NTCA, Incompas, Public Knowledge and the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition will release a "USForward" report Monday that "highlights the need for USF contribution reform, analyzes options for doing so, and provides recommendations on how best to reform this essential support mechanism," said a news release Friday. Consultant Carol Mattey, who wrote the report, will join the groups for a news briefing at 11 a.m. EDT.

The FCC revived its proceeding on broadband access in multiple tenant environment buildings Tuesday, announcing it will seek comments on revenue sharing and exclusivity agreements. President Joe Biden signed an executive order in July encouraging the FCC to prevent ISPs from signing exclusivity agreements with landlords and promote competition (see 2107090006).

More than 5 million households have enrolled to date in the FCC emergency broadband benefit program, the agency said Friday. Experts welcomed the more granular data about enrollment figures that accompanied the announcement and said the program may last 18 months.

Democratic senators are actively eyeing how to use a planned $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package to further boost broadband spending beyond the $65 billion in connectivity money included in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (HR-3684) the chamber passed Tuesday. Republicans told us they’re concerned about such an attempt to double-dip on broadband spending given the amount of money they already agreed to allocate via HR-3684 and a set of COVID-19 aid bills. HR-3684 itself still must clear the majority-Democratic House before it goes to President Joe Biden’s desk.

Large indoor industry conventions will be high-risk situations if the ongoing rise of the delta variant of COVID-19 continues, said infectious disease doctors in interviews. Further complicating matters, they said it's unclear what the landscape of variants and vaccinations will be by October's NAB Show.

Large indoor industry conventions will be high-risk situations if the ongoing rise of the delta variant of COVID-19 continues, said infectious disease doctors in interviews. Further complicating matters, they said it's unclear what the landscape of variants and vaccinations will be by October's NAB Show and Incompas Show.

NTIA's Allan Friedman, who helped lead software bill of materials (SBOM) multistakeholder work, leaves for Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, where he says he will help CISA "focus on scaling and operationalizing" SBOM, "in the context of the vulnerability and security ecosystem" ... Also at NTIA, Aadil Ginwala begins as chief of staff; he had worked at Sandpaper Medical and Walla Technologies ... Forbes Tate Partners hires ex-AT&T Assistant Vice President-Federal Relations Kevin McGrann as senior vice president, working in Public Affairs and Government Relations practices.

NTIA's Allan Friedman, who helped lead software bill of materials (SBOM) multistakeholder work, leaves for Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, where he says he will help CISA "focus on scaling and operationalizing" SBOM, "in the context of the vulnerability and security ecosystem" ... Also at NTIA, Aadil Ginwala begins as chief of staff; he had worked at Sandpaper Medical and Walla Technologies ... Forbes Tate Partners hires ex-AT&T Assistant Vice President-Federal Relations Kevin McGrann as senior vice president, working in Public Affairs and Government Relations practices.

FCC commissioners are expected to OK 4-0 an order on secure telephone identity revisited (Stir) and signature-based handling of asserted information using tokens (Shaken) rules and an NPRM on certification requirements for VoIP providers seeking numbering access. They could potentially have tweaks sought by Commissioner Brendan Carr, said industry and agency officials in interviews last week. Both are set for a vote at Thursday’s meeting (see 2107150066).

Incompas asked the FCC for more certainty on secure telephone identity revisited (Stir) and signature-based handling of asserted information using tokens (Shaken) rules, urging tweaks to rules on appeals when a provider’s service provider code is revoked. The FCC has a role to play in considering appeals, said a filing posted Thursday in docket 21-291. Incompas “would prefer the Commission set a time limit on its review period.” Commissioners vote this coming Thursday (see 2107150066).