One of four members left a group of satellite operators seeking to have its sector sell about 200 MHz that would be repurposed for 5G. Eutelsat dropped out of the C-Band alliance, it said in a brief FCC filing and release Tuesday. It cited disagreements with other CBA members, without being more specific. The company wishes to “take a direct active part on discussions on C-band clearing and repurposing,” it said. The departure stirred more speculation about what might happen to the swath of airwaves.

While an FCC proposal is still taking shape, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai is telling industry officials he wants at least 300 MHz of C-band spectrum allocated for 5G. Pai also appears to be leaning toward an FCC auction rather than a private sale to allocate the licenses, industry officials said. The C-Band Alliance plan for clearing the band has dominated discussions. Last week, the FCC took reply comments on alternate proposals (see 1908150042). Again, comments were sharply divided. Pai said last month the FCC should have “results to show” on the C band in the fall (see 1907050024). The FCC and CBA didn't comment.

The cable industry hopes for at least incremental improvements in the retransmission consent regime via the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act reauthorization that Congress likely will act on later this year, said America's Communications Association Chairman Patricia Jo Boyers in the latest ACA Connects podcast, released Thursday. She said bigger hopes are tied to the Modern TV Act (HR-3994) and the possibility of its repeal of the retrans regime. She said what's spent on retrans cuts into what ISPs can spend on extending or upgrading their networks. "It's real for me," said Boyers, the president of Boycom Vision.

The C-Band Alliance told the FCC its proposal remains the best alternative for opening the band for 5G. Other commenters endorsed a proposal by America’s Communications Association, the Competitive Carriers Association and Charter Communications, or a study by Jeff Reed of Virginia Tech and Reed Engineering on sharing the band with fixed point-to-multipoint (P2MP) operations (see 1907020061). Industry officials said there's little consensus on the band. Comments were due Wednesday in docket 18-122.

NAB told the FCC it should move forward on the C band and not wait for more "ill-conceived" proposals on how to reallocate the spectrum for 5G. The FCC can make no more than 200 MHz available without raising interference concerns, said a filing Wednesday in docket 18-122. “If the Commission caves to unreasonable and unjustified pressure to reallocate more spectrum in the C-band for terrestrial wireless services, it will no doubt be harming the backbone of our nation’s audio and video content delivery system,” NAB said: “Further delay in reallocating 200 MHz of spectrum will give oxygen to ill-conceived, self-interested schemes that are out of touch with reality.” The FCC shouldn’t force broadcasters to rely on fiber as an alternative to C-band spectrum, as proposed by a coalition led by America’s Communications Association (see 1907150010), NAB said. ACA didn’t comment on the NAB arguments. But ACA said in a filing posted Wednesday it spoke with Aaron Goldberger, aide to Chairman Ajit Pai, about its plan. Coalition members had conversations “with most of the MVPD programmers that use the C-band for delivery of video programming and have participated in the proceeding, and that it has a few more scheduled this week,” ACA said: “Within weeks, ACA Connects will be supplementing its original proposal. The additional material will further detail how the fiber network would be designed, established, launched, maintained, and paid for, particularly the part of the network that connects programmers to data centers.” China is "spending tens of billions of dollars to deploy high-capacity fiber-optic and advanced wireless infrastructure in order to win the race to 5G,” emailed ACA Senior Vice President-Government Affairs Ross Lieberman. “To compete, the United States must do the same. The 5G Plus Plan is the only proposal before the Commission that clears at least 370 MHz on a nationwide basis and builds out more than 100,000 miles of fiber to small markets and rural areas. It’s hands down the best solution in the record.” ACA understands broadcasters want to remain in the band and can under the plan, he said: “It now seems broadcasters want to tell small cable operators to stay on the band too.”

Two new podcasts highlight bipartisan support for deploying broadband infrastructure to reach all parts of rural America. In a "Broadband Conversations" podcast from FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel posted Friday, Rep. Abby Finkenauer, D-Iowa, said reliable broadband connectivity could play a role in keeping residents from leaving places like her state and encouraging those who had left home to return to "start small businesses in the small communities where they grew up and be able to thrive." Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kan., said broadband Internet access is no longer considered a luxury even in small towns: "It is part of our infrastructure and should be thought of as such." On Thursday, "ACA Connects" posted a podcast conversation between America's Communications Association CEO Matt Polka and Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Ohio. Johnson said he hopes his Democratic colleagues will agree to roll up their sleeves to help move infrastructure legislation that includes a focus on rural broadband.

The FCC is expected to take up a C-band order in coming months, but several industry officials predict a vote is unlikely before the Nov. 19 commissioners' meeting. Chairman Ajit Pai’s office recently told several parties if they have additional proposals for the band, get them in as quickly possible. Agency officials said Pai is getting close to making decisions, though the commission is waiting for reply comments on the most recent C-band proceeding on a clearing plan. Initial comments came last week (see 1907050035).

Lack of broadband market competition disempowers consumers, and increased FTC oversight is needed, consumer advocates told the agency. But industry groups argued existing regulations mean the market is more competitive than ever. The agency collected comments through Friday in docket 2018-0113 on broadband competition and consumer protection issues.

Three groups seek an NPRM to start the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (see 1905010188) as soon as possible to develop rules this year and hold an auction in 2020. America’s Communications Association, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and NTCA told the FCC that rules for the current Connect America Fund Phase II program "provide a sound foundation upon which to develop the rules for the RDOF. No doubt certain parameters of the new program will require updating and revision based upon lessons learned from the CAF Phase II program and auction. But, because a proven framework exists, we can build on that to quickly analyze shortcomings and make targeted refinements." The filing posted Friday in docket 19-126 noted that a recent news report quotes an FCC spokesperson "saying that the Commission will start this year to launch the RDOF and hold the auction in 2020." The agency declined to comment now.

Sinclair will buy 21 regional sports networks and Fox College Sports from Disney, which acquired them when it bought most of the assets of 21st Century Fox (see 1901140039), said the companies Friday. The deal has a “total enterprise value” to the RSNs worth $10.6 billion, including the $9.6 billion purchase price, they said. The deal requires DOJ approval, they said. The RSNs changing hands excludes the YES Network, but is “the largest collection of RSNs in the marketplace today, with an extensive footprint that includes exclusive local rights to 42 professional teams” in baseball, basketball and hockey, they said. The RSNs collectively had $3.8 billion revenue and 74 million subscribers in 2018. Sinclair will buy them through a new Diamond Sports Group subsidiary, they said. “While consumer viewing habits have shifted, the tradition of watching live sports and news remains ingrained in our culture,” said Sinclair CEO Chris Ripley. “We are ideally positioned to transfer our skills to deliver and expand our focus on greater premium sports programming.” Antitrust regulators should reject the proposed deal, said America's Communication Association CEO Matt Polka. “Big 4 broadcast network programming and RSN programming are both critical for ACA Connects members,” Polka said. “By jointly negotiating these assets when they serve the same market, Sinclair can raise prices to cable operators for both offerings.”