The Senate appeared poised to pass as soon as Wednesday an FY 2023 appropriations omnibus package that includes another short-term extension of the FCC’s spectrum auction authority, though the situation remained fluid late that afternoon amid continued wrangling over potential votes on amendments to the measure. Lawmakers agreed to attach a renewal the FCC’s remit through March 9, after an objection from Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., derailed a negotiated deal to include a modified version of the chamber's version of the Spectrum Innovation Act (S-4117) and other related measures (see 2212200077).
Consumer advocacy organizations and telecom relay services providers asked the FCC to make several changes to a draft NPRM on IP captioned telephone services (see 2211300072). Commissioners will consider the item Wednesday, which would seek comment on a proposal to establish a three-year compensation plan for IP CTS that would compensate providers based on the model used to provide the service. Some sought additional questions on how the proposed ratemaking would affect functional equivalence and the overall marketplace.
All has been quiet on the FCC’s proposed NPRM on location based routing (LBR) to public safety points, set for a vote Wednesday (see 2211300072). Industry officials said they expect the FCC to approve the NPRM largely as circulated by Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, especially since there has been no lobbying.
The bipartisan trio behind legislation that would ban TikTok in the U.S. will reintroduce the bill in 2023 and push hard for the support of Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Mark Warner, D-Va., said Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., in an interview (see 2212130068). Congress included a provision in its must-pass omnibus spending bill that would ban the Chinese-owned social media app on federal devices, and several states have enacted government bans.
NTIA hears states’ concerns about an imminent deadline to challenge inaccuracies in the FCC’s national broadband map, NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson said Tuesday. Challenges are due Jan. 13 to the first-draft map that will be used to determine broadband, equity, access and deployment (BEAD) support allocations beyond the minimum $100 million each state will receive. “We will be keenly interested in the coming days to hear … from states about their needs, and we’ll be evaluating it,” said Davidson on a virtual call announcing nearly $9 million planning funds for California, including about $5 million for BEAD and $4 million for digital equity.
Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., who sank a bid by telecom-focused congressional leaders to attach a modified version of the chamber's version of the Spectrum Innovation Act (S-4117) and other related telecom priorities to the FY 2023 appropriations omnibus measure (see 2212190069), claimed Tuesday that DOD faced outside pressure to agree to back the proposal. Rounds vowed to continue opposing future attempts to weaken DOD's authority to manage its spectrum holdings.
An objection from Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., appears to have all but killed a deal telecom-focused congressional leaders struck over the weekend to attach modified language from the Senate version of the Spectrum Innovation Act (S-4117) to a planned FY 2023 appropriations omnibus package, several congressional aides and communications industry lobbyists told us Monday. Another short-term renewal of the FCC’s auction authority is, however, still expected to be in the package, lobbyists said. Hill leaders were expected to release the omnibus’ text Monday, but it wasn’t available that afternoon.
Action on Standard General’s proposed buy of Tegna isn’t expected soon, and recent concessions by Standard founder Soohyung Kim aren’t moving deal opponents, said industry attorneys and groups. “The reality is that the proposed investment increases the parties’ incentive and ability to collude in ways unaddressed by Standard General’s offer," said the American Television Alliance in a release Monday. Standard’s deal for Tegna was filed in February 2022, and the arrangement is now under the effects of a “ticking fee” clause in the merger agreement, which raises the price the longer the deal isn’t approved by regulators (see 2210280062). The “purchase price is increasing every day,” said Kim in a statement Friday.
Consumer advocacy organizations and industry lobbied the FCC to make some changes to a draft NPRM aimed at combating digital discrimination, before the agency's Wednesday meeting. Commissioners will consider the item as required by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The item stems from a notice of inquiry the FCC adopted earlier this year. It received mixed comments from advocates and industry on the extent of digital discrimination and possible solutions (see 2205170071).
Fines proposed by FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel against the major wireless carriers for allegedly failing to safeguard data on their customers' real-time locations have apparently stalled, according to a document we viewed. Commissioners haven't voted to approve the fines, though fellow Democrat Geoffrey Starks voted yes, the document shows. It confirms that Rosenworcel circulated an order in September (see 2209090028). Public interest groups want action.