Congress is again kicking the can down the road on several
issues important to the telecommunica ons industry in the U.S.
A 4,155-page omnibus spending package bill that Congress
unveiled yesterday is expected to pass on Friday in order to
keep the government opera ng.
But it punted on most issues of pressing concern in the wireless
world, including a long-term extension of the FCC's auc on
authority, covering the shor all for Huawei rip and replace
funding and considera on of more mid-band spectrum for
wireless use.
One ny blurb of the bill was devoted to the FCC's auc on
authority, saying that it would be extended un l March 9, 2023.
Tradi onally, the FCC's auc on authority has been extended in
10-year increments, but this Congress just keeps renewing it for
three-month me frames.
Steve Berry, president and CEO of the Compe ve Carriers
Associa on (CCA), has been following this issue closely. He
said he's grateful that the Act will ensure the FCC's spectrum
auc on authority does not expire, but he noted that the
March deadline is less than 80 days away.
Berry also commented on Congress' silence on the Huawei rip
and replace funding shor all.
He said it was "very disappoin ng" that the remaining
$3.08 billion shor all in funding for the Secure and Trusted
Communica ons Networks Reimbursement Program was
not addressed in the bill. "Many eligible small and rural
carriers began work over two years ago, or are frozen without
sufficient funding to begin work, to remove and replace
covered equipment to answer Congress's na onal security
mandate to address the threat posed by Chinese equipment."
Congress kicks the can on wireless,
telecom issues as 2022 ends
TIA CEO David Stehlin said he "was stunned" to see the omnibus
bill does not include the remaining $3.08 billion required for
Huawei rip and replace
(Ar cle con nues on the next page.)
Talleycom.com
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QUARTER 4 2022
