A USTelecom initiative aims to improve broadband data and mapping, starting with a pilot in Virginia and Missouri. It will use "modern-data analytics" to develop a "comprehensive database of all broadband serviceable locations in our two pilot states -- and a road map for a collaborative government-led effort to expand the system nationwide," said CEO Jonathan Spalter at an event Thursday. He said ITTA, the Wireless ISP Association, USTelecom members and others will participate. The coalition hopes the mapping effort will be "useful in the FCC’s quest to modernize its broadband data collection process, and supportive of other related federal and state initiatives," he said.

A USTelecom initiative aims to improve broadband data and mapping, starting with a pilot in Virginia and Missouri. It will use "modern-data analytics" to develop a "comprehensive database of all broadband serviceable locations in our two pilot states -- and a road map for a collaborative government-led effort to expand the system nationwide," said CEO Jonathan Spalter at an event Thursday. He said ITTA, the Wireless ISP Association, USTelecom members and others will participate. The coalition hopes the mapping effort will be "useful in the FCC’s quest to modernize its broadband data collection process, and supportive of other related federal and state initiatives," he said.

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr confirmed he's focusing on federal rules that affect wireless infrastructure deployment, in remarks Wednesday at WISPAmerica in Cincinnati. It's expected to be a big FCC infrastructure focus (see 1902200048). “We will look to fully and faithfully implement the decisions Congress has made to streamline the deployment of next-generation technologies,” Carr said. “We will push the government to be more pro-infrastructure by eliminating needless restrictions on siting wireless facilities.” He highlighted at the Wireless ISP Association conference the work the FCC has done, including two orders and the trips he made to see deployment across the U.S. While working on the September order, “I was struck by the difference between the attitudes of civic leaders in some of our biggest coastal cities and those leaders elsewhere in the country,” Carr said. “A few of the big city mayors recognize that they have leverage over the buildout of broadband. If you’re in New York City or San Jose in Silicon Valley, you might get robust broadband service almost regardless of what the politicians do.” Carr said he's also focused on USF support for broadband and getting more spectrum in play, especially the C-band. The Carr road trip continues. Carr tweeted Wednesday about a visit to Tuf-Tug, an Ohio plant that makes safety bolts used in towers. With 5G rolling out, the company says orders are up 25 percent over the past two years, he said.

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr confirmed he's focusing on federal rules that affect wireless infrastructure deployment, in remarks Wednesday at WISPAmerica in Cincinnati. It's expected to be a big FCC infrastructure focus (see 1902200048). “We will look to fully and faithfully implement the decisions Congress has made to streamline the deployment of next-generation technologies,” Carr said. “We will push the government to be more pro-infrastructure by eliminating needless restrictions on siting wireless facilities.” He highlighted at the Wireless ISP Association conference the work the FCC has done, including two orders and the trips he made to see deployment across the U.S. While working on the September order, “I was struck by the difference between the attitudes of civic leaders in some of our biggest coastal cities and those leaders elsewhere in the country,” Carr said. “A few of the big city mayors recognize that they have leverage over the buildout of broadband. If you’re in New York City or San Jose in Silicon Valley, you might get robust broadband service almost regardless of what the politicians do.” Carr said he's also focused on USF support for broadband and getting more spectrum in play, especially the C-band. The Carr road trip continues. Carr tweeted Wednesday about a visit to Tuf-Tug, an Ohio plant that makes safety bolts used in towers. With 5G rolling out, the company says orders are up 25 percent over the past two years, he said.

State bills to empower electric rural cooperatives to get into broadband are getting support in red states with large underserved rural areas. Mississippi enacted a measure in January (see 1901300026). Bills are on the move in states including Georgia, Texas and Oklahoma. Conservative lawmakers appear to find co-ops more palatable than municipalities as non-telecom entities delivering broadband service, agreed a supporter and an opponent of muni broadband.

After a "disappointing" outcome from its challenge of AT&T's buy of Time Warner, DOJ will seek court approval to bifurcate some antitrust trials into liability and remedy phases, agency antitrust chief Makan Delrahim said at the annual summit of America's Communication Association -- formerly the American Cable Association (see 1903200021). "It's never fun to lose, but you learn more from losing than from winning," Delrahim said. Separately, FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly criticized Justice for not updating its media market definitions from what he said were antiquated silos.

State bills to empower electric rural cooperatives to get into broadband are getting support in red states with large underserved rural areas. Mississippi enacted a measure in January (see 1901300026). Bills are on the move in states including Georgia, Texas and Oklahoma. Conservative lawmakers appear to find co-ops more palatable than municipalities as non-telecom entities delivering broadband service, agreed a supporter and an opponent of muni broadband.

After a "disappointing" outcome from its challenge of AT&T's buy of Time Warner, DOJ will seek court approval to bifurcate some antitrust trials into liability and remedy phases, agency antitrust chief Makan Delrahim said at the annual summit of America's Communication Association -- formerly the American Cable Association (see 1903200021). "It's never fun to lose, but you learn more from losing than from winning," Delrahim said. Separately, FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly criticized Justice for not updating its media market definitions from what he said were antiquated silos.

California is the 20th state this year to introduce right-to-repair legislation, said iFixit Monday. AB-1163, introduced by Assemblymember Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton), would require electronics manufacturers to make service literature and equipment or parts available to product owners and to regulated, independent repair shops. “Consumers should have the right to choose their repair provider,” said the nonprofit iFixit. Increasing independent repair options “will encourage people to fix the electronics and appliances they already own, rather than toss their broken belongings and buy new ones,” it said. Overcoming tech lobby opposition to get legislation passed and enacted is a tall task, but right-to-repair advocates will take every victory they can get, iFixit said: “This month Minnesota became the first state in Right to Repair history to pass legislation through two state committees.” One California consumer, Andrew Keates, thinks devising a “repair-ability rating would be a useful addition to product labeling,” he commented to the FTC, as posted Tuesday in docket FTC-2019-0013 in the agency's inquiry into manufacturer limitations on third-party repairs (see 1903150055). “We label dangerous goods as such,” and labeling products as repairable “would be equally valid,” he said. “If items are repairable,” said Keates, “somebody like me would repair them and we might even start a secondary market for repaired goods, avoiding them landing in landfills.” He recently repaired a desktop PC by fitting it with a new power supply, he said. He would have repaired the power supply itself if he had had access to a repair manual, he said: “I imagine at least part of the old power supply is now sitting somewhere in a landfill.”

California is the 20th state this year to introduce right-to-repair legislation, said iFixit Monday. AB-1163, introduced by Assemblymember Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton), would require electronics manufacturers to make service literature and equipment or parts available to product owners and to regulated, independent repair shops. “Consumers should have the right to choose their repair provider,” said the nonprofit iFixit. Increasing independent repair options “will encourage people to fix the electronics and appliances they already own, rather than toss their broken belongings and buy new ones,” it said. Overcoming tech lobby opposition to get legislation passed and enacted is a tall task, but right-to-repair advocates will take every victory they can get, iFixit said: “This month Minnesota became the first state in Right to Repair history to pass legislation through two state committees.” One California consumer, Andrew Keates, thinks devising a “repair-ability rating would be a useful addition to product labeling,” he commented to the FTC, as posted Tuesday in docket FTC-2019-0013 in the agency's inquiry into manufacturer limitations on third-party repairs (see 1903150055). “We label dangerous goods as such,” and labeling products as repairable “would be equally valid,” he said. “If items are repairable,” said Keates, “somebody like me would repair them and we might even start a secondary market for repaired goods, avoiding them landing in landfills.” He recently repaired a desktop PC by fitting it with a new power supply, he said. He would have repaired the power supply itself if he had had access to a repair manual, he said: “I imagine at least part of the old power supply is now sitting somewhere in a landfill.”