Federal Agency

Federal agencies are on the road to 5G adoption, realizing the benefits and addressing the challenges. 5G networks will enable the connection of billions of new devices, sensors, and systems that will intelligently connect to the network and each other based on their time sensitivity and computational needs. How are federal agencies progressing with 5G adoption?

When it comes to mid-band spectrum in the US, it looks as though it’s no longer a matter of spectrum stakeholders rolling up their sleeves for a national spectrum plan.

Richard Bernhardt, of the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA), said he’s pleased with the Federal Communication Commission’s Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) recent, conditional approval of 13 proposed automated frequency coordination (AFC) database systems to develop operations for the 6 GHz band. Once approved, the automated frequency coordination (AFC) systems will allow for much higher power and outdoor use of the 6 GHz band, meaning wireless internet service providers (WISPs) can use it as part of their fixed wireless access (FWA) offerings.

North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein and the Attorneys General of Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Oregon led a bipartisan group of 33 attorneys general calling on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to consider stronger surveillance and data security protections to prevent misconduct and promote transparency and accountability around online data collection.

The Federal Communications Commission released an updated map detailing broadband availability nationwide that will be used to allocate $42 billion in federal funds to states and territories to help expand access to affordable high-speed internet.

The Federal Communications Commission released a pre-production draft of its new National Broadband Map. The map will display specific location-level information about broadband services available throughout the country – a significant step forward from the census block level data previously collected. This release of the draft map kicks off the public challenge processes that will play a critical role in improving the accuracy of the map.

The Federal Communications Commission unveiled new rules that will, for the first time, require broadband providers to display easy-to-understand labels to allow consumers to comparison shop for broadband services. The Report and Order creates rules that require broadband providers to display, at the point of sale, labels that show key information consumers want−prices, speeds, fees, data allowances, and other critical information.

The Federal Communications Commission denied a petition for reconsideration filed by Duke Energy Progress and an application for review filed by AT&T in a dispute over rates for attaching to utility poles. Section 224 of the Communications Act of 1934 grants the FCC broad authority to regulate rates for attachments to utility-owned poles and ensure nondiscriminatory access to their poles to telecommunications carriers and cable television systems.

The Federal Communications Commission adopted rules to promote public safety by ensuring that 911 call centers receive timely and useful notifications of network disruptions that affect 911 service. These notifications will help 911 call centers maintain emergency services and inform the public when to use alternatives to call 911. The updated rules will standardize the type of information conveyed in the notifications and ensure that it is clear and actionable, regardless of where in the call processing network an outage occurs.

By a vote of 381-39, the House passed the Ensuring Phone and Internet Access Through Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Program Act of 2022 (H.R. 4275). Introduced by Reps.