With the FCC set to vote on a major wireless infrastructure item Sept. 26, it saw much activity late in the week, based on filings in docket 17-79. Chairman Ajit Pai Wednesday circulated the draft declaratory ruling and order, crafted by Commissioner Brendan Carr (see 1809050029). CTIA fired back at a NATOA petition for reconsideration of a March infrastructure order (see 1806060039). That order was “a proper, lawful exercise of the Commission’s authority under the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic Preservation Act, was consistent with those statutes, and was solidly grounded in the factual record,” CTIA said: The FCC “addressed a serious and growing problem -- the long delays and costs resulting from the Commission’s and Tribal authorities’ prior implementations of NEPA and NHPA.” Sprint agreed, saying the order offers “much-needed relief from the unnecessary and ineffective regulatory burdens created by the prior regime.” NTCA agrees with Crown Castle complaints railroads can slow wireless deployment (see 1807050022). “Unfettered monopoly control of certain tracts of land by railroads may have made sense a century or more ago,” not now, NTCA said. Officials with NATOA, the National League of Cities, the Smart Communities Coalition and the U.S. Conference of Mayors said Carr contacted each before the pending order premiered "to provide the organizations with his understanding and intent of the Item,” the groups said.

There are 102 entities with access to a Mobility Fund Phase II challenge process portal of Universal Service Administrative Co., said an FCC public notice Tuesday in docket 10-90 citing data as of Friday. That's up from 80 on June 30 (see 1807020054). The parties include 38 mobile service providers that file Form 477 data, 17 state government entities, 25 local government entities, 16 tribal government entities and six others that received waivers to participate. Challengers submitted data including almost 3 million broadband speed tests (up from 399,390), the PN said.

There are 102 entities with access to a Mobility Fund Phase II challenge process portal of Universal Service Administrative Co., said an FCC public notice Tuesday in docket 10-90 citing data as of Friday. That's up from 80 on June 30 (see 1807020054). The parties include 38 mobile service providers that file Form 477 data, 17 state government entities, 25 local government entities, 16 tribal government entities and six others that received waivers to participate. Challengers submitted data including almost 3 million broadband speed tests (up from 399,390), the PN said.

A hallmark of the Ajit Pai FCC chairmanship is that he has almost complete support from fellow Republicans, who have maintained party discipline. Republican Mike O’Rielly has had one full dissent and 12 partial dissents, our review found. Former officials told us Pai has no reason to complain.

A hallmark of the Ajit Pai FCC chairmanship is that he has almost complete support from fellow Republicans, who have maintained party discipline. Republican Mike O’Rielly has had one full dissent and 12 partial dissents, our review found. Former officials told us Pai has no reason to complain.

Skyway Towers said tribal review of tower projects continues to slow deployment, as it expects commissioners to vote on related issues as soon as next month (see 1808300028). Skyway thanked the FCC for the work it has done in cutting regulatory red tape, but said a March order is slowing some projects. The order cuts red tape for tribal reviews of projects off tribal lands and makes clear applicants “have no legal obligation to pay upfront fees” when seeking tribal comment on proposed deployments (see 1803220027). “Other industries,” from fast food chains to gas stations, can build outlets “without being required to have those proposed sites reviewed by the tribal nations,” Skyway said. “By contrast, our industry must submit the very same locations for analysis by the tribes,” the tower company said in a filing posted Thursday in docket 17-79. “Recent actions by the Commission attempting to remedy the problem have actually slowed deployment.” Skyway said since the March order, some tribes disbanded offices they once had to review sites and “off-loaded the burden of those reviews to the Commission staff.” The FCC and groups representing the tribes didn’t comment. “WIA strongly supported the FCC’s efforts to lower barriers to wireless infrastructure deployment in its March order by addressing a number of outdated and unreasonably burdensome tribal review processes,” said Wireless Infrastructure Association President Jonathan Adelstein in response. “Moving forward, we remain confident that the commission is implementing the new process effectively to encourage investment and deployment of wireless infrastructure.”

The House and Senate Commerce committees are aiming to continue working on telecom and media issues in September, lawmakers and lobbyists said in interviews. Senate Commerce leaders plan additional work to create a spectrum and 5G-related legislative package as the committee’s top telecom priority. House Commerce is eyeing a September media marketplace hearing with a likely focus on the Next Generation Television Marketplace Act (HR-6465). Lobbyists and communications sector observers cautioned that Capitol Hill’s rapidly closing legislative window means there's only a limited chance new telecom bills will advance before November elections and the subsequent lame-duck session.

FCC Republicans Ajit Pai, Mike O’Rielly and Brendan Carr have voted together the vast majority of the time. Carr partially dissented once and has been mostly in step with Pai since he became a member a year ago. O’Rielly, a commissioner throughout Pai's chairmanship, has disagreed more, based on our review. O’Rielly has had partial dissents 12 times and a full dissent once.

FCC Republicans Ajit Pai, Mike O’Rielly and Brendan Carr have voted together the vast majority of the time. Carr partially dissented once and has been mostly in step with Pai since he became a member a year ago. O’Rielly, a commissioner throughout Pai's chairmanship, has disagreed more, based on our review. O’Rielly has had partial dissents 12 times and a full dissent once.

Applicants to the 911 grant program must submit by Sept. 10 an initial package including identifying a designated 911 coordinator and required certification, NTIA said Friday. “Once applicants have submitted their initial application, NHTSA and NTIA will publish preliminary funding allocations for each of the States or Tribal Organizations meeting the certification requirements on www.grants.gov.” Revised 911 grant program rules took effect earlier this month (see 1808020021).