Some FCC proposals for improving the Robocall Mitigation Database won’t address bad actors, Incompas said in an ex parte filing posted Monday in docket 24-213. For example, the agency shouldn’t assess a base $10,000 fine when telephone providers submit inaccurate but “readily curable” information to the Robocall Mitigation Database, Incompas said. “Providers should not be assessed a base forfeiture unless they have either failed to respond to the Commission requests to update information in their RMD filing or ‘knowingly’ submitted inaccurate data,” Incompas said. In addition, the FCC shouldn’t require a $100 filing fee for RMD filings. An FCC proposal requiring multifactor authentication to access the database is also “unlikely to produce benefits that justify the additional burden,” Incompas added. “Placing an additional layer of security on the RMD will further burden voice service providers that conduct robocall mitigation on a team-wide basis and may make it harder to update the RMD if the multi-factor authentication point of contact is not available.” Accordingly, Incompas “urges the Commission to ensure that the administrative changes it is pursuing are warranted and will have the desired impact of addressing and removing bad actors engaged in illegal activity.”

Incompas and its members “generally support” Verizon’s proposed acquisition of Frontier, but with conditions, the group said in a reply comment posted Thursday in docket 24-445. Verizon and Frontier this week urged approval without conditions (see 2412240028). Incompas members are concerned about ensuring that business data services (BDS) the applicants offered “are provided to competitors at just, reasonable and not unreasonably discriminatory rates, terms, and conditions,” the filing said. Incompas also supports a request by the Coalition for IP Network Transition, which said the FCC should approve the deal only if the companies agree that they will “interconnect with all other carriers” on an IP basis (see 2412100021). Incompas is “unwilling to concede to the Applicants’ assertions that the transaction will not result in competitive harms, particularly with respect to the impact pricing decisions associated with business data services and more traditional time division multiplexing services, such as DS1s and DS3s, will have on competitive providers,” the filing said: “According to our members, Frontier currently charges significantly more for its high-capacity BDS connections, including DS1, DS3, and 10-mile circuits.” A competitive LEC, Teliax stressed the importance of an IP connection requirement. “Pre-merger, the Applicants have extended IP interconnection to some but not all interconnecting carriers,” Teliax said: “Should the FCC approve the proposed combination, the FCC should expect that the combined company will continue to use its newfound scale to delay the full transition to IP interconnection, thereby extending intercarrier compensation revenues tied to TDM networks.”

Incompas President Angie Kronenberg leaves the group (see 2412020048) ... Susan Duarte, ex-Roofstock, joins Marashlian & Donahue’s marketing, privacy and AI practices as partner ... Kristen Broz, ex-Fox Rothschild, joins Ballard Spahr’s litigation department and antitrust and competition group as partner ... Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger retires, effective immediately, with CFO David Zinsner and Executive Vice President Michelle Johnston Holthaus becoming interim co-CEOs; independent board Chair Frank Yeary becomes interim executive chair (see 2412020030) … IT provider Supermicro promotes Kenneth Cheung to chief accounting officer ... Qualcomm promotes John Kuzin to senior vice president-spectrum policy and regulatory counsel.

Incompas President Angie Kronenberg has left the group, she said Monday on LinkedIn. "I recently resigned to pursue new career opportunities," she said. "It's been a great ride advocating on behalf of the competitive tech and telecom industry." She joined Incompas in 2013 as chief advocate and general counsel. An Incompas spokesperson told us CEO Chip Pickering would continue to head the organization as CEO and that the association will fill the position with someone versed in the issues Kronenberg handled.

Tapped to lead the FCC during the second Trump administration (see 2411170001), FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr is expected to be as aggressive as possible on spectrum and wireless siting issues, industry experts said. During President-elect Donald Trump's first administration, then-Chairman Ajit Pai made Carr lead commissioner on wireless siting.

Supporters of opening the lower 12 GHz band for fixed wireless use remain hopeful about a favorable FCC decision. That's despite the opposition from SpaceX and the major role its CEO, Elon Musk, is now playing ahead of the start of the second Trump presidency. FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, President-elect Donald Trump's choice to lead the agency, has said repeatedly he will follow the guidance of FCC engineers about the band's future (see 2207140053).

Republican FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr swiftly pointed Sunday night and Monday to enforcing broadcasters’ “public interest obligation” and ending the commission’s “promotion of” diversity, equity and inclusion policies as key parts of his agenda once he becomes chairman Jan. 20. President-elect Donald Trump announced plans Sunday night to make Carr permanent chairman when he takes office (see 2411170001). Some congressional Democrats and public interest groups criticized Carr’s agenda, while many communications policy-focused groups quickly praised the long-expected appointment (see 2407120002).

During a Thursday Incompas virtual event, communications industry lawyers offered few clues about which lawmakers will fill vacant top GOP slots on the House and Senate Communications subcommittees, but CEO Chip Pickering forecast substantial leadership continuity on both chambers’ Commerce committees. Pickering and lawyers who spoke at the event, meanwhile, saw limited prospects during the lame-duck session that Congress would advance a spectrum legislative package or funding for the FCC’s lapsed affordable connectivity program and Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program.

In response to a request for comment, the Wireless Infrastructure Association urged NTIA to focus on improving permitting processes and access to land as well as power if it wants to spur growth of data centers. NTIA said in the September RFC it’s seeking better understanding of data center issues related to the power grid, supply chain, workforce development and cybersecurity (see 2409040016). “Particularly relevant to the wireless industry is the deployment of neutral host and edge data centers” which “provide critical capacity and enable interconnection -- key drivers of the digital economy,” WIA said. Innovation at the edge “will help 5G networks realize their potential in high-bandwidth, low-latency communications,” the group said: “This will not only improve mobile broadband but unlock new technologies like augmented and virtual reality and bring new AI tools into peoples’ everyday lives.” Incompas members “consistently face delays in permitting and gaining access to the public rights-of-way when deploying broadband,” the group said. Incompas supports “increasing access to public rights-of-way, accelerating approval of permits, and asking state and local governments, utilities, and railroads to charge fees that are based only on their actual, objectively reasonable costs.” Incompas said the electric grid poses a challenge: “The electrical grid must be modernized to support this economic growth and ensure: 1) timely access to reliable energy for large customers, 2) utilities and grid operators move fast to build new carbon free generation, new transmission and modernize existing transmissions through [grid enhancing] technologies, and 3) utilities have the programs available for large customers to support their operations with new renewables and carbon-free electricity.” The Information Technology Industry Council called data centers the “infrastructure backbone that underpins today’s digital economy.” ITI said it’s critical that policymakers “have a comprehensive understanding of data center market dynamics, including the different data center types and sizes.” The group also stressed the importance of technology-neutral rules and speeding permitting. Data centers are “essential to our modern and distributed economy and are the foundation upon which our modern digital ecosystem is built, including cloud computing, IoT, AI, and many other virtual products and services,” ITI said: “They provide the necessary computing power and storage capacity to enable these innovations, making them an essential part of AI and emerging technology value chains.”

Industry welcomed an FCC proposal aimed at improving the robocall mitigation database's (RMD) accuracy and potential enforcement measures. Commissioners adopted the NPRM in August (see 2408070047). In comments posted in docket 24-213 through Wednesday, some groups disagreed about whether the FCC should impose a filing fee for new and current RMD registrants.