Facebook Requests FTC Recuse Khan, Entry-Level Broadband Prices, FCC’s Open RAN Showcase

July 14, 2021— Facebook is asking for the recusal of Federal Trade Commission Chairwoman Lina Khan from the agency’s antitrust cases against the company, following Amazon’s call.

In a petition to the agency Wednesday, Facebook asked that Khan excuse herself from participating in investigations into the company, citing past comments she has about the company’s market power that they said would prevent her from being impartial.

The petition follows a similar call by Amazon, which two weeks ago also called on Khan to recuse herself from any involvement in inquiries into the company. It was reported late last week that the FTC has opened an investigation into Amazon’s purchase of MGM Studios.

Last month, President Joe Biden installed Khan as the head of the FTC as part of the administration’s efforts to review cooperate market power.

Khan, a vocal critic of Big Tech, took leadership of the agency as it decides whether it should refile the complaint against Facebook after a federal district judge dismissed the FTC’s complaint of anti-competitive practices.

Entry-level broadband prices dropped this year, study says

The Broadband Association has released Wednesday its latest installment of the Broadband Pricing Index (BPI), which shows entry-level broadband prices have declined this year.

The study shows that prices declined by 9.1 percent this year so far, compared to the previous year, and by 22.9 percent from 2015 to this year.

This is a continuation of a years-long, downward trend in broadband prices that coincides with accelerating speeds that have unlocked broadband-fueled innovation across the country,” said Jonathan Spalter, president and CEO of USTelecom.

“Based on this research, the truth is: more Americans have more affordable broadband service choices today than they did one year ago,” he said.

The Broadband Pricing Index includes prices for a wide gamut of prices, from lowest to highest.

Rosenworcel kicks off two-day Open RAN Solutions Showcase

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel kicked-off Wednesday a two-day open RAN solutions showcase.

Radio access network hardware are those physical pieces of equipment on cell towers that connects phones to the network. Historically, proprietary hardware from select vendors have dominated the sphere.

But since restrictions have been imposed on Huawei – a massive supplier of telecom equipment – the open RAN movement has gained momentum, which theoretically would open the market to more suppliers, with standards that afford better interoperability.

“We want companies cutting out high-risk hardware from their networks to have the opportunity to use a range of trusted alternatives,” Rosenworcel said to open Wednesday’s event.

“Working together, we have an opportunity to build a bigger market for more secure 5G equipment,” she added. “And that will help unlock the benefits of 5G technology for everyone, everywhere.”

This showcase will give mobile network operators an opportunity to hear directly from vendors whose 5G network equipment and services will be ready and available for purchase and installation by no later than January 1, 2022.

The two-day virtual event aims to be of particular interest to network operators who are planning to participate in the Commission’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program.