House Communications Subcommittee members made the future of the FCC’s affordable connectivity program a major focus of its Wednesday commission oversight hearing, as expected (see 2306200075), but the panel didn’t result in a clear sense of whether Commerce Committee GOP leaders will back additional funding for the initiative. Subpanel Chairman Bob Latta, R-Ohio, and others haven’t committed themselves as either for or against further ACP funding (see 2305100073). Democrats strongly defended the program and urged its extension.
Senate Commerce Committee Republicans are likely to barrage FCC nominee Anna Gomez with questions during a Thursday confirmation hearing to pinpoint her positions on communications policies the commission might act on under a 3-2 Democratic majority, but won’t go as negative as during ex-candidate Gigi Sohn’s February panel (see 2302140077), lawmakers and lobbyists said in interviews. Gomez will get a far friendlier reception from Senate Commerce’s Democratic majority, but officials say they will be eyeing questions from three caucus members who were undecided on Sohn in the weeks before her March withdrawal (see 2303070082).
Generative-AI content shouldn’t be protected by Communications Decency Act Section 230, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., told a New America event Tuesday.
The FCC’s administration of its affordable connectivity program and other broadband initiatives won’t be the sole focus of a Wednesday House Communications Subcommittee hearing with commission Chair Jessica Rosenworcel and other commissioners, but it’s likely to be the item with the most bearing on future policymaking, observers said in interviews. The panel is happening a day before two of the commissioners -- Republican Brendan Carr and Democrat Geoffrey Starks -- appear before the Senate Commerce Committee for a joint confirmation hearing with new FCC nominee Anna Gomez (see 2306150068). The House Communications hearing will begin at 10:30 a.m. in 2123 Rayburn.
California local governments removed opposition to a bill meant to streamline broadband infrastructure deployment, they said at a California Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee meeting livestreamed Tuesday. The panel cleared AB-965 and three other broadband bills passed last month by the Assembly. One senator pushed back on AB-1065, which would explicitly authorize wireless broadband providers to get support from the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) broadband infrastructure grant and federal funding accounts.
The FCC's proposed "all-in" video pricing rules for cable and direct broadcast satellite (DBS) operators' bills and promotional materials wouldn't cover other MVPDs, though the agency in the NPRM adopted last week and released Tuesday seeks comment on whether such rules should also cover them, and whether it has the authority to do so. Consumer advocates expected the item on circulation to pass (see 2303270043). NCTA, ACA Connects, DirecTV and Dish Network didn't comment.
Lawmakers must hold companies liable when their artificial intelligence systems cause harm and should consider major updates to Section 230, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., told NTIA in comments released last week.
Expect sizable DOCSIS 4.0 technology rollouts among cable ISPs starting in 2024 as they look to set the stage for multi-gig fixed broadband speeds, cable companies and experts said. It will likely be mid- to late next year when rollouts of scale start, and widespread deployment will take years, said Dan Whalen, CEO of broadband access technology company ATX Networks.
The Biden administration announced $930 million in grants Friday to expand middle-mile high-speed internet infrastructure as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (see 2111120050). NTIA said 260 applicants submitted funding requests of more than $7.47 billion.
The FCC is getting more aggressive on data and cybersecurity, with Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on Friday announcing a July 31 hearing on improving the security of the border gateway protocol (BGP). Rosenworcel also said she circulated a notice of inquiry for a commissioner vote about how broadband providers use data caps as part of subscriber plans. Earlier in the week, Rosenworcel said the FCC was taking a closer look at data privacy, launching a Privacy and Data Protection Task Force (see 230615004).