A federal judge chided a Florida counsel at virtual oral argument Monday on the state’s law regulating social media regulation, asking “if you've ever dealt with a statute that was more poorly drafted.” U.S. District Court in Tallahassee Judge Robert Hinkle had a laundry list of questions for the state counsel. He plans to rule Wednesday on a preliminary injunction against the law that would otherwise take effect Thursday (see 2106250028).
USTelecom asked the FCC to reject Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition’s request for clarification of Emergency Connectivity Fund rules, said a letter posted Wednesday in docket 21-93. SHLB asked for clarification whether applicants can receive funding to deploy their own networks if existing services aren’t available at a reasonable price. SHLB’s request is “clearly contrary” to the ECF allowing limited exception for new infrastructure deployment if no commercially available services are in an area, USTelecom said: “The request circumvents both the policies underlying the creation of the ECF as well as the commission’s procedural requirements in requesting reconsideration of a commission order.” SHLB Executive Director John Windhausen said he was "a bit flabbergasted" by USTelecom's filing. "If these decisions are just going to be made on a case-by-case basis without further guidance, as USTelecom apparently prefers, then many applications run the risk of being denied because of uncertainties in the rules and policies, which would not be good government," Windhausen said: "We would hope USTelecom would join with SHLB in helping this program succeed rather than blocking this clarification request.”
USTelecom backs Comcast’s petition for a waiver of E-rate’s gift rule for its Lift Zone initiative if the FCC adjusts its rules or provides guidance that “permits all service providers to benefit from the ability to provide free service” (see 2105210055). Comcast’s request is “based on a set of facts that applies to all service providers seeking to aid communities by providing free service,” USTelecom said in comments posted Tuesday in docket 02-6, and is “evidence of the need for reform or clarification of the gift rules that affect all service providers.” There should also be “appropriate safeguards,” such as making the free service "completely separate from the provision of other E-rate services," the group said.
Weekly enrollments for the FCC emergency broadband benefit are beginning to slow, according to Universal Service Administrative Co. data. Some said in interviews last week the apparent slump may reflect lack of sufficient FCC leadership on EBB. Others said the initial surge in enrollment shows the level of interest in the program, and eligible households will continue signing up.
The FCC Enforcement Bureau wants comment by July 2 on selection of the industry-led robocall traceback consortium, said a public notice Thursday in docket 20-22. EB selected USTelecom as the registered traceback consortium in 2020 (see 2007270068). ZipDX submitted a letter of intent to be designated as the next registered consortium. The next consortium will be selected by Aug. 25.
Localities are gearing up to sue Ohio unless lawmakers remove a proposed ban on municipal broadband that the Senate added to the state budget without hearings. A conference committee is expected to say in coming days if the amendment added this month will make the final budget that both chambers must pass and Gov. Mike DeWine (R) must sign by month’s end. The proposed ban could force existing muni providers to sell their businesses, said local officials in interviews last week.
NTIA unveiled a broadband map Thursday. It shows broadband needs by county, minority-serving institutions, areas designated as high poverty and tribal lands. It “paints a sobering view” of broadband challenges, said Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. FCC acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel told reporters NTIA’s efforts are “significant” because more information is available and the commission is “making a big push” to create accurate maps. The new maps “struck me as curious,” Commissioner Brendan Carr told reporters Thursday. “We don’t need additional inaccurate maps,” Carr said, and it “underscores the need” for the FCC to complete its mapping process. “We’re glad the NTIA is out with this version of a map, but it’s not a substitute for the more accurate ‘fabric’ approach” that USTelecom backs, said CEO Jonathan Spalter in a statement: “The FCC’s map is the only project that will be so granular as to allow us to close the nation’s digital divide.”
Commerce Committee members Reps. John Curtis, R-Utah, and Tom O’Halleran, D-Ariz., filed a House companion (HR-3970) Thursday to the Accelerating Rural Broadband Deployment Act (S-1113) first bowed in April (see 2104150057). The measure would give federal agencies the ability to approve a license of occupancy authorizing placement on a federal right of way of all equipment required to deploy broadband. It would require agencies to respond to applications within 60 days and explain denials. Rural residents “are itching for reliable broadband,” but “they are hamstrung by Washington, D.C., bureaucrats who are completely disconnected from the realities that millions of Americans face,” Curtis said. NCTA, NTCA and USTelecom back the measure, his office said.
The Senate Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday advanced nominees for Biden administration cyber posts. National cyber director nominee Chris Inglis and Jen Easterly, nominated to be director of the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (see 2104120059), advanced to the floor. USTelecom CEO Jonathan Spalter called them “battle tested and clear-eyed cyber professionals.”
Telecom providers back USTelecom's robocall blocking petition for reconsideration (see 2105200074), in replies posted Tuesday in FCC docket 17-59. "Adopt a flexible approach to notification that would allow for, but not be limited to, returning specific [session initiation protocol] SIP codes when calls are blocked," CTIA said. "Rather than codifying unfinished standards work, the commission should defer to the ongoing, collaborative standards process." NCTA agreed and said the Jan. 1 implementation deadline "risks forcing providers to choose between offering consumers robust robocall mitigation tools or suspending such tools over concerns about compliance with return code mandates." Comments showed the "uncertain state of the standards" in the notification requirement, USTelecom said. An industry task force approval of industry standards is "at best, the beginning of the process," the telecom association said. Somos, the current toll-free numbering administrator and North American numbering plan administrator, echoed Lumen that there's "no value to notifying calling parties when their calls are blocked by analytic engines" (see 2106070051). Somos said calls blocked on the do not originate list shouldn't be included in notification to calling parties when such a call is blocked. Verizon said opposition to USTelecom's petition is based on "several flaws." The order on robocall blocking doesn't define what a legitimate caller or bad actor is, Verizon said, and "even some legal callers routinely take action to bypass blocking ... when they detect that their calls may have triggered blocking algorithms."