The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation called on regulators to rethink their spectrum sharing approach, refocusing on a top tier providing licenses for full-power use of a band, with reliable access at all times. “The dichotomy between dynamic spectrum sharing and exclusive licensing is a false one,” ITIF said in a report released Monday: “Reliable, full-power access is possible within a dynamic sharing framework if the FCC auctions super-priority rights to commercial users.” ITIF cited the model provided by the citizens broadband radio service band, which offered three tiers, with priority access licenses (PALs) sold in an FCC auction, with lesser rights than the incumbent Navy systems the rules are designed to protect. “We should not confuse the particulars of that band with the principles of the dynamic sharing system,” the report said. “In a band with significantly fewer incumbency interests, rights amenable to proponents of exclusive, shared, and unlicensed spectrum can coexist within a dynamic sharing system with only a minor alteration: Instead of just protecting incumbents and auctioning PALs that are secondary to the incumbents’ rights, the FCC should also auction licenses for the same type of rights the Navy has in the CBRS band.” ITIF noted widespread industry criticism of how CBRS works. Part of the reason “for decrying CBRS is that it should hardly qualify as ‘sharing’ when the federal incumbent retains the right to do whatever it wants whenever and wherever it wants,” the report said. ITIF noted there have been no reports of Navy systems suffering harmful interference since CBRS was launched. “Any party that thinks the Navy has reliable, full-power access in the current CBRS band should leap at the opportunity to get the same deal in another band,” ITIF said.
The FCC Wireless Bureau sought comment Monday on Echodyne’s pursuit of a five-year extension of its waiver of rules allowing ground-based use of its EchoGuard radar, which detects objects on the ground and in the air, using the 24.45–24.65 GHz band (see 2402090064). Comments are due March 27, replies April 11, in docket 17-352. A 2019 waiver expires June 12 (see 1906130051).
CTIA told the FCC “the record strongly supports” its request for a 12-month extension (see 2401090026) of the FCC's six-month deadline for carriers to implement rules protecting consumers from SIM swapping and port-out fraud. “The record also makes clear that a workable compliance deadline serves the public interest,” CTIA said, in a filing posted Monday in docket 21-341: “CTIA shares the Commission’s goals of fraud prevention and security for consumers and business customers.” The FCC “significantly underestimated the time needed for industry compliance with the new SIM swap and port-out fraud rules,” the Competitive Carriers Association said. Meeting a six-month deadline “would be a significant challenge to even the largest nationwide carriers” and most CCA members are “smaller carriers with extremely limited resources and often over-extended staff multitasking on multiple projects,” CCA said. NCTA also supported CTIA’s petition, saying the new rules “will require the development of new authentication procedures, new customer notifications, and new recordkeeping, among other things.” Covered companies “will have to undertake significant employee training efforts,” NCTA said. Replies to oppositions were due Friday at the FCC.
USTelecom and NCTA want the FCC to abandon its proposal to reclassify broadband as a Communications Act Title II telecom service, the organizations said in a joint letter posted Monday in docket 23-320 (see 2401180042). "Regulating usage-based billing is unnecessary and would only serve to eliminate options for consumers," they said. USTelecom and NCTA said regulation is "unnecessary" because there is "no evidence that network operators exercise market power in negotiating interconnection agreements." The proposed bill-and-keep model would also be "affirmatively harmful" to consumers because "forbidding ISPs from charging for interconnection would exert upward pressure on consumer broadband prices," they said.
Sens. Bob Casey and John Fetterman, both D-Pa., are urging the FCC to “act swiftly to conclude its review” of Fox station WTXF Philadelphia's license renewal application. The Media and Democracy Project has petitioned the FCC since July against renewing WTXF’s license based on disclosures from the Dominion Voting Systems v. Fox defamation lawsuit and the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol (see 2307060065). Other federal and Pennsylvania Democratic lawmakers have spoken in favor of WTXF (see 2402220076). “It is critical” that the FCC administer the renewal review process “in a fair and neutral manner, as it has been for decades,” Casey and Fetterman said in a Friday letter to the FCC posted Monday. WTXF “has provided a platform that uplifts Philadelphia's diverse voices and supports local journalism, and we hope that its delivery of local news and local programming to the community is not disrupted.” The record in the renewal proceeding “is replete with comments from Philadelphia residents, organizations, and elected officials from a range of backgrounds attesting to the station's commitment to upholding the core values of local broadcasting and to serving Philadelphia’s residents,” the senators said: “We hope that you take these comments as a testament to the importance this station has in the community.”
DirecTV and SpaceX continue lobbying against opening the 12 GHz band to mobile service, according to filings in docket 20-443. In meetings with the offices of FCC Commissioners Geoffrey Starks and Anna Gomez, DirecTV said RKF Engineering analyses are unreliable and use flawed methodologies. If some assumptions in RKF's studies are inaccurate, then "DIRECTV subscribers will be the ones to suffer," it said Monday. Meeting with Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel's office, SpaceX also was critical of RKF's work. SpaceX said the "shapeshifting analysis" should end the proceeding.
America’s Public Television Stations CEO Patrick Butler is “hopeful” that Senate legislation maintaining funding for PBS will advance over a House FY24 federal funding legislation bill that would zero out that money, he told the APTS Public Media Summit in a farewell address Monday after 13 years leading the association (see 2307210065). Butler plans to retire this year once a replacement is hired (see 2311010050). “I’m hopeful. I can’t say I’m confident, but I am hopeful,” he said after the speech.
The FCC faces three petitions for review, all filed Friday, in separate circuits, challenging the lawfulness of the commission’s Dec. 26 quadrennial review order for allegedly violating Section 202(h) of the Telecommunications Act. Nexstar Media Group filed its petition (docket 24-60088) in the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Beasley Media Group and Tri-State Communications filed their joint petition (docket 24-10535) in the 11th Circuit, and Zimmer Radio of Mid-Missouri filed its petition (docket 24-1380) in the 8th Circuit.
NARUC’s Telecom Committee approved a proposed resolution Monday aimed at forestalling U.S. phone number exhaustion. Also during state utility regulators’ meeting in Washington, telecom industry officials urged state commissioners to join them in calling on Congress to renew funding for the affordable connectivity program (ACP). Another panel flagged pole attachment issues remaining after a December FCC order (see 2312130044).
The Edison Electric Institute defended its petition for partial reconsideration of a December FCC order modifying pole attachment rules in reply comments posted Monday in docket 17-84 (see 2401290074). The group raised concerns about how the FCC treats grandfathered poles, whether a utility may impose standards exceeding the National Electric Safety Code (NESC), and when a pole owner must provide a copy of its easement to an attacher.