FCC Must Now Track How Equipment Shortages Impact 5G Rollout, But Providers Won't Face New Reporting Demands

If you’ve ever tried to get reliable internet or cell service in a less-than-urban area, you know that rolling out “advanced telecommunications” — think 5G, fiber optic, and other high-speed connections — is a massive undertaking. The Network Equipment Transparency Act (NET Act), while mostly a technical fix, zeroes in on a key bottleneck in that process: the supply chain.

This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to add a new requirement to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)’s regular reporting duties. Essentially, the FCC must now specifically assess, using data they already collect, how the availability of network equipment affects the deployment of high-speed service. This is a big deal because, as we saw during the pandemic, if you can’t get the chips, the routers, or the specialized antennas, you can’t build the network, no matter how much money is allocated.

The Supply Chain Check-Up

For the average person juggling video calls and streaming movies, why does the FCC tracking equipment matter? Because network deployment speed directly impacts your access and your cost. If equipment is scarce or expensive, providers move slower and charge more. This new mandate (added as a new paragraph (3) to Section 13(b)) forces the FCC to shine a light on this critical, often overlooked, link in the chain. It’s about getting a clearer picture of whether the hold-up is money, regulation, or simply a lack of hardware.

This assessment is crucial for policymakers trying to figure out where to spend billions on broadband expansion. Instead of just saying, “We need more towers,” they can now ask, “Are we getting the hardware to build those towers, and if not, why?”

No New Homework for Providers

Here’s the part that will make telecommunications providers breathe a sigh of relief: the bill includes a clear Rule of Construction stating that these amendments do not force any provider to give the FCC more information than they were already required to provide under existing law. Translation: No new paperwork, no new forms, and no new administrative burdens just to satisfy this new reporting requirement.

This is a smart move. It ensures the FCC can get the data it needs to analyze supply chain issues without slowing down the very companies trying to build out the networks. It’s an analytical requirement, not a data collection expansion. The FCC must simply use the data it already has on hand to conduct this new assessment.

The Technical Cleanup

The rest of the NET Act is pure bureaucratic housekeeping. Since the bill inserts a new paragraph (3) into Section 13(b), it requires renumbering the existing paragraphs (3), (4), and (5) to become (4), (5), and (6). This triggers a series of Technical Corrections throughout the rest of Section 13 to update all the cross-references. Think of it like updating the table of contents after adding a new chapter—it’s necessary to keep the law internally consistent. While boring, these technical fixes are essential to prevent legal confusion down the line.

In short, the NET Act is a targeted policy tweak. It recognizes that the speed of your internet connection isn't just about money; it’s about the availability of physical gear. By mandating that the FCC track this relationship, the bill aims to provide better data for future infrastructure decisions, all without adding new compliance headaches for the companies doing the actual building.