Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) wants some answers from the FCC after the General Accounting Office concluded the commission has not laid out "specific and measurable performance goals" for either managing the spectrum demands of 5G or closing the digital divide, and it needs to.
Related: GAO Says FCC Needs More Metrics in 5G FAST Plan
Bennet wrote FCC Chairman Ajit Pai Thursday (July 2) to say he thought the FCC had not sufficiently addressed the report's criticisms.
The FCC, responding to the report, said that it needs to tailor those metrics to individual proceedings and circumstances rather than prejudging them, including getting input from federal agencies on band-specific proposals since they are often implicated by efforts to free up spectrum for commercial use.
“I am concerned about the Government Accountability Office’s recent report about the Federal Communications Commission’s inadequate strategic planning to deploy 5G mobile communications networks nationwide,” said Bennet.
Bennet asked Pai for answers to the following questions by July 31:
1. "Will you follow GAO’s recommendation to 'develop, in coordination with NTIA and other relevant stakeholders, specific and measurable performance goals – with related strategies and measures – to manage spectrum demands associated with 5G deployment'? If so, what will your timeframe be to do so?
2. "Will you follow GAO’s recommendation to 'develop specific and measurable performance goals – with related strategies and measures – to determine the effects of 5G deployment and any mitigating actions may have on the digital divide'? If so, what will your timeframe be to do so?
3. "What actions would you recommend Congress take, if any, to strengthen strategic coordination across the executive branch to help deploy secure and reliable 5G networks nationwide?"
