Starks' Chief Says FCC Main Focus Remains Broadband Funding

“We are going 100 miles an hour right now, trying to make sure we adopt good rules and reviewing comments,” Davenport said. Starks “is very, very focused on making sure” the emergency broadband benefit fund program “has as much participation by both providers and by consumers as possible, so it’s a success,” he said.

WIA President Jonathan Adelstein urged Congress to approve additional money for infrastructure, including broadband deployment. “We’re asking Congress to design a package that makes the best use of collocation,” he said: “We can efficiently leverage existing infrastructure and hopefully leverage capital for new infrastructure.” The money should be allowed for operation costs and leases, he said.

The problems in Texas, where millions lost power due to a massive winter storm, have “really highlighted the importance of the energy grid,” Davenport said. “Broadband is a really essential element of infrastructure as well.”

The 2-2 split at the commission has "ramifications … in terms of what moves in the short term versus the longer term,” said Wilkinson Barker’s Bryan Tramont. Rosenworcel has a long FCC history, he noted: While transition periods mean uncertainty, “there’s a long history here.”

Backup power rules, like those adopted in California (see 2102110066), will likely be “front and center” for Rosenworcel, Tramont said. Rosenworcel “has been very critical of some of the overall resiliency and the reporting obligations” of carriers, he said: “I think we’ll see some action there.”

“Broadband is still the goal,” said Mintz’s Scott Thompson. Rosenworcel has advocated deployment since she was initially on the commission during the Obama administration, he said. Don’t expect “a significant U-turn” on controversial wireless infrastructure orders OK’d under then-Chairman Ajit Pai, he said. Rosenworcel was “interested in hearing more from the cities,” he said: “I don’t think that we should anticipate a radical change to go back and alter things.” The FCC may focus more on how it can help local governments than on preemption, Thompson said.

Thompson predicted the Senate could approve a fifth commissioner as early as March. Rosenworcel likely “has an inside track, but you never can tell with these things,” he said: Past chairs have “come out of left field.” Approving another commissioner will likely take “months and months,” Tramont said: “I’d be thrilled if it’s faster. But there’s a lot going on in the country right now.”

The push for open radio access networks is nonpartisan, said Diane Rinaldo, executive director of the Open RAN Policy Coalition, during a second WIA panel. “Both sides of the aisle … are coming together.” Members of Congress are increasingly informed on the issue and asking questions, she said. The FCC is to take up ORAN at the March 17 commissioners' meeting (see 2102230065).

ORAN “is about jobs and innovation,” said Flynn Rico-Johnson, legislative director for Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif. The U.S. was a leader in 4G, he said: “There is an equal opportunity in 5G” with ORAN. “The excitement and attention open RAN is receiving right now is a result of a lot of conversations that have been going on for some time,” he said.

Congress still needs to fund ORAN grants, Rico-Johnson said: “We want to see that in the president’s budget. We think we’ve got a great shot in an infrastructure package. If that doesn’t come to fruition, we’re going to pursue standard appropriations.”

ORAN plays to U.S. strengths, said Thierry Maupile, executive vice president-strategy and product management at Altiostar, an ORAN company. The perception is the U.S. is behind in 5G, he said: “The U.S. is strong in silicon, in software and in cloud.”