What's on the agenda for policymakers.
Agenda
Security challenges are commonly cited as an area of concern when discussing the shift of mobile networks to disaggregated or “open” architectures. While generic security risks exist regardless of the underlying network architecture, 5G and Open RAN will enable new capabilities that can improve security by allowing operators the ability to monitor, detect, prevent, and respond to threats quickly.
A virtual discussion about the role of Open RAN Security in 5G, presented by the AT&T Policy Forum. We will address questions including:
There is no lack of appetite for a U.S. federal data privacy law—whether from consumers, businesses, regulators or national security experts. Uncertainty over its details and enforcement, however, has stalled the legislation for years. But this delay has also produced critical research and progress, which has moved the United States closer to the necessary solutions for a federal privacy law.
A timely and important discussion with Sindy Benavides, CEO of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) on some of the best ideas for closing the digital divide that LULAC has surfaced among its members, including lessons learned from prior attempts to increase broadband adoption with investments from the federal government.
The Technological Advisory Council will hold its first meeting via video conference and will be available to the public via the Internet at http://www.fcc.gov/live
Policy experts break down the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act statute. What are the key elements of this law? What policy decisions are NTIA and the States left to make? What are the requirements of receiving these funds? We will dive into next steps and answer questions that you may have about this historic program.
The webinar panel will include:
What is the state-of-the-art in wireless broadband Internet? What are the differences between wireless broadband and other wireless technologies like 4G/5G/LTE cellular mobile and satellite services? Is wireless as capacious, reliable, secure, sustainable, and scalable as fiber wireline solutions? What is the difference between licensed and unlicensed spectrum?
President Biden’s big broadband ambitions mean historic hurdles for NTIA
On January 11, the Senate confirmed Google and Mozilla alum Alan Davidson as director of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The agency will steer $48 billion in federal funding for broadband deployment, a massive sum that will test its capacity. Former NTIA chiefs David Redl and Larry Irving highlighted what they see as the biggest hurdles for Davidson and the agency’s upcoming agenda.
The committee will consider two bills:
- S. 2992, American Innovation and Choice Online Act (Klobuchar, Grassley, Durbin, Graham, Blumenthal, Kennedy, Booker, Hirono, Hawley)
- S. 2710, Open App Markets Act (Blumenthal, Blackburn, Klobuchar, Booker, Graham, Kennedy, Hirono, Hawley, Durbin)
Biden-Harris Administration Hits the Ground Running 60 Days into Infrastructure Implementation
Since President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act 60 days ago, the Biden-Harris Administration has hit the ground running to deliver results:
Hear from Ernesto Falcon, Senior Legislative Counsel at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes 21st century fiber access for all Americans in its policy work. Ernesto is a lead researcher and advocate that was deeply involved in pushing California to promote universal fiber infrastructure in its newest broadband program.