FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr is “leaning” toward a plan to loosen radio subcap limits that leave some limits in place in cities but open up ownership limits in smaller markets, he said at a Federalist Society luncheon Tuesday. Carr said he hasn't made a final decision. He acknowledged the plan proposed by NAB and described in the 2018 ownership quadrennial review NPRM is “consistent” with where he's leaning.
The House Communications Subcommittee advanced the compromise Stopping Bad Robocalls Act (HR-3375) Tuesday. But Senate Majority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., also renewed his concerns about it not being a direct companion to his Senate-passed Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (Traced) Act (S-151). HR-3375 would clarify the definition of a robocall and clarify exemptions to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. It would direct the FCC to issue rules requiring carriers to offer opt-out robocall blocking and caller ID services to consumers for free; increases to three years -- and in some cases, four -- the statute of limitations for illegal spoofing; and would increase FCC ability to impose fines (see 1906200061).
Reliability of an online content delivery network (CDN) to replace GOES rebroadcast (GRB) weather data from NOAA is being questioned by some in the weather and satellite community as the FCC seeks comment on proposed allocation and service rules for the 1675-1680 MHz band. Weather interests also raised red flags about possible interference issues (see 1906210056).
Every C-band receive location in the U.S. could be connected to fiber as a replacement for satellite delivery of content for about $1 billion, “demonstrating that it is cost effective to clear all 500 MHz of C- band spectrum” for 5G, T-Mobile filed in comments posted Monday in FCC docket 18-122. T-Mobile submitted a study by Roberson and Associates supporting that proposal. Officials from T-Mobile and the consultant also reported on meetings to present the study. The filing opposes the C-Band Alliance’s proposal.
A trained workforce is critical to 5G and other high tech, officials said Monday at a Heritage Foundation event. James Redstone, special assistant to the president, said President Donald Trump fully supports workforce training and is making it a priority. FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr has stresses training skilled tower workers to 5G (see 1904180054).
House lawmakers are seeking to add at least seven broadband, anti-robocall and privacy-related amendments to the FY 2020 budget bill containing funding for the FCC and FTC (HR-3351) before the chamber begins considering the measure later this week. The House Rules Committee was expected to decide Monday night which of the at least 115 filed proposals it will allow to move to the floor. Lawmakers still need to take a final vote on the “minibus” FY 2020 budget bill (HR-3055) that includes funding for NTIA, other Commerce Department agencies and the Agriculture Department (see 1906190061). The House already approved seven tech and telecom-related amendments to HR-3055 (see 1906210001).
The FCC should prevent government dollars from funding broadband buildout in areas with a provider offering 10 Mbps downstream and 1 Mbps up, recommended the Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment in the final vote at the last meeting of its current charter Monday. The group will be rechartered (see 1906110048). The “2.0” version is expected to begin meeting by the fall, said the committee's Designated Federal Officer, Jamila Bess Johnson, in an interview. The agency is “well into the process of rechartering and soliciting new members,” said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai in a videotaped message.
The “same concerns” that led the Trump administration to remove smartwatches and fitness trackers from the List 3 Section 301 tariffs on Chinese imports in September “continue to apply” with the proposed fourth tranche, commented Fitbit in docket USTR-2019-0004. Imposing 25 percent tariffs would cause Fitbit “significant and unavoidable economic harm," it commented, dated Monday and posted Thursday.
Weather and disaster monitoring interests voiced more worries about terrestrial wireless use of the 1675-1680 MHz band, in filings late last week in FCC docket 19-116. Friday was the deadline for comment on proposed allocation and service rules for the band (see 1905210011). Weather interests oppose Ligado's terrestrial low-power service plans for the band and its alternatives for delivering NOAA weather satellite data (see 1704130023).
ISP stakeholders want predictable rules on how industry can collect and use consumer data. "We need federal privacy regulation," said FTC Commissioner Christine Wilson Thursday. "We can't deal with a patchwork. We need one law." Attorney and AT&T veteran Robert Quinn at Wilkinson Barker, agreed. "If you don't have a federal law, you're going to have 45 state laws." If the issue isn't addressed, he told the Phoenix Center, "that's a fail for the federal government."