CHARLESTON, S.C. -- While some states hope to have enough broadband equity, access and deployment money to also tackle adoption and affordability issues, not just infrastructure, BEAD project costs may dash those hopes, according to Nokia's Lori Adams. Separately Tuesday at NATOA’s annual local government conference, Joanne Hovis, CTC Technology & Energy president, predicted growing concerns when it becomes clear Western states lack enough BEAD money to reach 100% of locations with adequate infrastructure. Speakers also discussed issues local governments face with small cell deployment permitting.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s admission that the White House “repeatedly pressured” the company to censor COVID-19 content is part of a broader debate about “freedom” and "authoritarianism,” FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr told Fox Business on Tuesday. The White House defended its actions.

Low-power television broadcasters and NAB don’t think the FCC should broadly apply online public file requirements to LPTV, said a host of reply comments filed in docket 24-147 by Monday’s deadline. LPTV commenters also called for looser relocation limits and power increase options. In addition, LPTV company Venture Technologies argued that the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling against Chevron deference means the FCC must allow more stations to convert to Class A status. “We believe that the FCC’s failure to allow virtually any new Class A stations for more than two decades is inconsistent with the principles established by the recent Supreme Court decision in Loper Bright Enterprises et al. v. Raimondo,” Venture said.

ISPs challenging the FCC’s updated data breach notification rules made their case at the 6th U.S. Circuit Appeals Court about why the rule should be overturned. The filing elaborates on their argument that the agency exceeded its Communications Act authorities when it adopted the rule in December. The Ohio Telecom Association (docket 24-3133), the Texas Association of Business (docket 24-3206) and CTIA, NCTA and USTelecom (docket 24-3252) brought the challenge. The 6th Circuit is considered among the most conservative federal circuits.

Pennsylvania should quickly adopt the FCC’s December changes to pole attachment rules, Verizon and wireless companies said in comments posted Tuesday at the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. Some additional work may be needed to adapt the FCC’s rapid-response team, they acknowledged in docket L-2018-3002672. However, energy companies disagreed with the Pennsylvania PUC adopting either the team or a rule requiring reports on pole inspection.

NTIA sought comment Monday on proposed guidance about entities participating in the broadband, equity, access and deployment program using alternative technologies (see 2205130054). Comments are due by 11:59 p.m. ET on Sept. 10 and should be sent to BEAD@NTIA.gov. "Connecting everyone in America will require a variety of technologies," BEAD Program Director Evan Feinman wrote in a blog. Fiber is "the gold standard," but where it's not "economically feasible, states and territories have other options."

Broadcasters, multichannel video programming distributors and pay-TV industry experts see retransmission consent fees increasingly facing price pressure. In recent earnings calls, some local broadcast chains said they are seeing slowdowns due to cord-cutting among MVPD subscribers.

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Federal lawmakers from both parties back reforming the Universal Service Fund (USF), but whether that happens likely will depend on the November elections, speakers said Monday at NATOA’s annual local government conference. Localities will increasingly face broadband-only providers wanting right of way (ROW) access, and those cable competitors raise questions of whether they too should pay franchise fees, said localities lawyer Brian Grogan of Moss & Barnett.

Companies are still figuring out how they’ll use generative AI and how it will benefit them as they move to greater automation, Rode Kirk, Microsoft global sales director-media & communications, Americas, said during a Fierce Network webinar Monday. Other speakers said as networks become more complex, companies will have no choice but to embrace automation.

With Europe's AI Act now law, all companies that provide or use AI systems and do business in the EU must begin considering compliance. The measure is rankling the U.S. business sector and government. One major compliance sticking point is a data-quality requirement aimed at rooting out systemic bias, said a European IT attorney.