were due Wednesday. Proponents and critics told us the key will be how convincing the FCC finds the technical case asserting that incumbent satellite operators in the band can safely share with terrestrial use.

Incompas and the Computer & Communications Industry Association urged the FCC to “follow the robust record” and open 12 GHz for terrestrial mobile. This "would accelerate mobile market competition" and "strengthen America’s 5G edge,” they said. “This action would in no way undermine the utilization of the 12 GHz spectrum band for satellite services and would protect incumbents from interference.” Replies were due later Wednesday in docket 20-443.

Incompas and the Computer & Communications Industry Association urged the FCC to “follow the robust record” and open 12 GHz for terrestrial mobile. This "would accelerate mobile market competition" and "strengthen America’s 5G edge,” they said. “This action would in no way undermine the utilization of the 12 GHz spectrum band for satellite services and would protect incumbents from interference.” Replies were due later Wednesday in docket 20-443.

The House Appropriations Committee’s proposed report on the Financial Services Subcommittee-cleared measure to fund the FCC and FTC in FY 2022 seeks further work on changes to USF contribution rules and wants additional study of how municipal broadband can expand connectivity access. The committee was still considering the underlying bill late Tuesday afternoon. Dueling panels of telecom policy officials disagreed on how lawmakers should translate into legislation the $65 billion broadband component in a bipartisan infrastructure package framework President Joe Biden endorsed last week (see 2106240070).

The refiled Broadband Reform and Investment to Drive Growth in the Economy Act drew criticism last week. S-2071, billed as a bipartisan alternative to infrastructure proposals, would allocate $40 billion for broadband (see 2106150089). The measure “ignores the massive amount of money that the federal government has allocated, but not spent” via the FCC Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, emergency broadband benefit program and Emergency Connectivity Fund, said TechFreedom General Counsel James Dunstan Friday: “Then there’s the $360 billion in the last stimulus bill, potentially all of which could be used for broadband. The spreadsheet on NTIA’s BroadbandUSA website shows almost 100 different federal projects with money” available. The Free State Foundation also slammed S-2071. Incompas CEO Chip Pickering and Mignon Clyburn, co-chair of the new BroadLand campaign for the group, said the bill's refiling "sends a strong message to the rest of the world that the United States will indeed be ready for the jobs of tomorrow."

The refiled Broadband Reform and Investment to Drive Growth in the Economy Act drew criticism last week. S-2071, billed as a bipartisan alternative to infrastructure proposals, would allocate $40 billion for broadband (see 2106150089). The measure “ignores the massive amount of money that the federal government has allocated, but not spent” via the FCC Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, emergency broadband benefit program and Emergency Connectivity Fund, said TechFreedom General Counsel James Dunstan Friday: “Then there’s the $360 billion in the last stimulus bill, potentially all of which could be used for broadband. The spreadsheet on NTIA’s BroadbandUSA website shows almost 100 different federal projects with money” available. The Free State Foundation also slammed S-2071. Incompas CEO Chip Pickering and Mignon Clyburn, co-chair of the new BroadLand campaign for the group, said the bill's refiling "sends a strong message to the rest of the world that the United States will indeed be ready for the jobs of tomorrow."

Emergency broadband benefit providers are encountering problems enrolling eligible households in the program through Universal Service Administrative Co.’s national Lifeline accountability database, representatives said in interviews and FCC filings. Industry groups said it prevented some consumers from taking advantage of the temporary benefit when the EBB launched in May.