FCC to Revisit 4.9 GHz, Address Robocalls, 911 Issues on Sept. 30

FCC acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced what she and her colleagues will vote on Sept. 30. They include public-safety spectrum and 911 issues, plus paving the way for more robust Wi-Fi and cracking down further on some robocalls, she blogged Wednesday afternoon. The drafts will be released Thursday, a spokesperson told us.

"We are fundamentally refreshing our playbook for disaster preparedness and resiliency," Rosenworcel wrote about the commissioners' meeting. That's by "revisiting the Wireless Resiliency Cooperative Framework, our network outage reporting rules, and strategies to address one of the primary reasons for service disruptions: electric power outages."

On 4.9 GHz, the draft she's circulating is "charting a new course," Rosenworcel added. "To avoid a state-by-state approach to spectrum policy, we are seeking comment on how to advance the Commission’s original goal to ensure public safety enjoys maximum access to emerging broadband technologies while also increasing overall use of the band through a single, nationwide framework that creates opportunities for 5G." In May the FCC agreed 3-1 to stay a new 4.9 GHz rule, over a dissent by Commissioner Brendan Carr. The band has been an FCC focus because of purported underutilization by public safety agencies.

On Wi-Fi 6, commissioners "will vote to initiate the process for certifying these systems and speed the deployment of next-generation Wi-Fi," said Rosenworcel. An April 2020 order approved 5-0 allocated 1,200 MHz for sharing with Wi-Fi and other unlicensed use in the 6 GHz band. The key to enable more devices in the band is “an automated frequency coordination system that will better manage the airwaves in and around your house to deliver the best performance possible without interfering with other spectrum users,” Rosenworcel said. Another item is a notice of inquiry on IoT, "as directed by Congress," she said.

Commissioners will vote on two proposals aimed at curbing robocalls. One will require gateway providers for foreign calls to “use new caller ID authentication tools and perform robocall mitigation.” Also up for a vote is a proposal to “bolster the Do-Not-Call registry” for phone numbers used by 911 call centers, Rosenworcel said: “Unwanted robocalls that tie up public safety phone lines and disrupt emergency services are unacceptable."

FCC members will consider a proposal to boost tribal libraries’ access to E-rate. Some tribal libraries don’t meet the technical definition to be eligible. Commissioners will vote to “fix this problem and to explore other measures to ensure tribal entities can access the E-rate program,” Rosenworcel said. And she wrote that commissioners will consider adopting a “baseline set of national security and law enforcement questions for certain applicants with reportable foreign ownership.”