CTA supported proposed updates to FCC rules for over-the-air reception devices, in reply comments posted Tuesday in docket 19-71. Cities and others continue to counsel restraint (see 1906050014). Other groups are raising RF health concerns. “The availability of broadband is an important factor in the growth of emerging technologies,” CTA said. “Emerging technologies use smaller form factors than previous generation’s macro towers, and these smaller form factors must be closer to end-users. Over the past two years, the Commission took important steps to streamline state and local review of infrastructure siting. … Expanding the OTARD rule to include all fixed wireless equipment is a reasonable next step for the Commission to consider.” Incompas also supported the change. “Fixed wireless is a solution that some of our members use to deliver critical voice and broadband services to their customers,” it commented: “INCOMPAS supports the Commission’s proposal to eliminate the restriction that currently excludes hub and relay antennas from the scope of the Commission’s OTARD provisions.” The U.S. Conference of Mayors and Los Angeles, Boston, Dallas and other local governments said the FCC doesn’t have the authority to act. “The Commission lacks the legal authority, delegated, implied, or ancillary, to take the actions it contemplates,” filing said. “Parties that are supportive of the proceeding fail to demonstrate that there is a predicate for action,” the cities said: “Numerous non-governmental parties offer insights that there is no national movement or scheme to deny OTARD deployments, and the Commission’s proposed actions could retard current plans for wireless developments.” San Francisco also opposed the rules. “The Commission cannot extend the OTARD rule simply because the Commission believes it will be speed-up broadband deployment,” it said: “Where, as here, the Commission is acting under a directive from Congress, the Commission must show that its actions are consistent with that directive, and are not prohibited by other federal laws.” The Wireless ISP Association, which asked for the change, said initial comments broke down into two camps. “Those in the real estate business that seek to maintain the status quo giving zoning and homeowners’ associations unmitigated control over the way their residents’ access video content, and those providers that desire a limited change to the OTARD rule so that consumers have more choices and providers are better able to extend service and offer competitive choice,” WISPA said.

CTA supported proposed updates to FCC rules for over-the-air reception devices, in reply comments posted Tuesday in docket 19-71. Cities and others continue to counsel restraint (see 1906050014). Other groups are raising RF health concerns. “The availability of broadband is an important factor in the growth of emerging technologies,” CTA said. “Emerging technologies use smaller form factors than previous generation’s macro towers, and these smaller form factors must be closer to end-users. Over the past two years, the Commission took important steps to streamline state and local review of infrastructure siting. … Expanding the OTARD rule to include all fixed wireless equipment is a reasonable next step for the Commission to consider.” Incompas also supported the change. “Fixed wireless is a solution that some of our members use to deliver critical voice and broadband services to their customers,” it commented: “INCOMPAS supports the Commission’s proposal to eliminate the restriction that currently excludes hub and relay antennas from the scope of the Commission’s OTARD provisions.” The U.S. Conference of Mayors and Los Angeles, Boston, Dallas and other local governments said the FCC doesn’t have the authority to act. “The Commission lacks the legal authority, delegated, implied, or ancillary, to take the actions it contemplates,” filing said. “Parties that are supportive of the proceeding fail to demonstrate that there is a predicate for action,” the cities said: “Numerous non-governmental parties offer insights that there is no national movement or scheme to deny OTARD deployments, and the Commission’s proposed actions could retard current plans for wireless developments.” San Francisco also opposed the rules. “The Commission cannot extend the OTARD rule simply because the Commission believes it will be speed-up broadband deployment,” it said: “Where, as here, the Commission is acting under a directive from Congress, the Commission must show that its actions are consistent with that directive, and are not prohibited by other federal laws.” The Wireless ISP Association, which asked for the change, said initial comments broke down into two camps. “Those in the real estate business that seek to maintain the status quo giving zoning and homeowners’ associations unmitigated control over the way their residents’ access video content, and those providers that desire a limited change to the OTARD rule so that consumers have more choices and providers are better able to extend service and offer competitive choice,” WISPA said.

CTA supported proposed updates to FCC rules for over-the-air reception devices, in reply comments posted Tuesday in docket 19-71. Cities and others continue to counsel restraint (see 1906050014). Other groups are raising RF health concerns. “The availability of broadband is an important factor in the growth of emerging technologies,” CTA said. “Emerging technologies use smaller form factors than previous generation’s macro towers, and these smaller form factors must be closer to end-users. Over the past two years, the Commission took important steps to streamline state and local review of infrastructure siting. … Expanding the OTARD rule to include all fixed wireless equipment is a reasonable next step for the Commission to consider.” Incompas also supported the change. “Fixed wireless is a solution that some of our members use to deliver critical voice and broadband services to their customers,” it commented: “INCOMPAS supports the Commission’s proposal to eliminate the restriction that currently excludes hub and relay antennas from the scope of the Commission’s OTARD provisions.” The U.S. Conference of Mayors and Los Angeles, Boston, Dallas and other local governments said the FCC doesn’t have the authority to act. “The Commission lacks the legal authority, delegated, implied, or ancillary, to take the actions it contemplates,” filing said. “Parties that are supportive of the proceeding fail to demonstrate that there is a predicate for action,” the cities said: “Numerous non-governmental parties offer insights that there is no national movement or scheme to deny OTARD deployments, and the Commission’s proposed actions could retard current plans for wireless developments.” San Francisco also opposed the rules. “The Commission cannot extend the OTARD rule simply because the Commission believes it will be speed-up broadband deployment,” it said: “Where, as here, the Commission is acting under a directive from Congress, the Commission must show that its actions are consistent with that directive, and are not prohibited by other federal laws.” The Wireless ISP Association, which asked for the change, said initial comments broke down into two camps. “Those in the real estate business that seek to maintain the status quo giving zoning and homeowners’ associations unmitigated control over the way their residents’ access video content, and those providers that desire a limited change to the OTARD rule so that consumers have more choices and providers are better able to extend service and offer competitive choice,” WISPA said.

A proposal by Dish Network that it buy some T-Mobile/Sprint assets and launch its own fourth national wireless network likely faces an uphill climb, observers said Monday. The deal could help DOJ, which signaled it wants four networks regardless of whether it sues to block T-Mobile's buy of Sprint. It also would help Dish, which faces buildout deadlines on some of the massive amounts of spectrum it owns, and could have to forfeit licenses to the FCC.

A proposal by Dish Network that it buy some T-Mobile/Sprint assets and launch its own fourth national wireless network likely faces an uphill climb, observers said Monday. The deal could help DOJ, which signaled it wants four networks regardless of whether it sues to block T-Mobile's buy of Sprint. It also would help Dish, which faces buildout deadlines on some of the massive amounts of spectrum it owns, and could have to forfeit licenses to the FCC.

The 1996 Telecom Act set mandates for ILECs to open networks to competitors, but incumbents say enough competition exists for the FCC to grant USTelecom's petition for forbearance from a requirement to provide unbundled network elements (UNEs) to competitive LECs. At minimum, ILECs seek forbearance wherever there is evidence of facilities-based market competition, such as from a cable provider. CLECs said they still need UNE access (see 1905140012). All sides told us recently to expect the FCC to act soon.

FCC-proposed 2019 regulatory fee hikes aren't transparent and the agency didn't provide enough information about them to form a basis for substantive comments, said satellite carriers, 50 state broadcaster associations and Incompas in comments posted through Monday in docket 19-105 by Friday's comment deadline. Similar criticisms were raised by NAB and other broadcasters in earlier comments (see 1906070063).

Incompas and competitive LEC members want the FCC to protect access to unbundled network elements (UNEs) from ILECs, they noted, posted Tuesday in docket 18-141. Members use the UNEs to deliver competitive services to both residential consumers and business customers, offering specialized services that ILECs "cannot or will not provide," Incompas said. Over time, CLECs are able to transition some of their customers to their own fiber-based networks, Incompas added, noted it's more difficult to do so when states approve substantially higher rates that ILECs can charge for UNE access. The Incompas group met with nine FCC staffers, including Wireline Bureau Chief Kris Monteith and Office of Economics and Analytics Associate Chief Eric Ralph, to urge the agency to reject USTelecom's forbearance petition (see 1905130050). USTelecom says forbearance from requirements to sell transport services as UNEs would promote competitive market conditions (see 1905280043).

Rural telecom carriers stand to gain some and lose some if T-Mobile buys Sprint and the carriers live up to the conditions they offered (see 1905200004) to clear the way for likely FCC OK, insiders say. Many remain skeptical that a new T-Mobile would be willing or able to build a 5G wireless infrastructure covering two-thirds of the rural U.S. population and 99 percent of the country within six years.

Rural telecom carriers stand to gain some and lose some if T-Mobile buys Sprint and the carriers live up to the conditions they offered (see 1905200004) to clear the way for likely FCC OK, insiders say. Many remain skeptical that a new T-Mobile would be willing or able to build a 5G wireless infrastructure covering two-thirds of the rural U.S. population and 99 percent of the country within six years.