NTCA adds Mano Koilpillai, ex-Dynamic Consulting and Accounting, as chief financial officer; Roxanna Barboza, ex-Department of Agriculture, as industry and cybersecurity policy analyst; and Lauren Gaydos, ex-communications director for Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., as public relations manager ... Charlotte Willner from Pinterest named founding executive director of Trust & Safety Professional Association and its sibling organization Trust & Safety Foundation Project.
State and local governments want to reset relationships with the FCC under President-elect Joe Biden in 2021, said officials from NARUC, NATOA and the National Association of State Consumer Advocates (NASUCA) in interviews this week. A new FCC means “new beginnings” and a chance to build bridges, said NARUC President Paul Kjellander, elected association head Tuesday (see 2011100060).
The Senate Appropriations Committee proposed increases in the FY 2021 budgets for the FCC, NTIA, Patent and Trademark Office and National Institute of Standards and Technology but would leave funding for the FTC and CPB level with FY 2020. The committee’s proposed funding for the FCC to implement the Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability Act, a broadband mapping law (S-1822), fell short of what the commission and others sought. Senate Appropriations released draft versions of its 12 appropriations bills Tuesday, before conference negotiations with House leaders on compromise FY 21 funding measures. Congress must either pass appropriations measures or another continuing resolution to extend government funding before the existing CR expires Dec. 11 (see 2010010041).
USTelecom urged President-elect Joe Biden’s incoming administration (see 2011090049) and the next Congress to progress on broadband issues next year, including through COVID-19 aid legislation. Also Monday, Biden’s transition team cited “universal broadband” access as among priorities for infrastructure funding to help restore the U.S. economy. Democrats kept their House majority (see 2011050056). Control of the Senate remains unclear. Congress should “advance legislation to rapidly and fully invest in the broadband infrastructure programs required to quickly and permanently close the digital divide in,” USTelecom said. Congress should fund the Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability Act (S-1822) and “fast-track a major initiative that makes public resources available to ensure low-income students and all at-risk Americans have access to broadband at home.” The group appeared to urge an upcoming Democratic majority at the FCC not to seek to again reclassify broadband as a Communications Act Title II service, saying “dusting off policies from the 1930s and even the 1990s doesn’t deliver this across-the-board protection.” USTelecom wants the U.S. government to “reinvigorate its cyber engagement with global allies” and fund efforts like the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act (HR-4998). The group didn't answer questions.
The FCC Wireline Bureau dismissed seven petitions Friday, all filed in late 2011, seeking reconsideration of parts of the USF/intercarrier compensation transformation order (see 1110280088). USTelecom, Verizon, Sprint Nextel, MetroPCS, the National Exchange Carrier Association, NTCH and others filed the petitions. “No entities had filed comments or ex parte submissions regarding any of the … petitions for several years,” said an order in docket 10-90. The bureau said it sought comment in January and there were no objections.
Call competition problems are diminishing but haven’t gone away, NTCA told the FCC in comments posted Friday. Others said the rules are working, with some limited complaints. The Wireline Bureau said in September the 2018 rules were effective but asked for comment (see 2009140056). They were due Thursday in docket 13-39. Other commenters had a more positive take.
The FCC should end more than a decade of indecision about giving states access to the network outage reporting system (NORS), said current and former state commissioners in interviews last week. NARUC will vote at its annual meeting Thursday-Friday and Nov. 9-11 on proposed resolutions asking the FCC to grant a 2009 California Public Utilities Commission petition to share NORS information and urging state legislatures to authorize commissions to reduce intrastate inmate calling service (ICS) rates to cost-based prices. NARUC will consider the resolutions just days after a presidential election that might change control of the FCC in 2021.
The FCC approved a 5G Fund as expected Tuesday, with partial dissents by Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks (see 2010230056). Commissioners also approved revised TV white spaces rules 5-0, raising additional questions in a Further NPRM, including on the use of the Longley-Rice irregular terrain model for looking at interference (see 2010220048).
NAB, the Computer & Communications Industry Association and NetChoice reported major decreases in their lobbying spending in Q3 compared with the same period in 2019. NTCA reported a major increase; Charter, NCTA and USTelecom reported modest hikes. NAB spent just over $2 million, a decrease of almost 32%. CCIA spent $40,000, down 20%. NetChoice paid $30,000, a 57% drop. NTCA devoted $100,000, up 25%. NCTA spent $3.11 million, up more than 5%. Charter was $2.4 million, a more than 7% rise. USTelecom spent $520,000, up almost 2%. ViacomCBS shelled out $990,000; CBS alone spent $900,000 last year. Disney spent $860,000, a more than 2% decline. The Information Technology Industry Council spent $420,000, up 5%. Cox spent $810,000, more than 3% down. The Wireless Infrastructure Association spent $180,000, a 14% drop.
Carriers and other telco stakeholders asked the Pentagon not to push forward with any nationalized 5G spectrum plan. Comments were due Monday but not immediately available online except when filers released them individually. A DOD official said they will be posted.