A possible path to averting Alaska USF’s June 30 termination emerged in comments last week at the Regulatory Commission of Alaska. The Department of Law (DOL) told the RCA it would consider approving an extension on an emergency basis if the commission fixes legal defects with an earlier proposal to extend the AUSF sunset by three years. Meanwhile, telecom companies and public advocates warned of rate increases and degraded service if commissioners allow the fund to die.

Dish Network is better positioned than its competitors, with the most advanced wireless network available, Chairman Charlie Ergen said during a call with investors Monday as the company reported Q1 earnings. Ergen also said he's disappointed the FCC didn’t reallocate the lower 12 GHz band for 5G (see 23042700774). Dish reported customer losses across most of its businesses, finishing the quarter with 7.91 million wireless subscribers, a net loss of 81,000 in the quarter, with churn of 4.57%. The company lost 343,000 in the year-ago quarter.

The FCC’s Democrats haven't agreed to meet with Standard General, May 22 will be “like midnight for Cinderella” for the company’s deal to buy Tegna, and the transaction’s likely dissolution could affect confirmation prospects for FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks, Standard General executives and supporters said during a Monday news conference. “We know that there are senators who are openly now, like Sen. Menendez on the floor (see 2304260066), saying that those who hurt the chances of diversity in media will face a harsh and unlikely confirmation,” said Cedric Richmond, a senior adviser to the Democratic National Committee, during the news conference, referring to New Jersey's Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez. The deal’s end date comes in two weeks, Standard emphasized in a news release Monday that called the news conference “a final push.”

TikTok has never shared, or received a request to share, data with the Chinese government, the company wrote the House Commerce Committee in response to members’ questions for the record (QFR), which the committee released Friday. The company dodged several questions, including requests for specifics about how many engineers it employs in the U.S. and China.

Top Republican leaders on the House and Senate Commerce committees want the FCC's Office of Inspector General to review the commission's management of broadband money it received during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying in a Monday letter to acting IG Sharon Diskin "it's important to understand" the affordable connectivity program's "record to date" as they decide whether to back extending its life. They are seeking answers by June 1. The request came before two congressional hearings later this week on federal broadband spending and may provide further insight into whether there’s a consensus for making legislative changes to existing programs.

Some of the most important decisions to be made at this year's World Radiocommunication Conference will be on future agenda items, industry officials agreed during the second part of an FCBA webinar Thursday (see 2305040086). A bifurcated approach, with separate committees developing industry and government positions, may no longer make sense in a 5G world, they said. WRC starts Nov. 20 in Dubai.

The U.S. Supreme Court is difficult to predict, but lawyers see reason to believe the court will use an upcoming case, Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, to clarify the status of the Chevron doctrine, legal experts told us. The doctrine underlies the authority of independent agencies like the FCC and the FTC. The court last week agreed to hear the maritime case (docket 22-451). The court hasn’t cited Chevron for several years, though it continues to be cited by lower courts.

The Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously passed the Earn It Act Thursday for the third year in a row. Co-author Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told members he expects the bill to ultimately “go nowhere” due to Big Tech lobbying efforts.

With preparations well underway for the upcoming World Radiocommunication Conference, starting Nov. 20 in Dubai, officials from the State Department, FCC and NTIA said they must work together, especially on issues on which industry disagrees, like use of the 7-15 GHz band for international mobile telecommunications (see 2304240049). Officials warned the COVID-19 pandemic complicated work on the technical studies that are critical to WRC, during an FCBA webinar.

Direct broadcast satellite (DBS) and non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) interests, aren't cheering, but are relatively pleased with the 12 GHz draft order and accompanying Further NPRM on the FCC's May agenda (see 2304270077). With the threat of opening the 12.2-12.7 GHz swath of the band to mobile service forestalled, focus will turn to the expected fight over fixed use or unlicensed use, we were told. Multichannel video and data distribution service interests (MVDDS) seeking to open the band to 5G said they're also pleased (see 2305020032). We were told 4-0 approval of the draft order is likely.