A federal court Fri. vacated part of an FCC order under which VoIP providers must contribute to the Universal Service Fund (USF). A 3-judge panel of the U.S. Appeals Court, D.C., said it found “the Commission’s explanation wanting as to the pre-approval of traffic studies and the suspension of the carrier’s carrier rule.” Judges Harry Edwards, David Tatel and Merrick Garland heard the case brought by Vonage and CCIA (CD Feb 12 p1), with Tatel writing the opinion.
It’s silly for ILECs to read lists of long distance companies to customers when they call to sign up for service, telecom companies said Wed. They were responding to an FCC request for comments to “refresh” a 2002 notice of inquiry (NOI) asking if 20-year-old “equal access and nondiscrimination” rules remain necessary. People know there’s a choice of long distance providers -- and many don’t even buy stand-alone long distance service anymore, carriers told the FCC.
Senate Commerce Committee Chmn. Inouye’s broadband data bill could gain support, though Republicans didn’t co-sponsor the measure (S-1492) and the telecom industry was largely mum when it was introduced Thurs., industry and Hill sources said. The bill sets a marker for potential conference with one in the works by the House Commerce Committee. But it’s only a starting point -- a dearth of GOP co-sponsors and lukewarm Bell company endorsements indicate discomfort, according to a source close to the committee.
The Internet tax moratorium should get only a temporary extension “if at all,” Senate Commerce Committee Chmn. Inouye (D-Hawaii) said Wed. at a hearing to discuss action before the Nov. 1 expiration. He and other Senate Democrats are wary of making the moratorium permanent for fear of robbing states and localities of potential tax revenue as e-commerce grows. Vice Chmn. Stevens (R-Alaska) argued for a permanent ban.
Congress is beginning work on the 5-year rewrite of the farm bill, a process that already has lawmakers drafting their own measures to fix the long-troubled rural broadband loan program. Mon., Sen. Roberts (R-Kan.) introduced S-1439 with co-sponsor Sen. Salazar (D-Colo.); the bill would create incentives for investment and simplify the loan process in rural areas. The bill also would redefine “rural,” helping to target so geographically small regions of the country that aren’t getting broadband services, according to a statement.
Communications providers said Thurs. they support a national broadband census, but they disagreed with methodology in a draft bill the Telecom Subcommittee is circulating for consideration. The bill, by Subcommittee Chmn. Markey (D-Mass.), would amend the FCC’s definition of high-speed services, now 200 kbps, to 2 Mbps downstream and 1 Mbps upstream. At a hearing Thurs., several witnesses said that would skew data collection.
The cable industry nearly doubled its lobbying outlay last year. Much of that went to fight the telecom franchising bill -- a cause it won indirectly when the bill withered due to lack of political interest. NCTA spent $14 million on lobbying in 2006, compared with just over $7 million in 2004, according to documents filed with the Secy. of the Senate. AT&T was the big communications industry spender in 2006.
The House Telecom Subcommittee has identified the witnesses for its Thurs. hearing on broadband “mapping,” which seeks to paint a detailed picture of broadband providers in a region. Invited speakers are Communications Workers of America Pres. Larry Cohen, USTelecom Pres. Walter McCormick, CTIA Pres. Steve Largent, NCTA Pres. Kyle McSlarrow, FreePress Policy Dir. Ben Scott, ConnectKentucky Pres. Brian Mefford, and George Ford, Phoenix Center chief economist.
The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) released a long- awaited proposal to improve its broadband lending program by barring applicants seeking to serve areas with significant existing broadband coverage and easing equity demands of providers wanting to serve areas with little broadband access. But critics questioned whether the changes go far enough to target rural areas with little or no access to broadband services.
Democrats are scrambling to fill broadband gaps in rural America, with House Telecom Subcommittee Chmn. Markey (D- Mass.) drafting a bill based partly on a successful state program that mapped high-speed service holes. Markey’s bill would have NTIA draw and maintain the map, to be posted on the Internet and searchable by users, according to a copy of the discussion draft. A hearing on the bill is set next Thurs.