The Q4 2023 inflation adjustment figure for cable operators using Form 1240 is 1.63%, said the FCC Media Bureau and Office of Economics and Analytics Tuesday. In the year-ago quarter, it was 3.88%.
Nex-Tech Wireless representatives complained to the FCC about the company’s failed attempts to submit data to the FCC through the broadband data collection portal. Nex-Tech said it conducted drive tests on more than 11,000 road miles throughout its service area in western Kansas. “Despite multiple attempts and a great deal of work from the BDC staff, the data submitted … could not be successfully formatted to be accepted into the BDC portal,” said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 20-32. “Certain data fields not germane to the data collection were not collected and made available to the portal and as a result the submission failed, despite the fact that key parameters, such as location, speed, and latency, were available.” The data is no longer valid and the test process was “wasted,” the company said. Nex-Tech met with aides to Commissioners Brendan Carr, Anna Gomez and Nathan Simington.
GCI updated the FCC on problems it has faced replacing text telephone (TTY) with real-time text (RTT). TTY is considered an outdated technology for deaf and hearing impaired communication. GCI’s first attempt “resulted in garbled, difficult-to-understand text for calls converted from RTT to TTY, and vice-versa,” said a filing Monday in docket 15-178. The Alaska provider and its vendors “worked diligently and expended significant resources to identify the cause of this translation problem and developed a unique solution to resolve it,” the filing said: “Due to the detailed nature of this process, the extensive back-and-forth between GCI and its vendors, and the need to ensure that this solution did not cause other unintended consequences on GCI’s network, this process took approximately eighteen months to complete.”
NCTA officials and members spoke with aides to all five FCC commissioners about Samsung Electronics America’s request for a waiver for a 5G base station radio that works across citizens broadband radio service and C-band spectrum (see 2309130041). Cable companies objected earlier (see [Ref:2401050052). Technical analysis demonstrates that Samsung’s multiband radio “and others sure to follow based on its theory would increase the median noise in the CBRS band by roughly 11 dB, harming the services existing CBRS users are providing to consumers,” said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 23-98. Approval of the waiver “would set a troubling precedent by allowing future parties to disregard emissions limits and other protections, undermining the Commission’s ability to manage interference.” Among those represented on the calls were Comcast, Charter Communications and Cox Enterprises.
The FCC should delay a 5G Fund auction until broadband equity, access, and deployment program funds ae awarded, ACA Connects said in a filing posted Tuesday in docket 20-32. “Though the Commission’s high-cost programs distinguish fixed service from mobile service, 5G networks are capable of, and already provide, both,” ACA said: “5G fixed service providers have signed up millions of customers annually in the past few years, capturing the lion’s share of recent fixed broadband growth and providing intense competition to wireline providers.” The association said “where fixed and mobile broadband services were once distinct segments of the marketplace, 5G blurs the line between the two.” The Competitive Carriers Association raised similar timing concerns in a meeting with aides to Commissioner Geoffrey Starks. “It is critical that a 5G Fund auction does not occur prematurely to ensure funds are used most efficiently and are targeted to those areas that need it most,” CCA said: “Fiber deployed through the BEAD program will provide a tremendous resource for future 5G mobile deployments as fiber is needed to connect towers across rural America.” CCA said fiber backhaul can comprise up to 20% of the cost of deploying a tower.
FirstNet Authority officials urged that the FCC make the 4.9 GHz band available as part of FirstNet during a meeting with aides to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. NTIA made an ex parte filing on the meeting, on behalf of the authority, posted on Tuesday in docket 07-100. The band's future has been hotly contested (see 2403150054). “The FirstNet Authority is in a position to leverage the 4.9 GHz band for the benefit of public safety by using it to provide enhanced and innovative broadband communications services and capabilities to first responders on a nationwide basis,” the authority said: Use of the spectrum as part of the FirstNet network “would be for public safety on a primary basis and should be governed under the FirstNet program’s statutory framework.” The authority said it would protect existing incumbent operations in the band.
Hotwire Communications asked the FCC to abandon its proposal for banning bulk billing arrangements between ISPs and apartment buildings (see 2403050069). Hotwire noted in an ex parte filing posted Tuesday in docket 17-142 that it discussed with Wireline Bureau staff challenges consumers faced when they attempted to apply their affordable connectivity program benefit to a service offered through bulk billing. The company said the difficulties are due to "flaws in the ACP rules," suggesting the FCC amend its rules to "facilitate greater use of ACP discounts where bulk billing arrangements are present" should the program be replenished. Hotwire also asked the commission to consider the item during a commissioners' meeting. "This would enable the public to review and provide input on the draft rulemaking for three weeks prior to the vote," Hotwire said.
An FCC order modifying certain administrative and reporting requirements for the USF high-cost program takes effect May 10, said a notice for Wednesday's Federal Register. Commissioners adopted the item in October (see 2310190056).
Some Minnesota lawmakers want to craft a net neutrality law even as the FCC prepares to vote on restoring federal open-internet rules. At a Tuesday meeting, the legislature’s Senate Commerce Committee laid over a bill (SF-3711) banning state contracts with companies that violate open-internet rules. While the action indefinitely postponed further Senate action on the measure, the proposal remains part of a pending House Commerce Committee omnibus (HF-4077). Also at the Senate Commerce hearing, members postponed action on a social media bill and advanced legislation meant to stop copper theft.
Broadcasters attending the 2024 NAB Show in Las Vegas will focus on exploiting and guarding against the latest advances in artificial intelligence, on making the now 7-year-old transition to ATSC 3.0 finally pay off, and on surviving an unfavorable regulatory landscape, industry officials told us. “We’ve been building out the service; now it’s put up or shut up time,” said Gray Television Senior Vice President Rob Folliard of ATSC 3.0. The show kicks off Saturday at the Las Vegas Convention Center.