Wireless Telecommunications

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced that the items below are tentatively on the agenda for the May Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, May 9, 2019:

At the Federal Communications Commission’s May meeting, we will take action to advance the goal of security.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai released the following statement regarding his opposition to China Mobile’s application to provide telecommunications services in the US. The FCC is scheduled to vote on an Order that would deny that application at its May Open Meeting: “Safeguarding our communications networks is critical to our national security.

T-Mobile and Comcast announced a partnership to combat the industry’s growing robocall problem. Starting April 17, the companies will begin authenticating calls made between their networks in order to verify for consumers when the caller is an actual human being. Americans received over 26 billion unwanted robocalls in 2018, and after a few light pushes from federal agencies like the Federal Communications Commission, carriers are beginning to deploy an authentication system that’s meant to combat them, known as the SHAKEN/STIR protocol.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai is proposing a $20.4 billion rural broadband fund that could connect up to four million homes and small businesses over the next ten years. The new program will be part of the Universal Service Fund (USF), and it will be similar to an existing USF program that began during the Obama administration. In 2015, the USF's Connect America Fund (CAF) awarded $9 billion for rural broadband deployment—$1.5 billion annually for six years—in order to connect 3.6 million homes and businesses.

Thanks to President Donald Trump, America is now leading the global race to deploy secure and reliable 5G. President Trump’s policies empower the wireless industry to innovate and invest in America’s 5G capabilities, further bolstering our economy and creating millions of jobs.

On April 12, the Federal Communications Commission announced a plan for promoting 5G which includes the nation’s largest spectrum auction in Dec 2019 and the promised future creation of a $20.4 billion rural broadband investment fund, “The Rural Digital Opportunity Fund,” to help close the digital divide. Harold Feld said, "April 12’s announcement raises many questions. Most importantly, where will this money come from and over how many years?

Today, 5G is a success story—an American success story. How are we getting the job done? As the lead agency on 5G, the Federal Communications Commission is pursuing a three-part strategy called the 5G FAST Plan. First, we’re freeing up spectrum, the invisible airwaves that carry wireless traffic. Second, we’re making it easier to install wireless infrastructure. Third, we’ve taken action to encourage the deployment of optical fiber.

The Federal Communications Commission seeks comment on the proposed application and bidding procedures for the third 5G spectrum auction (Auction 103). This auction of airwaves in the Upper 37 GHz, 39 GHz, and 47 GHz spectrum bands will be the largest spectrum auction in our nation’s history. It will make available high frequency millimeter wave spectrum which will promote the development of 5G, the Internet of Things, and other advanced spectrum-based services.

The Federal Communications Commission proposed to update its rule for over-the-air reception devices to help spur 5G deployment. As it stands, the Commission prohibits certain state and local restrictions that unreasonably impair the ability of users to deploy small, next-generation networking devices on their own property. However, the current rule does not reflect the shifts in the wireless infrastructure landscape for the development of 5G networks and technologies.