The Senate Homeland Security Committee is investigating the SolarWinds cyberattack and exploring a potential hearing, Chairman Gary Peters, D-Mich., told us: “We’re going to do an investigation, look into that and look at a potential hearing.” Microsoft, Google, FireEye and several federal agencies were potentially exposed in the Russia-linked attack (see 2101190067).
The USF contribution factor continues to shatter records. Universal Service Administrative Co. released its quarterly demand projections Friday, and the contribution factor will increase from 31.8% in Q1 to a historic 32.7% for Q2, said analyst Billy Jack Gregg. It raises several questions about the fund’s sustainability (see 2012310027). Even if demand stays at the current level, the factor will continue to rise because the contribution base continues to decline, Gregg said.
The Biden administration is finding its way on China policy. At the FCC, the approach taken on supply chain security issues under acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel may be consistent with actions in the past administration, we are told. The new FCC is likely to put more emphasis on enforcement and could expand the focus beyond China. Rosenworcel was an early proponent of open radio access networks, and ORAN is likely to get early focus, stakeholders said.
5G “is increasingly gaining momentum around the world,” said Ericsson CEO Borje Ekholm on a Q4 call Friday. But the executive worries that Europe risks falling woefully behind other global regions in 5G deployments and subscription activations, he said.
TV and radio stations are in better financial shape in 2021 than during the lows of the pandemic. But analysts, brokers and broadcasters don’t expect the outlets to soon return to the brisk business they were experiencing before the coronavirus crisis, they said in interviews.
Rural Digital Opportunity Fund auction winners must follow through on broadband promises, NARUC Telecom Committee members said in interviews last week. NARUC plans to vote at its Feb. 4-5 and 8-11 meeting on a draft resolution urging the FCC to scrutinize RDOF long-form applications (see 2101260033). Some commissioners raised doubts about fixed wireless and said they’re unfamiliar with entities that won federal dollars.
Senate Communications Subcommittee lead Democrat Brian Schatz of Hawaii confirmed to us he’s “probably” going to give up an opportunity to chair the subpanel in this Congress to retain other leadership roles, as expected (see 2101190001). That makes it all but certain that Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., will take over the Communications gavel, lawmakers and lobbyists said. Democrats will have to wait to formally take control of Senate Communications and other panels until leaders finalize a power-sharing agreement to handle the 50-50 chamber.
Comcast likely wasn't a big participant in the C-band auction, judging by the money it plans to plow into stock repurchases, analysts said. In a Q4 call Thursday, CEO Brian Roberts didn't directly address the FCC C-band or citizens broadband radio service. He said the company's "capital-light" mobile model, led by mobile virtual network operators, "is the right one for us." The stock closed up 6.6% at $51.60.
NTIA heard complaints Thursday during a virtual “listening session” on 5G security about a lack of guidance on security threats. Much talk was on open radio access networks (ORAN), a continuing focus at the FCC (see 2012110036). The session was scheduled under the Trump administration.
Court relief probably won’t come soon enough for rural Texas telcos facing large reductions in state USF support, but it may be their last option, said telecom association leaders in interviews. The Texas Statewide Telephone Cooperative Inc. (TSTCI) and Texas Telephone Association (TTA) sued the Texas Public Utility Commission last week at Travis County District Court in Austin. About 50 small rural telcos are losing 60-70% of their Texas USF high-cost funding because commissioners refused last year to adopt a staff plan to double the contribution rate to 6.4%, they said.