Broadband Dominates FCC Nominee Senate Hearing

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FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and former Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel testify before the Senate Commerce Committee. Photos by Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers.

Rural broadband deployment, including removing barriers to siting infrastructure, played a large part in Wednesday’s Senate hearing for nominees to the FCC. Chairman Ajit Pai and former Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel have been re-nominated to the agency and General Counsel Brendan Carr has been nominated as well.

Several Senate Commerce Committee Democrats voiced objections over the fact that Rosenworcel wasn’t confirmed for a second term in time before she had to leave the Commission in December. Ranking Member Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida said “It’s been a long and winding road and she should have already been into her second term” by now. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Rosenworcel’s home state of Connecticut, agreed, calling her appearance “overdue.”

Committee Chairman Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), noted this was the second FCC oversight hearing of the year, fulfilling a pledge he made to hold regular, biannual hearings on the agency. He praised Pai for bringing “much-needed reforms” to the Commission, especially publicizing document drafts before a vote. Saying he frequently criticized “the previous chairman’s hyper-partisan leadership approach” because he found it counterproductive over the long-term, Thune said Pai’s methods should lead to more “long-lasting and positive results.” 

Asked apart from direct investment how the FCC could speed broadband infrastructure deployment, Rosenworcel suggested “dig once” policies should be federal and there should be a way for federal agencies to use the same contracts to deploy broadband on federal land. Pai agreed “dig once” “should be the law of the land,” and said “it would be helpful for the FCC to have authority over things like pole attachments.”

Referencing the FCC’s efforts to eliminate barriers to broadband deployment, Pai said “Our goal is to make sure the U.S. is at the forefront of 5G.” That includes ensuring providers have the spectrum they need. “We’re talking about tens of thousands of small cell infrastructure,” he said. The FCC’s Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee’s state and municipal model code recommendations will be public at some point, according to Pai. He said he asked for those to be ready by year-end.

Thune intends to get the “confirmation process moving quickly,” a sentiment shared by the Wireless Infrastructure Association and USTelecom. For discussion of the television repack, Carr and confirmation timing, see our other item further down in this newsletter.

July 20, 2017      

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