Agenda

The bipartisan leaders of the House Science Committee have requested government investigators examine why federal agencies disagree so starkly about the risks 5G communications technology poses to weather forecasting. In a letter to the comptroller general, House Science Committee Chairman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Rep. Frank D.

In November 2019, Members of Congress wrote to the Federal Communications Commission to express concern that the very brief notice, and even shorter window for filing spectrum license applications in the 2.5 GHz proceeding will prevent many tribes and tribal organizations from taking advantage of the priority window. In addition, they said the FCC request that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) expedite its Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) approval of the order may further disadvantage eligible tribes and tribal organizations.

When it comes to the possibility of home broadband competition, we want to believe. And in the case of 5G mobile broadband, wireless carriers want us to believe, too. But whether or not technological and commercial realities will reward that faith remains unclear.

At the Federal Communications Bar Association's annual Chairman's Dinner, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai delivered a solid set of inside jokes. 

The trade war between China and the US has centered largely on escalating tariffs. But in many rural communities, the focus has shifted to the security of networks for which Chinese giants Huawei and ZTE have long provided equipment. As the 5G future approaches, the US is pushing small carriers to rip out and replace whatever parts of their infrastructure come from China, no matter the cost.

In November 2019, the Internet Society (ISOC) sold the .ORG registry (Public Interest Registry) to private-equity company Ethos Capital for $1.135 billion.

The Metropolitan Information Exchange (MIX) is a close-knit association of CIOs from U.S. cities and counties with populations over 100,000. Gathering annually for over 51 years, members focus on sharing insights and cases from their own communities in order to build their collective knowledge and capabilities as leaders.

When SpaceX’s broadband service starts mid-2020, the initial experience will be “bumpy,” company President Gwynne Shotwell said. However, she said she expects SpaceX to mature as an internet service provider by 2021. SpaceX has already launched two rounds of 60 satellites each. The company expects it will need 24 launches, with about 1,440 satellites, to have enough to provide full global coverage. SpaceX has not yet determined customer pricing.

A conclusion to the winding saga that is the T-Mobile/Sprint merger is inching closer, with an antitrust trial against several state attorneys general suing to block the deal slated to start Dec 9. Apparently, T-Mobile is eyeing a price cut for what started as a $26.5 billion deal, since Sprint’s finical situation has worsened as uncertainty about a tie-up between the nation’s third and fourth largest wireless carriers lingered. Sprint has also been recently impacted by disclosures that it incorrectly claimed subsidies for inactive Lifeline subscribers.