Moving to open radio access networks is critical to smaller players like XCOM-Labs, as well as for innovation, said its founder Paul Jacobs, the former Qualcomm CEO, during an Open RAN Policy Coalition webinar Wednesday. Other speakers said the move to the cloud will spur ORAN, but developing standards and better interoperability remain challenges.
Some Senate Democratic backers of FCC nominee Gigi Sohn defended the Biden administration’s handling of her stalled confirmation process (see 2205050050) in interviews this week amid renewed criticism from some communications policy stakeholders. Some Sohn supporters found new cause for concern in the White House’s decision to hold a Monday event highlighting 20 ISPs’ commitment to offer low-income households broadband plans with download speeds of at least 100 Mbps at no more than $30 per month (see 2205090060) given the providers’ opposition to the nominee.
Doreen Bogdan-Martin remains the front-runner to be elected ITU secretary-general at the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference, which starts Sept. 26, but industry officials who have been trying to count votes say nothing is guaranteed. Some warned of "ripple effects" if Russian nominee Rashid Ismailov is elected, amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The vote comes a year ahead of the next World Radiocommunications Conference.
Multistate broadband internet access service (BIAS) providers are facing challenges navigating the federal and state grant processes for the growing array of digital divide grant and subsidy programs, though some foresee that forest getting easier to navigate. We were told the complexity of applications could put a chill on the number of providers applying. Sizable attention will be paid to how detailed the NTIA guidance is on the broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program established by the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), they said.
The FCC is “forecasting” it will have its revised broadband coverage data maps “possibly” in November, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said during a Wednesday Senate Appropriations Commerce Subcommittee hearing. Raimondo urged swift conference committee action to marry elements of the House-passed America Creating Opportunities for Manufacturing, Pre-Eminence in Technology and Economic Strength Act (HR-4521) and Senate-passed U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (S-1260). She also touted her role in drumming up international support for U.S.-backed ITU secretary-general candidate Doreen Bogdan-Martin.
Broadcasters are reducing their expectations for a resurgence in auto advertising revenue and are concerned about inflation but are seeing bigger numbers from travel and other categories that were diminished by COVID-19, said executives on recent Q1 earnings calls for Cumulus, Nexstar, Gray, and Sinclair. Nexstar CEO Perry Sook referenced supply chain concerns Tuesday but said “there are many bright spots” among broadcast ad categories. “Experiential-based businesses entertainment and travel are back in a big way,” said Sook, echoed on the other companies’ earnings calls.
As electric utilities and other companies move to private 4G and 5G networks, they will likely get better security than on their legacy networks, experts said during a Fierce Wireless virtual conference Tuesday. Speakers said security needs will vary by company and simplicity is usually better than building a network that’s too complex. “If you make something too complex, you have more variables, you’re asking for trouble,” said Roy Chua, principal at AvidThink: “Complexity is one of the biggest enemies of security.”
A draft FCC NPRM extending the alternative connect America cost model (A-CAM) program would make needed updates to the program and deliver higher speeds to a wider range of consumers if it's adopted during the agency’s May 19 meeting, industry experts told us. The item is based on a proposal from the A-CAM Broadband Coalition and would give participating providers more financial support to deliver speeds of at least 100/20 Mbps (see 2010300055).
The California Public Utilities Commission would break the law if it extended landline service-quality rules to VoIP, broadband or wireless, the telecom industry warned in comments filed Monday on a rulemaking sought by consumer advocates to update telecom service-quality standards and enforcement (see 2203170072). AT&T suggested the commission instead slash regulations for plain old telephone services (POTS). Consumer, small business and workers’ union advocates supported extending the rules.
Citing guidance from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, multiple states told us they won't widely promote use of 988 as a way to access the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline even after the July 16 deadline for 988 to go live nationwide. At least some anticipate widespread campaigns in the second half of 2023. Lifeline administrator Vibrant Emotional Health didn't comment.