A Wednesday Senate Commerce Committee hearing on 5G was dominated by lawmakers' concerns about the national security threat from China in its race against the U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is believed to be considering actions aimed at boosting U.S. competitiveness in 5G and other technologies, communications lobbyists told us. Trump barely mentioned tech during Tuesday night's State of the Union, matching officials' expectations (see 1901180032). Concerns about 5G security were also the focus of a Center for Strategic and International Studies event (see 1902060056).
A Wednesday Senate Commerce Committee hearing on 5G deployment is likely to be a first indicator of the direction members want to take on related legislation this Congress, said lawmakers and officials in interviews. Senators may opine on a range of related issues, including T-Mobile's proposed buy of Sprint (see 1902050050) and 5G equipment supply chain security. Any comments President Donald Trump makes during his Tuesday evening State of the Union about infrastructure legislation could also be fodder for discussion. The hearing begins immediately after a Commerce executive session in Dirksen G50.
The C-Band Alliance and a panel of critics of its midband clearing plan clashed on efficacy of a government-run spectrum auction and whether the FCC has ever allowed similar private spectrum sales, at New America event Tuesday. It was the "most unbalanced panel in the history of panels,” said CBA Head-Advocacy and Government Relations Preston Padden.
Chairman Ajit Pai called the FCC's USF rate floor policy "crazy" philosophically, and cited plans for remedial actions. The idea that government forces rural telco phone rates up to reflect a national average, or lose high-cost USF support, doesn't make sense, he said in Q&A with NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield webcast from a rural telecom show in New Orleans. He hopes to "move with dispatch" to get fellow commissioners to agree with him on near-term relief and a longer-term solution. He recently criticized the rate floor and told lawmakers he planned to seek action in coming months (see 1901310036). Separately, Pai said he's seeking a "balance" on broadband performance testing that holds USF-backed providers accountable for their data-speed commitments while streamlining the process as much as possible to ease industry burdens. He said the FCC is focused on coordinating with the Agriculture and Commerce departments on broadband infrastructure efforts to ensure "we speak with one voice" so parties "aren't running over each other" and "we get the most bang for our buck." He said the commission wants to encourage more rural fiber deployment to feed nascent 5G wireless systems, which he believes have much potential in rural areas, though he recognized the business plan is difficult. It's important to create small geographic license sizes in spectrum auctions to "incentivize" bidding by small as well as big providers, he said: "Stay tuned." He spoke enthusiastically about the opportunities broadband can create in rural America through remote healthcare and other applications, noting when he was growing up in rural Kansas, his doctor father used to drive 45 miles to visit patients. His overall focus remains on ensuring every American is "empowered" in the digital age: "That requires broadband."
NTIA received more than 50 comments on a national spectrum strategy. They mostly stake out well-developed positions expressed elsewhere. Industry officials told us the comments at least provide a baseline for the administration as it plows into creating the plan.
The FCC's second 5G auction, of 24 GHz spectrum, will start March 14. Upfront payments are due Feb. 19, said a Wireless Bureau and Office of Economics and Analytics announcement Thursday. The FCC plans a bidding tutorial by Feb. 15 and mock auction March 11. The 28 GHz auction ended last week with $702.6 million in provisionally winning bids (see 1901240034). The 24 GHz auction is widely expected to get somewhat more interest and higher bids.
NTIA posted comments Wednesday on the national spectrum strategy, many of them released by those who wrote them during the prolonged federal shutdown (see 1901230028 and 1901250040). Apple and Facebook were among additional companies offering advice. Comments are here.
House Communications Subcommittee leaders diverged on approaches to net neutrality legislation, during the State of the Net conference Tuesday. Chairman Mike Doyle, D-Pa., staked out a partisan agenda on that and other telecom policy issues. Ranking member Bob Latta, R-Ohio, emphasized the need for continued bipartisanship on the House Commerce Committee as the GOP settles into its new role as the minority party. Their comments came ahead of House hearings on net neutrality and T-Mobile's proposed purchase of Sprint, which also got attention Tuesday (see 1901290040).
Despite relatively low bids in the first U.S. high-band spectrum auction ended Thursday (see 1901240034), it was a success, regulators and industry officials said. The next step is the start of the 24 GHz auction, which the FCC will announce this week. It plans an auction of the 37, 39 and 47 GHz bands later in the year. “This will allow Americans to see even faster, more competitive, & next-gen broadband services,” Commissioner Brendan Carr tweeted Friday.
The FCC’s partial reopening of the equipment authorization system, announced Friday (see 1901180040), will provide only limited relief, Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel again warned Tuesday. The federal shutdown could slow FCC work on 5G in general, particularly on clearing mid-band spectrum, she said. Rosenworcel spoke at an Internet Innovation Alliance session on a potential incentive auction for the 2.5 GHz educational broadband service band, with a goal of raising money to close the “homework gap.”