Former FCC Chairman Ajit Pai was among those hailing Thursday's FCC declaratory ruling prohibiting voice-cloning technology in robocall scams (see 2402080052). “Excellent move by the @FCC to clarify that calls made with #AI-generated voices are ‘artificial’ under the law, making voice-cloning robocalls illegal,” Pai said on X Friday. Also praising the ruling was North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein (D). “This ruling gives attorneys general more tools to go after robocallers who break the law, and I plan to use them," said Stein: “I’ll keep holding scam callers accountable and doing everything I can to reduce the number of robocalls we all have to deal with.” Stein was one of the state AGs who urged the FCC to address the issue (see 2401170023).

Despite the growing use of generative AI (GenAI) and machine learning (ML) in managing networks, there's plenty of “hype" and "uncertainty” about their roles, Senza Fili’s Monica Paolini said in a Wednesday blog post. While GenAI, AI and ML could “change the way we build, run, and optimize networks, a solid data strategy, good visibility in the network, and in-house expertise are traditional capabilities that are still essential and provide the necessary foundation even for disruptive network transformation,” Paolini wrote. The technologies will positively drive automation and optimizing networks, she said: “They will also introduce profound changes in the culture, work environment, and workforce training -- which may require time and effort to adapt to.”

The FCC has issued a cease and desist letter and K4 order against Texas-based Lingo Telecom over robocalls to voters before the New Hampshire primary last month. The calls used voice-cloning tech and spoofed phone numbers to seem to be from President Joe Biden, urging recipients not to vote in the primary, said a news release. “What a bunch of malarkey. We know the value of voting Democratic when our votes count,” the calls allegedly said in Biden’s voice, spoofed to appear to come from a number connected with a Democratic super political action committee. “It’s important that you save your vote for the November election,” the deepfaked Biden voice said. Lingo “is alleged to have originated robocall traffic using AI-generated voice cloning to spread misinformation to voters,” said an FCC news release Tuesday. The cease and desist letter orders Lingo to stop supporting illegal robocall traffic on its networks and the K4 public notice “strongly encourages other providers to refrain from carrying suspicious traffic from Lingo,” the release said. The FCC is acting alongside the Office of the New Hampshire State Attorney General, which also sent a cease and desist Tuesday to another company involved with the calls, the Life Corporation. The Anti-Robocall Multistate Litigation Task Force also sent a cease and desist letter to the Life Corporation. The New Hampshire letter targets Life over violations of voter suppression laws, the FCC release said. “Each of these parties have been warned about apparent illegal robocall violations in the past,” the FCC release said. “Consumers deserve to know that the person on the other end of the line is exactly who they claim to be,” said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel in the release. “That’s why we’re working closely with State Attorneys General across the country to combat the use of voice cloning technology in robocalls being used to misinform voters and target unwitting victims of fraud.” Law enforcement and regulatory agencies “are working closely together to monitor and investigate any signs of AI being used maliciously to threaten our democratic process,” said New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella in the release. The action stems from an investigation launched last month by the New Hampshire AG, the FCC Enforcement Bureau, the Anti-Robocall Multistate Litigation Task Force, and USTelecom’s Industry Traceback Group, the release said. Lingo didn’t comment, but the FCC’s letter says the company didn’t dispute the calls' illegality.

The FCC Wireline Bureau extended service delivery and invoicing deadlines for certain schools and libraries receiving Emergency Connectivity Fund support. Six schools and libraries that sought ECF support for equipment and nonrecurring and recurring services during the first and second application filing windows petitioned the FCC for an extension due to "problems with their service providers, challenges posed by personnel changes and departures, new applicant confusion, and other procedural and administrative issues," said the bureau order in docket 21-93 Tuesday.

Sales of broadband access equipment are expected to decline 1% compared to 2023 in the first half of the year followed by “an improved spending environment" in the second half, Dell’Oro Group said Tuesday. “Inventory corrections seen in 2023 will continue through the first half of 2024,” said Jeff Heynen, vice president. “Service providers still have the same goals of increasing their fiber footprint, increasing the bandwidth they can offer their customers, and improving the reliability of their broadband services through the distribution of intelligence closer to subscribers,” he said. Revenue for fixed-wireless customer gear is expected to reach $2.5 billion by 2028, with "shipments of 5G sub-6 GHz and a growing number of 5G Millimeter Wave units” leading the way, the report said. Revenue for Wi-Fi 7 residential routers is projected to hit $9.3 billion by 2028, “as the technology is rapidly adopted by consumers and service providers alike.”

The USF contribution factor will likely decrease to 34% during Q2 2024, analyst Billy Jack Gregg wrote in a Friday email (see 2311030064). Gregg noted projected demand for the second quarter will be $2.092 billion, about $26.7 million less than the first quarter.

NTCA, the Fiber Broadband Association and ACA Connects urged NTIA to continue prioritizing fiber deployment projects in the broadband, equity, access and deployment program. "Some are now calling upon NTIA to back away from this conclusion by rejecting or weakening initial proposals submitted by some states and territories that are consistent with this vision," the groups said in a letter Friday: "We urge NTIA to stand its ground." The groups argued that Congress envisioned a priority on fiber when it included "priority broadband projects" in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. "Abandoning these goals would not only flout the law but would disserve the public interest, relegating generations to less-capable broadband access," they said. In a tweet disagreeing with what Congress intended, the Wireless ISP Association said BEAD "will not reach 'Internet for All' with such a limiting framework." WISPA said "all choices must be on the table."

Provisions in the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024, which passed the House 357-70 Wednesday, will boost free cash flow at AT&T and Verizon by up to $2 billion in 2024, New Street’s Jonathan Chaplin said in a Thursday note to investors. "If enacted, the extension of bonus depreciation would still boost the value of both companies, modestly accelerate de-levering, and put FCF guidance and expectations for 2024 beyond doubt," Chaplin said. Cable companies like Charter and Comcast would also benefit, he said. Chaplin sees odds of approval by the Senate as good given bipartisan support in the House.

Intrado in a series of meetings with FCC commissioner aides and staff from the Public Safety and Wireline bureaus warned that moving to next-generation 911 will take years. So Intrado asked that the FCC require carriers to keep legacy time division multiplexing (TDM) technology in place while the transition to IP-based systems is completed. Though the migration to NG911 services “offers great promise for 911 reliability and availability, the timeline to transition should not be underestimated as it will require several more years to complete,” said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 21-479: “Providing 911 services during this period of accelerated TDM decommissioning is proving challenging as the facilities-based TDM providers seek to quickly turn down their remaining TDM service offerings while also requiring 911 providers to maintain these same circuits for the delivery of 911 traffic to reach Public Safety Answering Points.”

The FCC wants comments by March 4, replies April 1, in docket 22-69 on an NPRM proposing "affirmative obligations for broadband providers" as part of the commission's directive from Congress to combat digital discrimination (see 2311150040). A notice for Thursday's Federal Register also sought comment on establishing an Office of Civil Rights within the commission.