Howard Buskirk

USTelecom and CTIA told the FCC its members already use AI to combat unwanted robocalls. Both groups counseled that regulators adopt a flexible approach but said scammers also use AI. Comments in response to a November notice of inquiry (see 2311160028) were due Monday and posted Tuesday and Wednesday in docket 23-362.

CTIA appeared to get some of what it sought on a robotexting order that FCC commissioners approved last week, which was posted in Tuesday’s Daily Digest. Opponents of tough new rules closing the lead generator loophole appeared to strike out. That decision led Commissioner Nathan Simington to a partial dissent. The Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy had asked the FCC to seek further comment (see 2312040028), an approach Simington endorsed (see 2312130019).

The World Radiocommunication Conference was a success for the U.S., Charles Cooper, NTIA Office of Spectrum Management associate administrator, assured the Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee at its meeting Tuesday. CSMAC approved unanimously three reports, on the citizens broadband radio service band, 6G (see 2312180052) and electromagnetic compatibility improvements. While this meeting was the last under CSMAC’s current term, NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson said the group will be rechartered.

NTIA's Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee is expected to vote Tuesday on a report that largely endorses the sometimes controversial approach to spectrum sharing used in the citizens broadband radio service band. Yet it also calls for improvements in how the CBRS model works. In addition, CSMAC will vote on a report from its 6G Subcommittee during a busy end-of-year meeting.

The FCC will likely rework part of its robotexting order, set for a commissioners vote Wednesday, industry lawyers said. Objections were raised on several fronts. One area that could see change is a provision clamping down on the lead generator loophole. The Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy elevated the issue when it asked the FCC to seek further comment (see 2312040028), lawyers said.

A week ahead of Wednesday’s FCC commissioner vote on revised data breach reporting requirements, providers and major industry associations raised concerns about the proposed rules (see 2311220047) and whether they would withstand a court challenge. Filings on meetings with commissioner staff and other FCC officials were posted Thursday in docket 22-21. Only NCTA raised concerns in the docket prior to Thursday (see 2312060037).

The Biden administration Thursday directed the President's National Security Telecommunications Committee to explore principles for baseline security offerings from cloud-service providers, with a report expected in May. NSTAC met Thursday and Anne Neuberger, deputy national security adviser-cyber and emerging technology, asked for the cloud-security report.

AT&T is accelerating its move to an open radio access network, agreeing to spend up to $14 billion on a five-year contract with Ericsson. The carrier expects limited cost savings as it adopts ORAN, AT&T CEO John Stankey said during a UBS conference Tuesday. In addition, AT&T announced it will work with other vendors, though the move was widely seen as a loss for Ericsson rival Nokia.

T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert and AT&T CEO John Stankey had a similar message at the UBS conference Tuesday. Wireless competition in the U.S. is thriving, but the big carriers' investments are rational as they target higher average revenue per user. Stankey also discussed AT&T's open radio access network strategy (see 2312050049).

U.S. technology is “more important than ever” to national security, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said Saturday at the Reagan Defense Forum in California. Raimondo was the first Commerce secretary to address the conference, but said she won’t be the last. The U.S. is serious about blocking China and its military from buying computer chips with advanced AI capabilities, she added.