At DocsCorp, Ben Mitchell promoted to senior vice president-global commercial operations; Samantha Jefferies from NEC Display Solutions Europe joins as vice president-Europe, Middle East and Africa; and Paul Darby, ex-Phoenix Business Solutions, appointed global head of pre-sales ... SpotSee IoT connectivity platform appoints Jan Van Niekerk, ex-RF Ops, as vice president-engineering and innovation ... Lattice Semiconductor President-CEO Darin Billerbeck to retire and leave the board, which names Chief Operating Officer Glen Hawk interim CEO, to be effective Friday, though Billerbeck remains with the IoT chipmaker until May 31 ... Harris, Wiltshire hires Gena Cadieux, ex-Department of Energy, as of counsel ... Alvarez & Marsal moves telecom, technology and media expert Byron Smyl, who remains a managing director, to Corporate Transformation Services practice.

Before C-band is opened for terrestrial use, other satellite operators currently not using the spectrum should have an opportunity to stake a claim for use for their own services, since it's allocated for satellite, ViaSat CEO Mark Dankberg said in an interview Tuesday at Satellite 2018. He said ViaSat and other satellite operators will make that case to the FCC. Intelsat and SES -- the major satcom users of C-band -- are pushing a plan for clearing and sharing parts of the band (see 1802090016).

Before C-band is opened for terrestrial use, other satellite operators currently not using the spectrum should have an opportunity to stake a claim for use for their own services, since it's allocated for satellite, ViaSat CEO Mark Dankberg said in an interview Tuesday at Satellite 2018. He said ViaSat and other satellite operators will make that case to the FCC. Intelsat and SES -- the major satcom users of C-band -- are pushing a plan for clearing and sharing parts of the band (see 1802090016).

The FCC Connect America Fund Phase II subsidy auction got largely good marks from economists on a panel at an FCBA event Monday. All three welcomed the CAF II reverse auction (lowest bids win) set to begin July 24, which will make available up to $198 million per year over 10 years in high-cost support for broadband and voice services in areas traditionally served by large telcos. They expressed concerns about some details, and one economist estimated up to 30 percent of the funds could go unclaimed, though a second questioned that estimate, and a third didn't see that as a problem if it occurs.

The FCC Connect America Fund Phase II subsidy auction got largely good marks from economists on a panel at an FCBA event Monday. All three welcomed the CAF II reverse auction (lowest bids win) set to begin July 24, which will make available up to $198 million per year over 10 years in high-cost support for broadband and voice services in areas traditionally served by large telcos. They expressed concerns about some details, and one economist estimated up to 30 percent of the funds could go unclaimed, though a second questioned that estimate, and a third didn't see that as a problem if it occurs.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai proposed $954 million to help Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands restore and upgrade their communications networks, which were damaged by hurricanes Irma and Maria. The plan would create a $750 million Uniendo a Puerto Rico (Bringing Puerto Rico Together) Fund and a $204 million Connect USVI Fund, said a release Tuesday. It said the proposal would add about $256 million in new funds and repurpose other USF support currently directed at the islands. Pai had said previously that recovery efforts would require additional funds (see 1711070068)

The FCC offered guidance on the Form 477 and broadband reporting duties of carriers receiving high-cost USF support. The commission in 2016 directed Universal Service Administrative Co. to develop an online system for receiving high-cost carriers' broadband location information and certifications, now called High Cost Universal Broadband (HUBB). A Wireline Bureau public notice in docket 10-90 Thursday provided additional guidance and clarifications to carriers on reporting certain details: the "effect of corrected Form 477 data on Connect America Fund-Broadband Loop Support carrier deployment obligations," the "process to demonstrate there are fewer than the required number of locations or that a carrier is fully deployed" and "ongoing HUBB reporting obligations." Major telcos expressed concerns about the process for updating HUBB information, said a USTelecom filing posted Wednesday on a meeting representatives of the group, AT&T, CenturyLink, Frontier Communications, Verizon, Windstream had with FCC and USAC staffers: "We discussed the need to permit providers to make automated updates, including dropping locations, to previously submitted information. The current suggested process of emailing USAC personnel with a detailed explanation for every dropped location who, in turn, will forward that email to FCC staff for their review and approval, is not workable at scale." The officials also discussed approaches to rationalize legacy obligations and USF support with a CAF II broadband auction looming. CenturyLink wasn't able to make certain data changes due to "HUBB portal restrictions," said the telco's filing posted Thursday in docket 14-58. USTelecom and CenturyLink didn't comment Thursday on the PN.

The FCC offered guidance on the Form 477 and broadband reporting duties of carriers receiving high-cost USF support. The commission in 2016 directed Universal Service Administrative Co. to develop an online system for receiving high-cost carriers' broadband location information and certifications, now called High Cost Universal Broadband (HUBB). A Wireline Bureau public notice in docket 10-90 Thursday provided additional guidance and clarifications to carriers on reporting certain details: the "effect of corrected Form 477 data on Connect America Fund-Broadband Loop Support carrier deployment obligations," the "process to demonstrate there are fewer than the required number of locations or that a carrier is fully deployed" and "ongoing HUBB reporting obligations." Major telcos expressed concerns about the process for updating HUBB information, said a USTelecom filing posted Wednesday on a meeting representatives of the group, AT&T, CenturyLink, Frontier Communications, Verizon, Windstream had with FCC and USAC staffers: "We discussed the need to permit providers to make automated updates, including dropping locations, to previously submitted information. The current suggested process of emailing USAC personnel with a detailed explanation for every dropped location who, in turn, will forward that email to FCC staff for their review and approval, is not workable at scale." The officials also discussed approaches to rationalize legacy obligations and USF support with a CAF II broadband auction looming. CenturyLink wasn't able to make certain data changes due to "HUBB portal restrictions," said the telco's filing posted Thursday in docket 14-58. USTelecom and CenturyLink didn't comment Thursday on the PN.

The FCC should waive for five years its Section 79.2(b) emergency information accessibility requirement that dynamic image crawls used during breaking news and emergencies be conveyed aurally since there’s no good technology for broadcasters doing so today, its Disability Advisory Committee said Wednesday. Instead, voluntary best practices put together by broadcasters and advocacy groups are “the best and only way to pursue this,” said NAB Associate General Counsel Larry Walke.

The FCC should waive for five years its Section 79.2(b) emergency information accessibility requirement that dynamic image crawls used during breaking news and emergencies be conveyed aurally since there’s no good technology for broadcasters doing so today, its Disability Advisory Committee (DAC) said Wednesday. Instead, voluntary best practices put together by broadcasters and advocacy groups "is the best and only way to pursue this," said NAB Associate General Counsel Larry Walke.