The FCC's Oct. 27 meeting agenda is expected to include an order on unbundled network elements (UNE) based on the USTelecom/Incompas compromises reached on dark fiber transport and loop issues (see 2009150063), industry officials told us. Chairman Ajit Pai applauded the agreements at last week's Incompas show, saying he hoped for FCC support for them (see 2009150069).

The FCC got differing advice from commenters in its annual Communications Act Section 706 proceeding. Wireless and wireline groups had a different version of the role wireless can play. Public interest groups said the FCC should say the market needs improvement, in comments posted Friday (see 2009180049) and Monday in docket 20-269. The agency's decision depends on who's in control next year, industry officials said. In April, FCC Democrats disagreed that broadband is being deployed in a reasonable and timely manner (see 2004240042).

The FCC got differing advice from commenters in its annual Communications Act Section 706 proceeding. Wireless and wireline groups had a different version of the role wireless can play. Public interest groups said the FCC should say the market needs improvement, in comments posted Friday (see 2009180049) and Monday in docket 20-269. The agency's decision depends on who's in control next year, industry officials said. In April, FCC Democrats disagreed that broadband is being deployed in a reasonable and timely manner (see 2004240042).

Commissioner Mike O’Rielly's impending exit from the FCC hasn’t made industry lobby him less, according to interviews with attorneys from a wide swath of industries and our examination of filings. O’Rielly used his written House Commerce testimony Wednesday (see 2009160043) to indicate he expects to exit the commission, after President Donald Trump nominated a replacement (see 2009160064).

House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle, D-Pa., emphasized what he views as a stark difference in telecom policymaking that will occur depending on whether President Donald Trump or Democratic nominee Joe Biden wins the November election. A Biden White House and Democratic-controlled Congress “will work to connect all Americans” and plans to “make a historic investment in our broadband infrastructure,” Doyle, a Biden supporter (see 1912130043), said Tuesday at Incompas' event. Biden and the Democrats will also address broadband affordability, “will restore” now-rescinded 2015 FCC net neutrality rules and will “work to combat the flood” of online misinformation, he said. If Trump wins, “I don’t see us addressing any of these issues. I see our government continuing to work to appease the whims of a narcissistic individual. I see the digital divide continuing to grow,” Doyle said. He and House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., cited the continued need for Congress to include broadband funding in the next COVID-19 aid bill (see 2009150068). FCC Chairman Ajit Pai defended the commission’s approval of Ligado’s L-band plan and predicted the upcoming C-band auction will be “massive” (see 2009150069).

USTelecom and Incompas have an unbundled dark fiber transport compromise, following their LEC line access pact proposed to the FCC (see 2008060044), they said in docket 19-308 Tuesday. They urged the FCC to adopt the two concurrently and "bring finality and certainty to issues that have long bedeviled parties and policymakers alike." Since requesting carriers are impaired without unbundled access to dark fiber transport to any Tier 34 wire center more than half a mile from alternative fiber, the compromise would have the FCC find non-impairment and use its authority to forbear from the obligation to provide unbundled dark fiber transport to wire centers within a half mile of alternative fiber where unbundled transport currently isn't required. They said competitive LECs will still have unbundled access to all dark fiber transport arrangements ordered before the order's effective date for eight years, during which the incumbent LEC won't increase rates for access to unbundled dark fiber.

The bipartisan House Problem Solvers Caucus began pressing Tuesday for alternate COVID-19 aid legislation that includes broadband funding, amid a renewed push for a compromise. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., wants the chamber to remain in session until passage. Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., and Communications Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle, D-Pa., during appearances at an Incompas event cited the need for COVID-19 legislation to address broadband. House Republicans cited broadband access in their preelection “Commitment to America” plan as a priority if their party regains a majority in the chamber.

House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle, D-Pa., emphasized what he views as a stark difference in telecom policymaking that will occur depending on whether President Donald Trump or Democratic nominee Joe Biden wins the November election. A Biden White House and Democratic-controlled Congress “will work to connect all Americans” and plans to “make a historic investment in our broadband infrastructure,” Doyle, a Biden supporter (see 1912130043), said Tuesday at Incompas' event. Biden and the Democrats will also address broadband affordability, “will restore” now-rescinded 2015 FCC net neutrality rules and will “work to combat the flood” of online misinformation, he said. If Trump wins, “I don’t see us addressing any of these issues. I see our government continuing to work to appease the whims of a narcissistic individual. I see the digital divide continuing to grow,” Doyle said. He and House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., cited the continued need for Congress to include broadband funding in the next COVID-19 aid bill (see 2009150068). FCC Chairman Ajit Pai defended the commission’s approval of Ligado’s L-band plan and predicted the upcoming C-band auction will be “massive” (see 2009150069).

The FCC made the right decision on Ligado, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai told Incompas Tuesday during its virtual conference. Pai stressed FCC focus on 5G, saying the upcoming C-band auction will be “massive.” Pai said more is coming, including on the 5.9 GHz band and a follow-up order on 6 GHz (see 2008200040). “We have a lot of big irons in the fire,” he said.

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said Monday he’s actively “working with” appropriators to allocate funding to the FCC to implement the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act (HR-4998) and Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability Act broadband mapping law (S-1822 and see 2003040056). “The FCC estimates that will cost between $1.6 billion and $1.8 billion” to implement HR-4998 (see 2009040050), Wicker said during an Incompas event. “When we’re spending 2.2 trillion” via the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (see 2003250046), spending less than $2 billion on HR-4998 implementation would be “well worth it.” When “you talk to” the FCC about implementing S-1822, they “will point out that it’s great to have” the law, “but they’re not able to appropriate the money” to implement the changes to its broadband coverage data collection practices envisioned in the statute, Wicker said. “They need $65 million to implement that change and we’re working to make sure that we get there soon lest we proceed with faulty information.” He hopes Congress appropriates money to implement HR-4998 and S-1822 by the end of the month, when lawmakers have to either pass FY 2021 appropriations measures or a continuing resolution to fund the government past the Sept. 30 end of FY 2020. Kelley Drye USF lawyers John Heitmann and Steve Augustino told Incompas the FCC's approaches and priorities may shift depending on which party wins the November presidential election (see 2009140032).