There is at least one thing President Joe Biden and his predecessor, Donald Trump agreed on: Communications technology from foreign adversaries is a national security threat to the supply chain.

President Trump in May 2019 declared, via executive order, that securing information and communications tech services was a supply chain national emergency.

Also: FCC Takes Next Steps on Network Security

That national emergency status was scheduled to end on May 15, but President Biden has extended it for a year.

The White House said Thursday (May 12) that the potential catastrophic effects of such tech in U.S. communications networks remained an ongoing threat. "This threat continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States," the White House said.

The dominance of Chinese telecoms in 5G network tech is one of the big issues in the supply chain conversation, which prompted the FCC and Congress to come up with a program to prevent government subsidies for such suspect tech, and weeding it out of current networks with a rip-and-replace program. ■

Charter Communications said Tuesday it has promoted Cameron Blanchard, its chief media relations spokesperson and strategist, to executive VP, communications. She will continue to report to senior executive VP David Ellen.

In addition to leading the company’s external communications, Blanchard's role was recently expanded to include oversight of all internal communications for Charter’s more than 96,000 employees.

She joined Charter in 2019 as senior VP of communications from Condé Nast, where she served as chief communications officer and led the development and execution of that company’s communications plan, supporting the overall business strategy. Prior to that, she spent 19 years at NBCUniversal, where she served in a number of leadership positions, most recently as senior VP. 

"Since joining Charter, Cameron has had a significant impact on the company, quickly establishing herself as a valued strategic partner and effectively increasing both the volume and impact of Charter’s communications efforts,” Ellen said in a press release. “Cameron’s proactive approach to communications is playing an instrumental role in growing Charter’s reputation as an industry leader and in advancing Charter’s narrative both inside and outside the company."

Discovery Communications public relations professional Catherine Frymark has accepted a top role at toy maker Mattel Inc., and will leave her position with the programmer after 20 years.

Frymark will join Mattel next month (December) as executive VP of corporate communications, overseeing global external and internal corporate communications and the company’s philanthropic efforts, including the Mattel Children’s Foundation. She will report to chairman and CEO Ynon Kreiz.

Mattel has expanded its offerings from its core toys and games business to licensing its properties for TV, film and streaming in the past few years. 

“Catherine is an outstanding executive, with a demonstrated track record of driving strategic communications during times of growth and transformation,” Kreiz said in a press release. “I look forward to partnering with her to tell our story in compelling ways, communicate our leadership in corporate social responsibility and amplify the Mattel purpose to empower the next generation to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential.”

Frymark spent about 20 years at Discovery, most recently as group senior VP, communications. One of the most respected communications professionals in the media business, she held several roles inside the programmer over the years, and led communications for Discovery’s purchase and integration of Scripps Networks, parent of HGTV and Food Network. In addition to external communications, she has led Discovery’s internal and employee communications teams, global events, viewer relations and Discovery’s corporate social media practice.

“For 75 years, Mattel and its portfolio of iconic, beloved brands have inspired play and made cherished memories for families around the world, including my own,” Frymark said in a press release. “I have long admired Mattel, am proud to join its leadership team, and am eager to guide the next phase of the company’s communications and philanthropic endeavors.”

Before joining Discovery, Frymark held communications roles at PG&E National Energy Group and the Greater San Diego Chamber of Commerce. She began her career in public relations at Capener, Matthews & Walcher Advertising & Public Relations in San Diego. 

The House has passed three bipartisan bills to strengthen communications networks, including one exploring whether to extend emergency alert mandates to the internet and streaming services.

H.R. 6096, the Reliable Emergency Alert Distribution Improvement (READI) Act of 2020 requires the FCC to "examine the feasibility of modernizing the Emergency Alert System by expanding alert distribution to the internet and streaming services." It also amends the Warning, Alert, and Response Network Act "to classify emergency alerts from the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a type of alert that commercial mobile service providers may not allow subscribers to block from their devices." It also directs the FCC to "facilitate coordination with State Emergency Communications Committees in developing and modernizing State Emergency Alert System plans."

H.R. 6624, the Utilizing Strategic Allied (USA) Telecommunications Act of 2020 "creates a new grant program through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to promote technology that enhances supply chain security and market competitiveness in wireless communications networks."

H.R. 7310, the Spectrum IT Modernization Act of 2020, requires the National Telecommunications & Information Administration to report to Congress on any plans to modernize its IT systems on managing federal spectrum.

All three passed by voice vote.

“From keeping Americans better informed during emergencies to promoting 5G coordination, competitiveness and security, these three bills will create a better, safer communications network for us all,” said House Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) and Communications Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle (D-Pa.). The bills came out of the E&C committee. “At its core, our telecommunications infrastructure exists to serve the public interest and connect our nation, and we are proud of the bipartisan work that went into advancing that goal with these three bills. We thank all our colleagues for working with us to get such important legislation passed today," they said.

E&C ranking member Greg Walden (R-Ore.) and Communications ranking member Bob Latta (R-Ohio) said of the votes: “The COVID-19 pandemic put a much-needed focus on the need to ensure all Americans are connected, especially during times of emergency, and that our networks are secure. The bipartisan bills passed today help accomplish these goals by investing in our communications infrastructure, promoting secure technology development, and ensuring preparedness for future emergencies. We thank our colleagues for coming together to pass these bipartisan bills and urge the Senate to take swift action."

Mobile net software provider Mavenir praised passage of the USA Telecommunications Act, which the company called "another step forward in modernizing our nation’s mobile networks and promoting a more competitive and innovative 5G ecosystem," adding: "We welcome this widespread support for programs that support OpenRAN deployment, which will make a meaningful difference for the operators and vendors committed to fostering a more diverse supply of secure 5G infrastructure."

The nation’s only program aimed at helping low-income American families afford mobile communications is known as Lifeline for a reason. Through a federal subsidy of $9.25 per month, Lifeline helps those most in need obtain the phone or broadband service that the pandemic has made a necessity of everyday life.

Unfortunately, the program is so tied up in red tape that it’s cumbersome and expensive to administer, which reduces the number of participating providers and makes it difficult for consumers to access the benefit. Because of the shortcomings, the program is substantially underutilized, evidence that Lifeline in its current form is inadequate for making broadband available to the less financially fortunate. The Federal Communications Commission’s Universal Service Administrative Co. estimates that there are about 38.6 million Lifeline-eligible households, but only around 9.6 million participate, meaning that only one in four eligible households is taking advantage of the program subsidy.

Modernizing and simplifying the Lifeline Program could extend the benefit to more families in need and open up the program to many more competitive service providers, such as cable broadband operators.

A multitude of companies offers telecommunications services in the United States. They range from small, local companies such as the Hot Springs Telephone Co. in Hot Springs, Montana, to large industry leaders like AT&T and Verizon Communications. American consumers have a buffet from which to choose, but because many companies have decided not to participate in the program, Lifeline beneficiaries order from a limited menu.

Costly Middleman Mandate

The program saddles service providers with the burden of acting as middlemen between the federal government and consumers, an unnecessary and costly responsibility that has greatly reduced the number of participating carriers. Companies are discouraged from taking part by a broad list of Lifeline regulations, including multiple annual audits, many years of required record-keeping, and the necessity of filing reimbursement claims to the Lifeline program for each customer served. Participating providers are also required to bill customers directly and then seek reimbursement from the Lifeline program. This cumbersome and costly process is totally unnecessary.

A structural change could make the Lifeline program far more useful and let it play a larger role in closing the digital divide. The monthly benefit should be converted and greatly simplified, opening the door to use of the program by a larger number of service providers and Lifeline beneficiaries.

Beginning in 2014, I began advocating for the current Lifeline structure to be scrapped. Service providers should no longer be required to engage in extensive record-keeping and submit invoices to the government for reimbursement. Instead, the monthly Lifeline benefit should be provided directly to consumers in the form of a “Lifeline Benefit Card,” a debit-like card that would automatically reload each month. Consumers could then use the benefit card to shop among carriers in order to select the carrier and specific services that best meets the consumers’ needs, and they could choose between telephone service or broadband service or some combination of the two with the monthly benefit defraying all or a portion of the total bill.

SNAP Offers a Model

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is proof that the provision of government benefits through a debit card is highly workable. Not only would a direct-to-consumer Lifeline Benefit Card empower subsidy recipients to shop among providers, it would also make the program far more attractive to carriers by eliminating the carrier costs associated with record-keeping, auditing and billing. More carriers would be willing to participate, and more participating carriers would increase competition in the marketplace, benefitting consumers by substantially expanding their range of service provider choices.

With internet access now required for working from home, learning virtually, shopping on e-commerce websites and being entertained through the ever-expanding program offerings of a variety of streaming services, subscribing to a broadband service has never been more necessary for everyday living. The Lifeline program can help to provide that essential service to millions more American homes — but only through a modernized program that attracts more carriers and is more accessible to low-income Americans.

The House Energy & Commerce Committee has approved a number of bipartisan communication-related bills by voice vote, including a stand-alone bill to cancel the T-band auction, which almost nobody wants the FCC to have to go through with, and a bill that would require the FCC to consider "market entry barriers for socially disadvantaged individuals" in its reports to Congress on competition in the media marketplace.  

That came at a marathon (four hours) July 15 markup, where a total of 30 bipartisan bills were approved with a dearth of no votes and a wealth of agreement. It was the first fully virtual markup in the committee, and one of the most collegial such sessions in recent memory. Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) said all the bills were "bursting with common sense." 

The virtual hearing featured the now common glitches of muted talkers, cross-talk, and some lower resolution video, but there were no major issues. 

Related: FCC's Pai Joins Call for Congress to Ax T-Band Auction 

H.R. 451, the Don’t Break Up the T-Band Act of 2019, was introduced by Reps. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.), Al Green (D-Tex.) and Peter King (R-N.Y.).  

The FCC is currently slated to reclaim spectrum from first responders for auction, but FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has asked Congress to reverse that decision. In the 2012 Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act, Congress required the FCC to reallocate and auction the spectrum, which has been used for decades by public safety licensees, and to fund the relocation of those users elsewhere.   

Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) said Congress can't let the T-band auction go forward in 2021 because the move would cost more than the spectrum would bring at auction and could put emergency communications at risk in the interim. He said he did not usually agree with Pai but did when it came to the T-band. 

H.R. 5567, the Measuring the Economics Driving Investments and Access for Diversity Act of 2020 (or “MEDIA Diversity Act for short) was introduced by Reps. Billy Long (R-Mo.) and Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Tex.). It would make sure the FCC looked at what opportunities socially disadvantaged individuals have, or don't have, to be players in the communications space when it conducts its annual review of the communications marketplace. The FCC is also currently under a court order to better explain the impact of its deregulatory policies on minority and women ownership of media properties.

Rep. Veasey urged swift passage of the bill, which he said could help solve the problem of diversity and inclusion in media ownership, diversity he said was imperative." 

Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), ranking member of the committee, said that as a former broadcast licensee he could not agree more that getting more diverse voices in front of and behind the camera and microphone is essential. 

Also passed along to the House for a vote were: 

H.Res. 549, a resolution "reaffirming the commitment to media diversity and pledging to work with media entities and diverse stakeholders to develop common ground solutions to eliminate barriers to media diversity." It has no force of law but expresses the sense of the Congress. 

H.R. 5918, which directs the FCC to investigate and issue reports after activation of the FCC's Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) and to make improvements to network outage reporting and ensuring they are reported to 911 centers, introduced by Reps. Doris Matsui, Anna Eshoo, Mike Thompson, and Jared Huffman (all D-Calif.). 

H.R. 6096, the Reliable Emergency Alert Distribution Improvement (READI) Act of 2020, introduced by Reps. Jerry McNerney (D-Calif.), Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), Pete Olson (R-Tex.) and Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii).  

The bill would boost FCC oversight of wireless emergency alert systems including by encouraging states to set up their own emergency communications committees and by establishing a system for collecting info on false alerts. (False alerts has been on D.C.'s plate since the false wireless alert of an impending nuclear attack in Hawaii in January 2018.) The FCC would also have to look in to updating the emergency alert system (EAS), including by potentially issuing them over the internet, including via streaming services given how many viewers have moved to those platforms. 

H.R. 6624, the Utilizing Strategic Allied Telecommunications Act of 2020 or the “USA Telecommunications Act,” introduced by Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), chairman of the committee, Ranking Member Greg Walden (R-Ore.), and Reps. Brett Guthrie (R-Tex.) and Doris Matsui.  

The bill would provide grants--up to $750 million--to promote and support the deployment of interoperable Open RAN (radio access network) wireless network technology throughout the country. Those are networks that rely more on the software tech the U.S. dominates rather than the 5G hardware tech in the supply chain that Chinese companies dominate. It is part of a larger effort to remove Chinese telecom tech from U.S. networks as a security risk. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) said the bill would offer up "trusted and cost-effective alternatives to Huawei and ZTE."

Eshoo, a co-sponsor of the bill, said she has been pointing for a decade to the "opaque entanglements" of Huawei and ZTE and yet they have proliferated in U.S. networks. She said the bill would improve the cybersecurity of wireless networks.

H.R. 4194, the "National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2019." 

The bill designates 988 as the national suicide hotline number, which the FCC has identified as the best choice for an easier-to-access number for the hotline. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) pointed out that such access is even more important for those "in a dark place" because of the pandemic. 

H.R. 7310, the Spectrum IT Modernization Act of 2020, which was introduced by Reps. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.), Bob Latta (R-Ohio), Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) and Tim Walberg (R-Mich.).

The bill would modernize the federal spectrum IT management systems of the National Telecommunications & Information Administration, the President's chief telecom policy advisor. 

Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.), a bill sponsor, said he hoped the bill would address some of the "chaos" regarding FCC decisions about federal spectrum resources.

The FCC and NTIA have had run-ins over sharing and repurposing some federal spectrum for commercial unlicensed and licensed use.

At the end of the hearing, Rep. Tony Cardenas (D-Calif.) thanked both sides of the aisle for working together, something the press does not often give it credit for, he said. He said he was going to make sure he tweeted the fact that the committee had approved 30 bipartisan bills and advised his colleagues to do likewise. "If we all do that we can get past the 10 or 12 people who actually witnessed this."

The House Energy & Commerce Committee will be marking up a slew of bipartisan bills Wednesday (July 15) including a stand-alone bill to cancel the T-band auction, which almost nobody wants the FCC to have to go through with, and a bill that would require the FCC to consider "market entry barriers for socially disadvantaged individuals" in its reports to Congress on competition in the media marketplace.  

Related: FCC's Pai Joins Call for Congress to Ax T-Band Auction

A markup means the bills will be amended, or not, and most likely voted on, either for recommendation to the House for a vote, or not. 

H.R. 451, the Don’t Break Up the T-Band Act of 2019, was introduced by Reps. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.), Al Green (D-Tex.) and Peter King (R-N.Y.). The FCC is currently slated to reclaim spectrum from first responders for auction, but FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has asked Congress to reverse that decision. In the 2012 the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act, Congress required the FCC to reallocate and auction the spectrum, which has been used for decades by public safety licensees, and to fund the relocation of those users elsewhere.  

H.R. 5567, the Measuring the Economics Driving Investments and Access for Diversity Act of 2020 (or “MEDIA Diversity Act for short) was introduced by Reps. Billy Long (R-Mo.) and Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Tex.). It would make sure the FCC looked at what opportunities minorities and women had, or didn't have, to be players in the communications space. The FCC is currently under a court order to better explain the impact of its deregulatory policies on minority and women ownership of media properties. 

The other communications-related bills are: 

H.R. 1426, the “Timely Review of Infrastructure Act,” from Reps. Pete Olson (R-Tex.) and Mike Doyle (D-Pa.). 

H.R. 5918, which directs the FCC to issue reports after activation of the Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) and to make improvements to network outage reporting, introduced by Reps. Doris Matsui, Anna Eshoo, Mike Thompson, and Jared Huffman (all D-Calif.). 

H.R. 6096, the Reliable Emergency Alert Distribution Improvement (READI) Act of 2020, introduced by Reps. Jerry McNerney (D-Calif.), Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), Pete Olson (R-Tex.) and Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii). 

H.R. 6624, the Utilizing Strategic Allied Telecommunications Act of 2020 (USA Telecommunications Act), introduced by Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), chairman of the committee, ranking Member Greg Walden (R-Ore.), and Reps. Brett Guthrie (R-Tex.) and Doris Matsui. 

H.R. 7310, the Spectrum IT Modernization Act of 2020, which was introduced by Reps. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.), Bob Latta (R-Ohio), Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) and Tim Walberg (R-Mich.).

The heads of the FCC and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) are asking governors to make sure that essential communications workers have the necessary resources to keep up connectivity during the pandemic.

That came in a letter to governors across the country from FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and CISA director Christopher Krebs.

That includes prioritizing available personal protective equipment to communications workers when it is available and "Calls on states to facilitate the maintenance, repair, and provisioning of communications infrastructure and services by providing online access to relevant government functions, such as the permitting process, where not already available electronically."

They also want the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to update their critical infrastructure worker guidance to include the following:

• "Businesses and personnel that provide communications support to medical and healthcare facilities, assisted care and living facilities, and people with disabilities;

• "Radio and television broadcasters, cable operators, and internet protocol television (IPTV) providers;

• "Telecommunications relay services providers and closed captioning providers;

• "Public safety communications infrastructure (e.g., land mobile radio, broadband, WiFi, high frequency radio, microwave, wireline, satellite voice, video, radio over internet protocol, paging, data communications systems), including infrastructure that is owned, operated or maintained by commercial service providers in support of public safety and infrastructure in support of Emergency Communications Centers;

• "Internet access service providers, telephone carriers, interconnected VoIP providers, mobile wireless providers, undersea cable operators, content delivery network operators, service integrators, and equipment vendors;

• "Satellite operators; and

• "Companies and individuals involved in the construction of new communications facilities and deployment of new and existing technology to address unprecedented levels of customer usage and close the digital divide for Americans who are sheltering at home."

“Communications networks are a lifeline during this challenging time, enabling the public to call 911 and participate in telehealth, distance learning, and telework,” said Pai. “To continue meeting these needs during the pandemic, workers in the communications industry must have the necessary access and resources. We urge state leaders, who are playing a critical role in protecting their communities, to consider the recommendations we are making today to ensure that communications networks and services remain available to the public and first responders.”

No surprise here, but the Department of Homeland Security has issued guidance on the infrastructure industries and workers critical to fighting the coronavirus and the communications sector is prominently among them. 

That guidance was prompted by the President's March 16 statement that “if you work in a critical infrastructure industry, as defined by the Department of Homeland Security, such as healthcare services and pharmaceutical and food supply, you have a special responsibility to maintain your normal work schedule.” DHS said that includes communications workers. 

According to DHS' Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), communications workers, including broadband, broadcast, cable and journalists, are "essential to continued critical infrastructure viability, including staffing operations centers, maintaining and repairing critical infrastructure, operating call centers, working construction, and performing management functions, among others." 

The list is not a federal directive, but guidance to the state, local and tribal and territorial governments implementing response to the virus in their communities.

Here are the communications sectors and workers who made the list:

Communications:

• "Maintenance of communications infrastructure- including privately owned and maintained communication systems- supported by technicians, operators, call-centers, wireline and wireless providers, cable service providers, satellite operations, undersea cable landing stations, Internet Exchange Points, and manufacturers and distributors of communications equipment
• "Workers who support radio, television, and media service, including, but not limited to front line news reporters, studio, and technicians for newsgathering and reporting
• "Workers at Independent System Operators and Regional Transmission Organizations, and Network Operations staff, engineers and/or technicians to manage the network or operate facilities
• "Engineers, technicians and associated personnel responsible for infrastructure construction and restoration, including contractors for construction and engineering of fiber optic cables
• "Installation, maintenance and repair technicians that establish, support or repair service as needed 
• "Central office personnel to maintain and operate central office, data centers, and other network office facilities
• "Customer service and support staff, including managed and professional services as well as remote providers of support to transitioning employees to set up and maintain home offices, who interface with customers to manage or support service environments and security issues, including payroll, billing, fraud, and troubleshooting
• "Dispatchers involved with service repair and restoration Information Technology:
• "Workers who support command centers, including, but not limited to Network Operations Command Center, Broadcast Operations Control Center and Security Operations Command Center 
• "Data center operators, including system administrators, HVAC & electrical engineers, security personnel, IT managers, data transfer solutions engineers, software and hardware engineers, and database administrators
• "Client service centers, field engineers, and other technicians supporting critical infrastructure, as well as manufacturers and supply chain vendors that provide hardware and software, and information technology equipment (to include microelectronics and semiconductors) for critical infrastructure 
• "Workers responding to cyber incidents involving critical infrastructure, including medical facilities, SLTT governments and federal facilities, energy and utilities, and banks and financial institutions, and other critical infrastructure categories and personnel
• "Workers supporting the provision of essential global, national and local infrastructure for computing services (incl. cloud computing services), business infrastructure, web-based services, and critical manufacturing
• "Workers supporting communications systems and information technology used by law enforcement, public safety, medical, energy and other critical industries
• "Support required for continuity of services, including janitorial/cleaning personnel."

"Workers across the information technology sector are playing a more essential role than ever in enabling critical infrastructure, helping businesses stay online, and keeping citizens connected," said John Miller, senior VP of policy for tech advocate ITI (the Information Technology Industry Council). "We commend CISA for quickly providing comprehensive guidance to define essential workers and appreciate their collaboration with industry stakeholders during the process. "We urge state and local officials to follow the federal government’s lead and reflect this key guidance in their jurisdictions."

“The nation is relying on its communications infrastructure now more than ever," said Robert Mayer, SVP for cybersecurity and innovation at USTelecom and chair of the Communications Sector Coordinating Council. "Today, CISA took an important step to help maintain network preparedness, security and resiliency in the midst of the COVID-19 public health crisis."

“Here’s why this is important news," he said. "[T]he employees managing the health and security of our networks work in operations centers and need to reach their workplace to do their jobs. In addition, some functions can only be handled in-person, so communications providers must keep critical store locations open to service first responder equipment like routers or provide publicly accessible Wi-Fi. 

“Today’s guidance means we can continue to serve all of our customers, protect our employees and maintain communications operations throughout this unprecedented national emergency.” 

The WWE has promoted Brian Flinn to chief marketing and communications officer, the company said Friday. 

Flinn, formerly WWE executive vice president of marketing and communications, will oversee all marketing and corporate communications functions, including marketing, special events and corporate communications 

READ MORE: WWE taps George Barrios, Michelle Wilson as co-presidents

Flinn joined WWE in 2012 and was promoted to EVP of marketing and communications in 2015. 

"Brian has been an instrumental part of our company's leadership team and I'm thrilled to announce his much-deserved promotion," said Vince McMahon, WWE Chairman & CEO. "In this new role, we are confident that he will continue to expand the opportunities for WWE, and further enhance visibility, brand reputation and audience engagement."