Officials with 5G for 12 GHz Coalition didn’t get everything they wanted from the FCC in the item teed up for a vote at the May 18 open meeting. But they're pleased with what was proposed and see it as the next step on the way to use of the band for fixed wireless, and potentially to be used as part of broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program applications.

The White House appears very close to announcing its nominee for the vacant third Democratic FCC seat, with former acting NTIA Administrator Anna Gomez, ex-Wiley, the prohibitive favorite to get the nod, congressional officials and communications policy lobbyists said in interviews. Gomez, if nominated, would be President Joe Biden's second pick for the seat former FCC Chairman Ajit Pai vacated in early 2021. Previous candidate Gigi Sohn asked Biden in March to withdraw her name after her often-contentious Senate confirmation process repeatedly stalled (see 2303070082). Biden formally withdrew Sohn’s nomination March 30 (see 2303300048).

Broadcasters shouldn’t wait for the FCC to gradually phase in audio description requirements in all markets over the next 10 years, said consumer groups in comments filed in docket 11-43 by Friday’s deadline. Broadcasters should “voluntarily advance the rollout of audio description for people who want and need to access audio description now and not in five, ten, or twelve years,” said the American Council of the Blind. “There is no reason why some communities must wait more than a decade to benefit from technology that already exists and is in use elsewhere.”

Dynamic sharing and the citizens broadband radio service are a model for the future, NTIA said Monday in a blog post and new report by the agency’s Colorado lab, the Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS). The support for CBRS comes as the administration moves forward on a national spectrum strategy. Last year, CTIA, which favors exclusive-use licenses where possible, questioned how well CBRS is working and the extent of deployment (see 2211140062). CTIA isn't backing down.

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. -- Quickly restoring FCC spectrum auction authority is critical with the World Radiocommunication Conference approaching in late fall, said government officials at the FCBA annual seminar Friday and Saturday. FCBA members heard from FCC commissioners and NTIA officials on a variety of other issues, including possible "Buy America" waivers for the broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program.

The Florida Senate passed online privacy bill SB-262 Friday, 38-0. The bill would allow consumers to opt out of online data collection and ad targeting, and prevent companies from selling their data (see 2304240045). Bill sponsor Sen. Jennifer Bradley (R) called the measure a “digital bill of rights” that's friendlier to small businesses than other state digital privacy laws, but critics such as the Computer and Communications Industry Association and Consumer Reports said the bill wouldn’t provide meaningful privacy protections.

T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert shot down a question during the company’s analyst call Thursday (see 2304270079) on whether Dish Network will soon be in a position where it has to sell its spectrum to the highest bidder.

Charter Communications is now the nation's largest rural broadband provider and builder, President Chris Winfrey said Friday as the company announced Q1 earnings. He said rural construction helped Charter add 76,000 internet customers in the quarter, during which the company also activated 44,000 subsidized rural passings. He said the 2023 goal is buildouts to 300,000 additional rural passings.

Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign pledge to bring the FCC, FTC and other independent regulatory agencies under executive branch control would likely involve expanding Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs review of proposed rules to those agencies, administrative law OIRA experts told us. The White House has the statutory and constitutional ability to do so, but it would be a political fight, they said. Former FCC officials and others consider the proposal more likely bluster than something that could be easily achieved if Trump is reelected president. The FCC and FTC didn't comment.

Congressional telecom policy leaders said in interviews last week there still isn’t consensus for passing legislation from Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., to temporarily restore the FCC’s spectrum auction authority through Sept. 30 (S-650), despite recent indications from House Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., that she was reconsidering her earlier opposition to the proposal (see 2304210069). The FCC’s remit lapsed March 9 after Rounds objected to approving a House-passed bill to reauthorize it through May 19 (HR-1108) by unanimous consent and chamber leaders refused his counterbid to swiftly advance S-650 (see 2303090074).