Rosenworcel, FCC Officials Underscore Accomplishments During Final Meeting

Addressing the four regular commissioners, Rosenworcel admitted we “don't always see things the same way. But we have turned down the noise and ramped up the work. We put a lot of wins on the board that made meaningful difference in the lives of people."

Gomez said she will carry her focuses -- on connectivity, innovation, public safety and an independent media ecosystem -- into the next administration. Bemoaning the end of the Affordable Connectivity Program, which she called "the most successful tool we ever had to close the digital divide," Gomez said affordability must remain part of FCC connectivity efforts and called for re-establishment of the agency's spectrum auction authority.

Acknowledging the First Amendment and restrictions in the Communications Act, Gomez said the government "should not bully anyone for what they say or don't say." The FCC "is explicitly prohibited from censoring broadcasters," she said. "We must continue to uphold freedom of speech throughout the expanding media ecosystem and the freedom of choice for consumers."

Commissioner Nathan Simington said the FCC is at "a key pivot" point that will continue as its relevance grows, despite some of its traditional responsibilities waning. The cyber trust mark and Space Bureau are examples of the changing focus of FCC jurisdiction, resulting in new areas of emphasis, he said.

Carr said Rosenworcel's leadership and decisions "left an indelible mark on the agency." He joked about hoping not to have the same two Democrats/two Republicans commission Rosenworcel had for a sizable portion of her term. "I really liked it for a while, but now my perspective on that might be a little different," said the Republican commissioner and FCC chairman-designate.

Commissioner Geoffrey Starks said the need for robust national security protections for communications networks has "never been more critical." The Salt Typhoon Chinese government-affiliated cyber incident "is a true inflection point moving forward," he said. Accordingly, the cyber trust mark will prove to be "incredibly important to ... consumers" and AI will need to be an agency focus, he added.

All five commissioners were effusive with praise for FCC staff. "I think the FCC staff is the best of the best," Carr said.

Asked about the status of the cybersecurity risk management plan certification NPRM and accompanying cyberattack declaratory ruling circulated in December (see 2412050044), Rosenworcel called the proposal "thoughtful" and said "it's a framework we're going to need in the future." Asked if the FCC would seek review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States of Skydance/Paramount Global due to Tencent's stake in Skydance, as called for by the Center for American Rights (see 2501140048), Rosenworcel didn't comment.

Panels

Along with praise for agency accomplishments, panels discussed some pending proceedings, such as the submarine cable rules reform.

Peter Hyun, Enforcement Bureau acting chief, said that in 2024 alone the agency issued $347.4 million in enforcement actions: $211.8 million in forfeiture orders, $109.1 million in consent decrees and $26.4 million in notices of apparent liability.

Kicking off a panel about the FCC’s work “expanding connectivity and access to modern-day communications,” Consumer and Governmental Affairs bureau Chief Alejandro Roark said, "Americans rely on broadband connections for work, learning, healthcare and access to the information necessary to make informed decisions about our lives,”

The panel summarized work under Rosenworcel of CGB, the Office of Economic Affairs, the Office of International Affairs and the FCC’s broadband mapping efforts. Roark said the Affordable Connectivity Program “accomplished more to drive social and economic development by breaking our country's digital opportunity divide than any other standalone effort in our nation's history.” He and others also highlighted the agency’s broadband labeling program and work to modernize E-Rate. “While more work remains, we have made real progress building a digital future that works for everyone,” Rosenworcel said in a release.

During a session on “making communications more just for more people in more places,” Wireline Bureau Acting Chief Trent Harkrader said the agency’s proceedings “use broadband and voice to ensure that the connections we need most, those to family, education, healthcare, mental health services, remain intact.”

The panel recapped the work of the Wireline Bureau, the Office of Communications Business Opportunities, the Connect2Health taskforce, and the agency’s efforts to combat digital discrimination. It highlighted implementation of the Martha Wright Reed Act to reform communications services for incarcerated persons, expansion of the 988 Suicide and Crisis hotline, and work on maternal health and assistance for victims of domestic violence. “There are vulnerable populations across the country that can be safer and more secure by modernizing our approach to communications policy,” Rosenworcel said in a release about the panel.

The FCC is “moving speedily” to launch an auction of inventory spectrum in the AWS-3 band, Wireless Bureau Chief Joel Taubenblatt said during his remarks. Congress recently authorized the auction, which will fully fund the FCC’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program (see 2412240036). Taubenblatt defended the FCC’s progress on spectrum under Rosenworcel, a subject Carr and other Republicans have criticized (see 2412020043).

“Under the chairwoman’s leadership, we have focused on making more spectrum available for 5G, including critical mid-band spectrum,” Taubenblatt said. He noted the FCC completed the service rules for 3.45 GHz band spectrum and then auctioned it in 2022 (see 2201140040). The commission also auctioned and issued licenses for 2.5 GHz spectrum and issued licenses in the citizens broadband service band and C-band.

In addition, Rosenworcel “broadened the commission's mid-band focus to include the 7-16 GHz range,” Taubenblatt said. This led to the FCC’s proposal to repurpose the upper 12 GHz band “for flexible-use” and “to staffs’ engagement with their federal colleagues to explore opportunities for further use of the 7 GHz band.” The FCC has also looked at making 70/80/90 GHz available for wireless backhaul and for broadband for aircraft and ships. He said the commission adopted rules allowing initial operations of uncrewed aircraft systems in the 5 GHz band, made additional spectrum available for commercial space launch in the 2 GHz range, and ensured that the 4.9 GHz band can be used “to support public safety nationwide.”

Julie Kearney, chief of the Space Bureau, highlighted a massive expansion in space-based activities since 2020. Creation of that bureau is widely seen as the biggest structural change at the FCC under Rosenworcel. “Our goal is to make the space economy accessible for a wide range of participants by lowering the cost of entry and bringing new capabilities that were historically accessible to a smaller pool of stakeholders,” she said.

In 2020, there were just more than 2,000 operational satellites compared to nearly 11,000 today, Kearney said. In 2020, there were 104 launches with 1,232 payloads, and that grew to 254 launches with 2,541 payloads last year. Space and earth station applications have jumped almost 21% each year since 2020, Kearney said: “It’s exciting to have a front row seat to the new space age. We consistently hear from companies that they are constantly iterating -- they are learning and adjusting and applying new techniques quickly.”

Acting Office of Engineering and Technology Chief Ira Keltz also praised Rosenworcel’s record on spectrum. The FCC “has been busy expanding licensed users to position the U.S. to continue global leadership on spectrum use, including 5G satellite networks and the coming 6G,” Keltz said. “Equally important, we have been busy expanding spectrum for unlicensed devices” and “with low entry barriers, developments in unlicensed devices are what the future may hold for licensed systems,” he said. Keltz noted the FCC's work on the unlicensed use of the 6 and 60 GHz bands. “These decisions create an unlicensed landscape unsurpassed across the globe, and keep the U.S. in position as a global leader.”