The FCC’s new consumer broadband labels "must be simple, accurate, and user friendly," said Commissioner Geoffrey Starks during the agency’s second virtual public hearing on the subject (see 2203110064). The FCC is "working to resolve questions" about whether the way consumers use broadband has "significantly changed since 2016 in ways that call for revisions to the format or content of the proposed labels," where the labels should be displayed, how to ensure accuracy of the labels, and the "appropriate time frame" for providers to meet the labeling requirements, Starks said.

Information Resources Inc. will join with NPD to form a combined technology, analytics and data provider “that offers clients a view of total retail purchasing and consumption trends,” said the companies Thursday. The transaction is expected to close in 2022's second half. Terms weren't disclosed.

The move toward open radio access networks for 5G is accelerating, though questions remain about buy-in from major operators, speakers said at a two-day virtual forum by LightReading, which ended Thursday. Industry officials said making ORAN fit with legacy networks remains a challenge. Strand Consult's John Strand said in a Thursday report ORAN continues to underperform and reality doesn’t match the hype.

Six in 10 U.S. consumers think the war in Ukraine will cause inflation to worsen “significantly” in the next several months, the Conference Board reported Tuesday.

The metaverse, nonfungible tokens (NFTs), livestreaming and the labor shortage led topics at last week’s Shoptalk 2022 retail conference in Las Vegas, said Cowen analysts on a Tuesday webcast summarizing the event.

Network testing and measurement are becoming more complex in a 5G world, speakers said during an RCR Wireless forum Tuesday. The size and speed of the 5G build worldwide makes keeping up technologically more complicated, speakers said.

FORT LAUDERDALE -- Supply chain disruptions kept integrators and vendors juggling to meet commitments throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, several told us at the Home Technology Specialists of America conference last week. Recent factory and port shutdowns in China exacerbated an already strained situation, forcing dealers to scramble to find gear to finish projects.

Advocates are still searching for the first state to pass an electronic right-to-repair bill, amid continued opposition from industry groups. A California Senate panel delayed hearing testimony on a bill Tuesday. Bills in other states haven't moved. CTIA, CTA, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) and others wrote several letters this year opposing state bills.

Though the U.S. Court of International Trade ruled April 1 that the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative violated the 1946 Administrative Procedure Act when it failed in its final tariff notices to publicly connect the Lists 3 and 4A Section 301 comments it received with the tariff decisions it made (see 2204010059), the three-judge panel absolved the agency of APA wrongdoing amid plaintiffs’ allegations it ran sloppy rulemakings.

FORT LAUDERDALE -- Presentations at last week’s Home Technology Specialists of America conference included an upbeat view of the luxury goods market through 2022 -- but a more measured view of the overall consumer market -- plus a peek into the future of home tech through the eyes of a 13-year-old boy-genius.