An item circulated to FCC commissioner offices last week involves possible updates to the foreign-sponsored content rules, according to broadcast industry officials. The item is expected to be an NPRM seeking comment on updates to the rules, following the July U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit decision striking down some of the requirements in July, officials said.
Some industry officials say the national spectrum strategy the Biden administration is expected to release will have the most value if the administration lays out with more granularity mid-band spectrum that is targeted for 5G, and eventually 6G. The plan was the focus of a day-long NTIA forum Sept. 19 (see 2209190061). Experts agreed it will likely take six months or longer to put a strategy together.
Piracy is a double-edged issue for the video streaming industry, leading to lost revenue and other concerns but also being a form of marketing, panelists said on Parks Associates’ virtual Future of Video event Thursday.
The FCC's orbital debris draft order on Thursday's agenda (see 2209080057) is expected to pass 4-0, though some tweaks are possible to the draft's language on waivers for its requirement that satellites in low earth orbit be disposed of via re-entry within five years of the end of mission, an agency official told us. Space regulatory experts said other regulators around the globe are likely to mirror the commission in reducing the post-mission time frame for de-orbiting from 25 years to five.
CTIA stood alone fighting to keep revenue-based contribution for California USF, in comments last week at the California Public Utilities Commission. CPUC members plan to vote Oct. 6 on a proposed decision to assess state public purpose program (PPP) fees based on a carrier’s number of access lines (see 2209060048). The wireless industry continued to staunchly oppose the change, but wireline and cable companies instead sought more implementation time and wording changes.
The FirstNet Authority appears likely to win easy approval of a renewal of its band 14 license, now before the FCC, industry experts said Friday. The National Sheriffs Association and the Major Cities Chiefs Association (see 2209070059) and 2208250056) have raised questions, but the general run of letters has praised the network. The license expires Nov. 15.
NAB took direct aim at geotargeted radio proponent GeoBroadcast Solutions founder and CEO Chris Devine, detailing in an ex parte filing “credible and public accusations” of “fraudulent and deceitful conduct” against Devine and alleging the company’s support among smaller broadcasters may not be as broad as it appears. The FCC should “take a close and exacting look at the record and proceed with extreme caution,” before authorizing the changes to FM booster rules called for by GBS and other geotargeted radio supporters, NAB said in the filing posted in docket 20-401 Friday.
To close the digital literacy gap and maximize federal dollars for increasing broadband access, programs and institutions need to focus on local solutions, existing community programs, and community anchor institutions like libraries, said numerous panelists at the FCC Communications Equity and Diversity Council’s virtual Digital Skills Gap Symposium and Town Hall Thursday. The symposium is intended to help inform the CEDC’s efforts to create a national plan and toolkit for digital upskilling in connection with the Digital Equity Act, said CEDC Chair Heather Gate.
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 15-7 Thursday to send the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (S-673) to the floor with an amendment from Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, that Republicans touted as a victory against Big Tech censorship.
6G isn’t the next step after 5G, but similar to 4G there will be an interim stage -- 5G advanced -- speakers said during a GSMA webinar Thursday. GSMA also released a white paper on 5G-advanced. Experts forecast increased use of new technologies like integration of sensing and communication (ISAC) and unified time frequency-division duplexing (UDD). Upcoming 3rd Generation Partnership Project Release-18 will be “the inaugural release” for 5G-advanced, GSMA said.