Telecommunications attorney and FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, in conversation with CTA Vice President of Regulatory Affairs David Grossman on the CES stage, talked about her decision to cast a vote to restart net neutrality rules. “I agree with a lot of what [FCC Commissioner Brendan] Carr said about it,” she explained, referring to his remarks deeming net neutrality not as relevant as it was in the early 2000s. “But broadband connectivity is central to everyone’s lives and it’s important to have guardrails to make sure that all consumers benefit from a competitive product.”

“We have a patchwork of state laws,” she continued, “but a national rule would be helpful because not everyone has access to competitive broadband services.” Grossman asked, regarding the Biden administration’s National Spectrum Strategy, if AI and machine learning will improve efficient use of spectrum — and where the FCC would fit in.

Gomez congratulated the White House and NTIA (National Telecommunications and Information Administration) on the proposal to push spectrum forward for licensed and unlicensed uses. “Regarding AI, I’m very excited about the potential,” she said. “If we can more efficiently manage spectrum, that would be great.”

Grossman asked about her participation as part of the U.S. delegation to the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) in Dubai in 2023. “The amount of time you spend traveling around the world meeting regulators to push forward your positions is extremely important, no matter which government agency,” she said. “A lot of relationship building goes on.”

In line with fellow Commissioner Carr, Gomez also would “love to see the FCC auction authority re-upped.” “I don’t think people appreciate how long it takes to get a spectrum auction done,” she noted. “We cannot plan in advance so this keeps putting us behind.” She also expressed enthusiasm for the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark.

“Public-private partnerships can be so effective,” she suggested. “Consumers can be skeptical about using connected devices without knowing if they’ll be manufactured and updated in a secure manner.”

Grossman named Gomez the first Commissioner to deliver remarks in English and Spanish. She replied that she’s not the only one doing so. But she does it, “to engage consumers, to meet them where they are, so they know how to take advantage of the protections and understand they have a recourse.” Grossman noted her concern for persons with disabilities as part of her issue of diverse communities.

“When I talk about seeing our actions through the lens of consumers, I’m talking about all consumers. Including those with disabilities,” she explained. “Tech development creates accessibility opportunities, and I will continue to advocate for that.”