This week, CCA’s 2021 Mobile Carriers Show brought together FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, Congressman Mike Doyle (D-PA) and Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) along with executives from Ericsson, Interop Technologies, Ligado, Mavenir, Nokia, and TNS to address policy issues and technology innovation. CCA’s Mobile Carriers Show took place online March 30-31. Beginning today, content may be viewed on-demand until May 31*.
CCA President and CEO Steven K. Berry hosted FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr in a fireside chat to discuss spectrum, the Universal Service Fund, mapping, Open RAN, and supply chain issues. Carr noted the unprecedented acceleration of infrastructure builds over the last couple of years to help close the digital divide and commended CCA members’ hard work, especially throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, to ensure their customers can connect.
“The key is how we keep this success story going, and spectrum is going to be a very important piece of that,” he said. He also emphasized the importance of making spectrum available in a timely manner, noting several efforts by the FCC to achieve this goal.
Regarding Universal Service, Carr emphasized the importance of updating the broadband data coverage maps as soon as possible. Completing the mapping process quickly, Carr stated, “will be the key to unlocking the funding” needed to ensure that areas in need have access to essential broadband services.
In her keynote, McMorris Rodgers, Republican Leader of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, focused on the importance of bridging the digital divide and bringing 5G to all Americans. She thanked carriers for stepping up during the pandemic to ensure the economy, educational institutions, and healthcare systems continued to run. “Clearing unnecessary and duplicative regulatory hurdles is critical to bridging the digital divide and ensuring that rural Americans receive access to 5G,” she said. She expressed hope that Congress will have a conversation regarding the importance of reliable connectivity and looks forward to working with CCA to promote continued deployment and innovation.
Doyle, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, said infrastructure is a high priority for Congress and the Administration, and he hopes to see substantial infrastructure legislation move this year. He recognized the hard work of CCA members to deploy 5G services and emphasized the need to address inequities and create pathways for all Americans to get access to high-speed broadband services.
“Carriers are doing the critical work of keeping our country going, and I hope we can leverage federal resources that change the narrative when it comes to broadband as we work to get every American connected,” said Doyle. “For mobile carriers that means getting access to spectrum, and we hope to put sufficient mid-band spectrum in play for robust deployment throughout the U.S.”
*If you registered before 4 p.m. on March 31, 2021, then you can access all of the sessions on demand until May 31, 2021.
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