An FCC proposed handset unlocking NPRM will likely receive unanimous approval at the commissioners' open meeting Thursday, probably with minimum tweaks, lawyers and others in the proceeding told us. Currently, among the national carriers, only Verizon is subject to broad unlocking requirements, though T-Mobile faces some owing to its Mint Mobile and Ultra Mobile acquisition. The notice proposes all mobile providers unlock a consumer’s handset 60 days after it's activated.
Open network architecture is a flourishing trend beyond 5G and open radio access networks, speakers said Wednesday during a Broadband Breakfast webinar. The wholesale model has worked for the middle mile and in wireless, Incompas President Angie Kronenberg said: “It’s exciting to see the discussion now happening about last-mile connectivity and fiber.”
Broadcast groups demanded that the FCC acknowledge their industry’s increasing competition with tech companies and loosen regulations. Meanwhile, the Free State Foundation and Public Knowledge seek more spectrum, according to reply comments filed by Monday’s deadline in docket 24-119. The comments will inform the 2024 State of Competition in the Communications Marketplace report to Congress (see 2406070001)
Officials with the 12 GHz for 5G Coalition remain hopeful that FCC action in coming months will allow use of the lower 12 GHz band for fixed-wireless deployments, they said in interviews. In addition, should the FCC act soon, the band could still play a part in some state proposals under the broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program, the officials said. The coalition had hoped for action early in 2024 (see 2312270045).
Revisions to the Spectrum and National Security Act (S-4207) last week (see 2406140062) have at least solidified Democrats' support for the measure ahead of a planned Tuesday Senate Commerce Committee vote, lobbyists told us. The more doubtful wild card is whether any Republican panel members publicly back the measure Tuesday despite Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., making revisions that reflect their desire to protect military interests, lobbyists said. Several believed there was still a strong chance Senate Commerce would again postpone a vote on S-4207 after already yanking it from the agenda three times (see 2406110079). The panel’s meeting is set to begin at 10 a.m. in 253 Russell.
Incompas CEO Chip Pickering and others from the group met with FCC Commissioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington to seek action on allowing fixed-wireless use of the lower 12 GHz band. Incompas and other proponents had hoped for movement early in 2024 (see [Ref:2312270045). Incompas also met with aides to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, a filing posted Friday in docket 20-443 said. “Taking immediate action to make 500 megahertz of spectrum available in the lower 12 GHz for fixed wireless service offers the promise of reliable and affordable connectivity for U.S. consumers and increases the ability of the Commission to address the digital divide as it will allow current license holders offering fixed wireless solutions to apply for federal broadband deployment programs, like NTIA’s Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program,” Incompas said.
Incompas supports the FCC’s proposed 5G Fund but agrees with others who argue the agency should wait on making awards until after funding is released for the broadband access, equity and deployment program, a filing posted Friday in docket 20-32 said. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel circulated an order on the fund in March (see 2403200071). Allowing NTIA to complete the BEAD allocation “will give the Commission a better understanding of where gaps in wireless 5G service exist and will help ensure that funding efforts are not duplicated and that USF funding will reach the areas where there is still a funding need,” Incompas said.
Senate Communications Subcommittee Chairman Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) and four other senators joined forces Tuesday night to file an amendment to the FAA reauthorization bill that would allocate $6 billion to the FCC’s affordable connectivity program for FY 2024 and $3.08 billion to fully fund the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program. Senate leaders were still in talks Tuesday night on what amendments to the FAA package they would allow floor votes on in hopes of securing a time agreement to speed consideration of the measure.
Incompas CEO Chip Pickering urged lawmakers and industry to "mitigate the potential risks" of artificial intelligence (AI) as the technology "becomes more sophisticated." In a blog Friday, Pickering wrote that companies "must develop public trust by building transparent AI systems" and "take accountability for the technology they release to the public." It's also "key for the lawmakers considering regulations surrounding AI to balance responsibility and accountability, while empowering innovation and competition."
TWN Communications, supplier of commercial and residential broadband services to rural electric cooperatives, taps former FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein as executive vice president-chief strategy and external affairs officer ... NCTA hires NTIA’s Russ Hanser as deputy chief legal officer ... Incompas adds DC Blox CEO Jeff Uphues to its board ... Silicon Labs taps board member Bob Conrad, also a former Texas Instruments and Analog Devices executive, as senior vice president-worldwide operations; Sandeep Kumar, who currently leads global operations, will depart Silicon Labs in 2024's second half ... New IAB hires: Cintia Gabilan, ex-Amazon and Meta, as vice president-IAB Media Center; Arlene Mu, ex-Lowe's, as assistant general counsel; and Nadine Karp McHugh, ex-Goldman Sachs, as executive in residence ... Ivanti, IT and security company, adds Proofpoint’s Alex Lei, also former Dell Technologies, as senior vice president-sales, Asia Pacific and Japan ... Streaming media company FreeCast rehires Chris Savine, ex-Netscape and AOL Time Warner, as chief operations officer and head-finance; he previously was FreeCast’s chief financial officer from 2014 to 2020 ... Involta, provider of data center and cloud infrastructure and services, hires Everstream Solutions' Dereck Wischmeyer as general counsel.