Rural Wireless Association representatives asked FCC Wireline Bureau staff about the timing of a prohibition on carriers receiving USF support to buy Huawei and ZTE equipment. RWA representatives expressed concern about how the FCC will interpret provisions of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act and FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 18-89. RWA asked whether the rule “goes into effect prior to August 14, 2020 pursuant to the 2019 NDAA or whether the FCC must develop a specific list of prohibited Huawei and ZTE equipment and services prior to March 11, 2021 pursuant to the Secure Networks Act." If the FCC concludes “USF support is akin to a loan and grant as defined under Section 889 of the 2019 NDAA, then RWA is concerned that its members may no longer be able to use universal service funding for the operation of Huawei or ZTE networks after August 13." Representatives of Mavenir, Nokia, Panhandle Telephone Co-op, Pine Belt Cellular and Strata Networks participated.
The FCC is “finally” getting tough on China under President Donald Trump and Chairman Ajit Pai, Commissioner Brendan Carr said during an American Conservative Union webinar Wednesday. Matthew Whitaker, former acting U.S. attorney general, warned of the threat posed by China. Carr is a critic of China's governing regime (see 2004240045).
There's no consensus whether mobile and fixed communications services are complementary or substitutes in docket 20-60 comments this week for the FCC's communications market competitiveness report to Congress. The agency got requests for further smoothing access to poles and rights of way for wireline broadband access.
Industry, policymakers and consumer advocates are seeking new ways to expand Lifeline enrollment and benefits in response to the public health and economic crisis, we're told. Some advocates are pursuing emergency funding to provide a more robust residential broadband Lifeline benefit to meet the demands of working and learning at home. Stay-at-home orders put restraints on Lifeline promotion and enrollment.
Commissioners approved an NPRM Thursday on the proposed 5G Fund over partial dissents by Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks, as expected (see 2004200063). Both said the NPRM offers a false choice and the FCC can’t rely on bad maps or wait until 2023 or later to start offering support. Commissioner Mike O’Rielly supported the NPRM, but also had concerns. Members met via teleconference, for the second month during COVID-19.
DRS agreed to return $1 million to USF in a healthcare consent decree on Alaska, said an FCC Enforcement Bureau order Wednesday. The company didn't comment.
States are directing broadband funds to COVID-19 response, but many others lack that ability, said state commissioners, legislators and broadband officials in recent interviews. The pandemic increased states’ urgency to close broadband gaps and could lead to policy changes, they said.
The FCC’s April 23 meeting will be via teleconference and in a shortened format due to COVID-19, the agency said in a sunshine notice Thursday. As expected (see 2004150057), some major items will be voted during the meeting while the rest will be voted on circulation ahead of the meeting, the notice said. Commissioners will vote during the meeting on the 6 GHz rules and Further NPRM, the 5G rural USF fund and the orbital debris item. For the March meeting, some items were voted on the day before the meeting and others that morning, FCC officials said. In March, the agency prior to the meeting issued a deletion notice on the voted items.
Rep. Brenda Lawrence and eight other Democratic members of Michigan’s congressional delegation urged Capitol Hill leaders Wednesday to include “robust funding” for Lifeline, E-rate USF and Department of Agriculture broadband programs in the next COVID-19 stimulus bill. House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J., is circulating draft language for the next COVID-19 bill that would appropriate $2 billion for emergency broadband benefit” funding rather than money for Lifeline (see 2004140062). The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (HR-748) “fell short of providing the necessary investment in high-speed internet service for low-income and rural Americans,” the Democratic lawmakers wrote House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and their minority counterparts. “Do not forget” broadband funding. House Democrats’ Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act (HR-6379), which they floated during talks on HR-748, included emergency Lifeline and E-rate funding (see 2003230066). Lawrence and the other Democratic lawmakers want the USDA Rural Utilities Service’s Rural Broadband Access Grant, Loan and Loan Guarantee program to be “fully implemented and funded at $350 million annually” via the next epidemic measure. The letter's signers included Sens. Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow and Rep. Debbie Dingell, a House Communications Subcommittee member.
House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, N.J., is circulating discussion language to provide $2 billion in “emergency broadband benefit” funding in the next COVID-19 stimulus bill. Some lobbyists we spoke with see the draft as Democrats’ bid to resurrect plans for emergency broadband funding without providing new ammunition to Lifeline critics. Several Democratic lawmakers want future COVID-19 legislation to fund broadband and other infrastructure (see 2003260063). Some groups are urging Congress to use the coming measure to address other communications policy priorities, including media funding (see 2004090066).