Increased spectrum congestion eventually will necessitate more enforcement work for 5G, including possibly addressing receiver performance characteristics, said some panelists at a Hudson Institute-hosted panel Friday. A first step must be technical rules for what constitutes unauthorized harmful interference and defining the line at which such harm justifies enforcement action, NTIA Administrator Larry Strickling said. As services increasingly bump against one another, regulators at some point must confront whether receivers play a role in spillover, he said.

Increased spectrum congestion eventually will necessitate more enforcement work for 5G, including possibly addressing receiver performance characteristics, said some panelists at a Hudson Institute-hosted panel Friday. A first step must be technical rules for what constitutes unauthorized harmful interference and defining the line at which such harm justifies enforcement action, NTIA Administrator Larry Strickling said. As services increasingly bump against one another, regulators at some point must confront whether receivers play a role in spillover, he said.

FCC staff provided guidance to telcos required to report geo-located broadband information and certify service milestones to the Universal Service Administrative Co. The commission's March rate-of-return USF overhaul order directed USAC to create an online portal to accept geo-located broadband information and certifications, and USAC is close to completing its initial version of the High Cost Universal Service Broadband portal (HUBB), said a Wireline Bureau public notice Thursday in docket 10-90. With telcos serving subsidized rural areas facing reporting and certification duties next year, the bureau said it was providing guidance so carriers can develop internal compliance measures. The PN details what locations must be reported, certain "do's and don'ts," location filing deadlines, broadband service milestone requirements and certifications, reporting on rural broadband experiments, and data-accuracy duties. "Rate-of-return carriers, recipients of Phase II model-based support and ACS [Alaska Communications Systems] must file broadband location information in the HUBB by March 1, 2017, and deployment milestone certifications in later years," it said, noting the March deadline still must be approved under the Paperwork Reduction Act. "By March 1, 2018, rate-of-return Alaska Plan carriers must also report their location data and, in later years, make milestone certifications in the HUBB." The bureau anticipates more than 1,000 carriers will submit 4.5 million location records to the HUBB. That will improve accountability but require automation and administrative efficiency, it said. On Tuesday, the bureau issued a public notice in the docket announcing capital investment allowance (CIA) amounts for rate-of-return carriers. "The CIA is the maximum amount of capital investment expenses that a rate-of-return carrier may include for purposes of calculating High-Cost Loop Support and Connect America Fund Broadband Loop Support," it said.

FCC staff provided guidance to telcos required to report geo-located broadband information and certify service milestones to the Universal Service Administrative Co. The commission's March rate-of-return USF overhaul order directed USAC to create an online portal to accept geo-located broadband information and certifications, and USAC is close to completing its initial version of the High Cost Universal Service Broadband portal (HUBB), said a Wireline Bureau public notice Thursday in docket 10-90. With telcos serving subsidized rural areas facing reporting and certification duties next year, the bureau said it was providing guidance so carriers can develop internal compliance measures. The PN details what locations must be reported, certain "do's and don'ts," location filing deadlines, broadband service milestone requirements and certifications, reporting on rural broadband experiments, and data-accuracy duties. "Rate-of-return carriers, recipients of Phase II model-based support and ACS [Alaska Communications Systems] must file broadband location information in the HUBB by March 1, 2017, and deployment milestone certifications in later years," it said, noting the March deadline still must be approved under the Paperwork Reduction Act. "By March 1, 2018, rate-of-return Alaska Plan carriers must also report their location data and, in later years, make milestone certifications in the HUBB." The bureau anticipates more than 1,000 carriers will submit 4.5 million location records to the HUBB. That will improve accountability but require automation and administrative efficiency, it said. On Tuesday, the bureau issued a public notice in the docket announcing capital investment allowance (CIA) amounts for rate-of-return carriers. "The CIA is the maximum amount of capital investment expenses that a rate-of-return carrier may include for purposes of calculating High-Cost Loop Support and Connect America Fund Broadband Loop Support," it said.

Senate prospects for reconfirming Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel seemed to plummet Thursday, which would mean she would have to soon leave the FCC. The approval is believed to require filing for cloture, a timely process that no longer fits into expectations for the Senate’s remaining minimal time. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler committed to Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., earlier this week that he would resign immediately if it would ensure Rosenworcel’s confirmation, an agency spokesman confirmed.

Senate prospects for reconfirming Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel seemed to plummet Thursday, which would mean she would have to soon leave the FCC. The approval is believed to require filing for cloture, a timely process that no longer fits into expectations for the Senate’s remaining minimal time. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler committed to Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., earlier this week that he would resign immediately if it would ensure Rosenworcel’s confirmation, an agency spokesman confirmed.

Sandwich Isles Communications faces $77 million in repayment duties and proposed fines from the FCC for violations and apparent violations of the USF high-cost program in Hawaii, with more repayments to come. The commission also ruled against SIC in a cost dispute with AT&T and the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA) over an undersea cable. The agency noted Sandwich Isles has continuing obligations to its customers and can't discontinue telecom service without express authorization.

President-elect Donald Trump should welcome a cybersecurity report ordered by President Barack Obama, said one of the report’s authors Monday. The Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity released recommendations to the White House on actions the private and public sectors can take over the next decade to improve cyber defenses and raise awareness (see 1612020050). Trump hasn't been briefed on the report, but it was nonpartisan and written for any new president, the commission’s Executive Director Kiersten Todt said at a New America event. To achieve the report’s aims, Todt and state officials urged the new administration to embrace collaboration among federal, state and local governments.

President-elect Donald Trump should welcome a cybersecurity report ordered by President Barack Obama, said one of the report’s authors Monday. The Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity released recommendations to the White House on actions the private and public sectors can take over the next decade to improve cyber defenses and raise awareness (see 1612020050). Trump hasn't been briefed on the report, but it was nonpartisan and written for any new president, the commission’s Executive Director Kiersten Todt said at a New America event. To achieve the report’s aims, Todt and state officials urged the new administration to embrace collaboration among federal, state and local governments.

Incoming House Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., faces much deliberation before picking his replacement as chair of the Communications Subcommittee, he told us Friday. But he predicts broad continuity on GOP telecom priorities in the next Congress and anticipates the many legislative initiatives from his own time as subcommittee chairman could be a springboard for Commerce going forward. Telecom and media industry officials issued many statements lauding Walden's ascendance.