Massachusetts is challenging the FCC's order that Charter Communications faces effective competition in parts of the state and Hawaii from the AT&T TV Now streaming service (see 1910250036). Similar Cox Communications and Comcast petitions with the agency for similar determinations (see 1912190070) will likely also get state and locality opposition there, we were told. Hawaii didn't comment when asked if it would also appeal.
Matt Daneman
Matt Daneman, Senior Editor, covers pay TV, cable broadband, satellite, and video issues and the Federal Communications Commission for Communications Daily. He joined Warren Communications in 2015 after more than 15 years at the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, where he covered business among other issues. He also was a correspondent for USA Today. You can follow Daneman on Twitter: @mdaneman
The FCC is fishing for ideas to incentivize C-band satellite operators beyond costs of moving customers to just the upper portion. That's more complicated since all operators have equal access to the full band, we were told. Momentum is behind the idea of incentivizing incumbents, partly to try to avoid what otherwise is seen as a likely legal challenge to a government move to take back satellite spectrum authorizations.
An increasing number of federal agencies "are following in [DOD] footsteps" in intransigence to relinquish or share spectrum with the private sector instead of deferring to the FCC and NTIA, said Ligado General Counsel Valerie Green in a Technology Policy Institute podcast Monday. She said opposition isn't based on legitimate technical concerns but is "a turf war." She said the private sector is interested in figuring out how to incentivize or revise government to change those spectrum dynamics. She said there needs to be more clarity about agencies' authority and roles, and more transparency in agency decision-making. Ligado CEO Doug Smith said adoption of the 1 dB standard for interference protection has implications for bands in use and coming into use and "a lot of inefficient use of spectrum." DOD didn't comment Tuesday.
The cable TV lineup notification NPRM approved 5-0 Thursday (see 1912120063) tones down what had been numerous tentative conclusions in the FCC draft, according to our side-by-side analysis. The draft had the agency saying it believed an as-soon-as-possible notice for a channel deletion or change due to retransmission consent or carriage negotiations, rather than the 30-day requirement, better served subscribers. The approved docket 19-347 version released late Thursday now has the agency saying it seeks comment on the ASAP notice better serving subs. Unlike the draft, which tentatively endorsed NCTA's claim "channel slates" notices that would replace the video feed in the event of a blackout would be a reasonable written means for notifying subscribers, the final version seeks comment on whether that would be a reasonable written means. The final version replaced a tentative conclusion about notices in the newspaper not being a reasonable written means, just seeking comment on whether it would. Instead of tentatively concluding the FCC has authority to revise its rule requiring a 30-day notice to local franchise authorities of any basic rate increase, the NPRM seeks comment on whether it has that power. The approved version also includes some new questions, such as whether cable operators should be required to provide notice in some timeframe other than 30 days in the context of a retrans negotiations, such as a week or 48 hours before contract expiration. It asks if there are ways cable operators currently keep subscribers notified of ongoing negotiations or expiring contracts that could be incorporated into FCC rules.
The FCC eighth floor has no strong thoughts about NTIA’s lack of recommendation for Ligado’s license modifications and its saying the spectrum isn’t needed for 5G (see 1912090011). Chairman Ajit Pai after Thursday’s meeting that FCC engineers are trying to “figure out a way forward” on the L band. He didn’t address the NTIA stance or time frame for his agency to act. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said she’s still digesting it. Commissioner Geoffrey Starks said it was “very curious” given the frequent drumbeat for the need for more midband for 5G.
Telecom and mental health interests cheered FCC 5-0 approval Thursday of an NPRM designating 988 for a national three-digit suicide prevention and mental health hotline number. The final version wasn't released.
International competition could cripple the U.S. space industry over the next decade as U.S. allies and adversaries invest heavily in their nascent domestic startups while the U.S. government isn’t doing enough to encourage the industry here, said SmallSat Alliance Chairman Charles Beames Wednesday at an International Institute of Space Law symposium. House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee Chairwoman Kendra Horn, D-Okla., said the U.S.’s past approach to commercial space regulation encouraged innova- tion, but now that framework is ineffective, as possible applications mushroom.
The FCC Enforcement Bureau issued Tuesday citations that could involve later fines if the problems aren't remedied. The actions are against ISPs for alleged failure to disclose, under net neutrality rules, things such as network management practices, performance and commercial terms. Those cited include International Power Systems (see here), Stoneham Cooperative Telephone (see here), RipFlo Network (see here), Reynolds Cable TV (see here) and MicroTek Solutions (see here). They didn't comment. Also cited, among others, were ISPs in Iowa (see here); Mississippi (see here); South Carolina (see here); Maryland (see here); Montana (see here); South Dakota (see here); New York (see here); Illinois (see here); Texas (see here and here); a Georgia city and a company in the state (see here and here); Michigan (see here); Pennsylvania (see here); California (see here); and West Virginia (see here).
Internecine clashes in the mental health crisis and social service communities over what three digits to use for a nationwide suicide prevention hotline are seemingly over. There's general acceptance -- sometimes grudging -- of 988, experts told us. Many see its selection as inevitable given the support on Capitol Hill and at the FCC. Commissioners vote Thursday on a draft NPRM proposing 988 (see 1911210049).
If Huawei equipment is enough of a threat to warrant barring USF funds to networks using it (see 1911220033), the FCC should look further into having that hardware removed even from networks where carriers aren't getting USF funds, Commissioner Brendan Carr said at Tuesday's Practising Law Institute conference. Legal issues could arise with that approach, but the topic should at least "be on the table," he said. He said the FCC is working "with other three-letter agencies" on such issues. Huawei didn't comment.