August 5, 2022

NATE Hosts Rep. Bilirakis at Florida Tower Site

On Thursday, August 4, Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) paid a visit to a communications tower site in Tarpon Springs, Florida. During the NATE-facilitated site visit, Rep. Bilirakis toured the communications tower compound and learned about the work that is conducted daily to secure our nation’s broadband infrastructure. Rep. Bilirakis is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and serves as the Ranking Member on the Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee. The House Energy & Commerce Committee is a key committee for NATE and its legislative priorities. You can read more about Rep. Bilirakis’s visit here.

Senate Commerce Committee Holds Hearing on the Future of Spectrum

On Tuesday, August 2, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation held a hearing entitled “Future of Spectrum,” which discussed Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) spectrum coordination. You can read more about and watch the hearing here.

FCC and NTIA Sign MOU on Spectrum Coordination

Ahead of the August 2 Senate Commerce Committee hearing, the FCC and NTIA announced an updated Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the agencies on spectrum coordination. The revised MOU, according to the NTIA, “will strengthen cooperation and collaboration between the agencies and help advance a whole-of-government approach to how we use and manage one of the nation’s most important resources.” You can read the announcement here and the MOU here.

FCC Announces Launch of New 5G Spectrum Auction

On Friday, July 29, FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel announced the launch of a new 5G spectrum auction, calling it a “unique opportunity” to fill in “gaps in 5G coverage, especially in rural America. The FCC’s authority to hold spectrum auctions expires September 30. While the House recently passed its Spectrum Innovation Act, which would extend the FCC’s authority by 18 months, the Senate is yet to act on its own reauthorization plans. You can read the announcement here.