The FCC’s proposed cyber trust mark program for smart devices (see 2311130034) should remain voluntary, which will encourage broad participation, representatives of CTA and other groups said during a meeting with an aide to Commissioner Nathan Simington. Preemption and safe harbors “are critical to the Labeling Program’s success,” said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 23-239: The groups “urged the Commission to ensure that participation in the program operates as a safe harbor under federal law and preempts state law, both with respect to consumer protection laws and substantive cybersecurity standards.” Other groups in the meeting were CTIA, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, USTelecom and the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers.
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials representatives briefed an aide to FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks about concerns over the future of the 4.9 GHz band, including its opposition to a Public Safety Spectrum Alliance proposal giving FirstNet control of the spectrum (see 2401160048). In a filing posted Wednesday in docket 07-100, it said, “In response to a question about whether there are different use cases for the 4.9 GHz band, AASHTO noted that some of its members are using the band in conjunction with intelligent transportation systems and in other ways.”
The independent compliance officer (ICO) monitoring how Verizon is undertaking FCC-imposed conditions as part of the company’s Tracfone acquisition (see 2111220069) told the agency parts of the transition are still in progress. Verizon is in the midst of work on its implementation and compliance plan and is "addressing -- in some cases through remediation plans -- the ICO’s Recommendations in prior Reports relating to the Company’s Order compliance program,” a report posted Wednesday in docket 22-210 said: “However, for the most part, these enhancements and/or remediation efforts are still in progress.” The report said Verizon hasn't submitted required data narratives, data maps and other information the ICO requires. For instance, on a handset unlocking requirement “there remain instances where phones could not be activated without substantial customer service intervention” and “a significant number of customers do not receive same-day notification of TracFone’s new 60-day unlocking policy, while a smaller number do not appear to receive the notification at all,” the report said.
The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) urged the FCC to forego considering the issue of network usage fees in its net neutrality proceeding. Don't consider the "mandatory-payments issue" the European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association suggested, CCIA said in a letter posted Wednesday in docket 2-320 (see 2401180042). The proceeding is "an inappropriate forum for that discussion." ETNO’s push for fees is "evidentiary support that network owners are well aware of their singular access to Internet users and are prepared to leverage that access into financial gain," CCIA said.
Emergency alerts would go more multilingual under a proposal on the FCC's February agenda. Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel teed up that and other agenda items on Wednesday. They will be released Thursday. Also on the agenda is a draft in-space servicing, assembly and manufacturing (ISAM) licensing framework, further robocalls rules, and a revisiting of wireless mics. In addition, an Enforcement Bureau item and a Media Bureau adjudicatory matter are on the agenda.
Industry officials are concerned about uncertainty surrounding the FCC's affordable connectivity program following the agency's recent announcement that ACP wind-down procedures were beginning and the ACP Extension Act was introduced (see 2401100056). Some warned about challenges associated with keeping the more than 22 million enrolled households online should the program end before additional funding is available. Even if the ACP Extension Act is successful, some observers predicted recipients may not return owing to reenrollment confusion or other issues.
Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., is considering attaching an amendment to a pending national security supplemental spending bill that would allocate $3.08 billion to fully fund the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program, communications officials and lobbyists said in interviews. Telecom-focused lawmakers are still eyeing FY 2024 appropriations bills as vehicles for allocating rip-and-replace money, and some are pushing to keep using a spectrum legislative package to pay for it. President Joe Biden asked Congress to authorize the additional rip-and-replace money in October as part of a domestic funding supplemental separate from the national security request (see 2310250075).
NTIA is expecting detailed comments from federal agencies this week about the proposed implementation plan for the national spectrum strategy (see 2311130048), Scott Harris, NTIA senior spectrum adviser, said during an FCBA webinar Wednesday. NTIA has shared with the agencies its initial thoughts, he said. Next, it will prepare “a full draft” implementation plan, which it will also share, and “kick off” interagency meetings seeking “government-wide” consensus, Harris added.
Former FTC Consumer Protection Bureau Director Jessica Rich, ex-Kelley Drye, joins Consumer Product Safety Commission as general counsel, succeeding Austin Schlick, ex-FCC general counsel, who elevates to executive director … Bureau of Industry and Security hires Microsoft’s Elizabeth Cannon as first executive director-Office of Information and Communications Technology and Services … Qualcomm promotes Chief Financial Officer Akash Palkhiwala to expanded role of CFO and chief operating officer ... LG Ad Solutions, connected TV and cross-screen advertising platform, names GumGum’s Angela Barnett head-corporate communications.
The FCC Space Bureau approved Quantum Space's planned non-geostationary orbit cubesat, part of an eventual network delivering services between the Earth and moon (see 2307310001). In the bureau approval this week, it deferred Quantum's request to use the 400.15-401 MHz band.