California regulators scaled back price and speed requirements proposed for a $2 billion last-mile federal funding account (FFA) required by the state’s $6 billion broadband law. The California Public Utilities Commission voted 5-0 at a livestreamed Thursday meeting to adopt CPUC President Alice Reynolds’ revised proposed decision released Wednesday.
Letters of intent from entities interested in heading the industry-led efforts to trace the origin of suspected unlawful calls are due by May 20, said an FCC Enforcement Bureau public notice Wednesday in docket 20-22. USTelecom, the current registered consortium, isn't required to file an LOI (see 2108250081). Comments are due by June 3, replies June 10, on the letters and whether to redesignate USTelecom.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied rehearing by the full court of its decision upholding California’s net neutrality law. No judge requested a vote on whether to rehear the case en banc, said the Wednesday order. The state defendant didn't comment. Plaintiffs NCTA and CTIA declined to comment, and USTelecom didn’t comment by our deadline. ACA Connects directed us to the other associations. Vermont’s net neutrality law became enforceable after the U.S. District Court in Burlington continued a stay on the litigation Tuesday (see 2204190072).
Vermont net neutrality litigation will be further stayed until the 2nd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals resolves a New York appeal of the state’s broadband affordability law, the U.S. District Court in Burlington ruled Tuesday. Judge Christina Reiss said the court’s Dec. 17 injunction on enforcing Vermont’s net neutrality law and executive order expired April 15. Defendant Vermont and plaintiffs ACA Connects, CTIA, USTelecom and the New England Cable and Telecommunications Association sought the order in a Friday stipulation. The district court in December paused the until April 15 or when the 9th Court resolved suits on California’s net neutrality law (see 2112170032). The 9th Circuit upheld California’s law, but industry in February filed a petition for rehearing en banc that's pending (see 2202100072). “The scope and conduct of this action could be significantly shaped by” 2nd Circuit resolution of the New York case, the Vermont parties said Friday.
The FCC Wireline Bureau granted limited waivers of the affordable connectivity program's non-usage rules and a requirement that participating providers apply the monthly benefit to all plans, said an order Friday in docket 21-450. The bureau denied several requests to extend the “all plans requirement” to all participating providers. Providers were required to comply with these rules by Friday (see 2202110055).
Industry counseled against FCC regulation on vulnerabilities to the security and integrity of border gateway protocols (BGP), in early comments on a February notice of inquiry from the FCC (see 2202250062). Cisco and other commenters said the issues are difficult and complex and require an international approach. The notice is part of the FCC’s cybersecurity focus as it looks at vulnerabilities posed by Russian companies (see 2203180051).
USTelecom promotes Lynn Follansbee to vice president-strategic initiatives and partnerships … Discovery moving Jon Steinlauf to chief U.S. advertising sales officer-Warner Bros. Discovery, reporting to Bruce Campbell, becoming chief revenue and strategy officer-Warner Bros. Discovery, new position … WWE hires Caterpillar’s Elisebeth Collins as general counsel-corporate secretary, succeeding Samira Shah, departing the company ... Cinnafilm taps Dom Jackson, ex-Xperi, as vice president-products and services ... Senate confirms Laurie Locascio, ex-University of Maryland, as Commerce Department undersecretary-standards and technology and head of NIST (see 2204080043).
Industry groups and ISPs participating in the FCC’s affordable connectivity program sought more time to comply with the program’s non-usage tracking rule. Comment posted Friday in docket 21-450 backed a USTelecom petition for an additional 60 days after the April 15 deadline (see 2203230041).
USTelecom, AT&T, Lumen and Verizon asked FCC Wireline Bureau and Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau staff to require every provider to "enhance its existing robocall mitigation database ... rather than adopt prescriptive, gateway provider-specific mandates," in a meeting Monday, said an ex parte letter posted Thursday in docket 17-59 (see 2201110045). "[M]andating blocking obligations remove providers' flexibility in their blocking approaches," they said, noting the FCC could "implement a robocall mitigation program and provide a certification in the RMD" regardless of a provider's Stir/Shaken implementation status. USTelecom and the ISPs said the FCC's proposed requirement that gateway providers sign unauthenticated traffic "would be exorbitantly costly for some providers." The FCC should "focus any such requirement" on gateway providers "akin to what the agency did with shortening the small provider Stir/Shaken extension," they said.
ACA Connects backed USTelecom's request for a 60-day extension of the April 15 deadline for affordable connectivity program providers to comply with the non-usage tracking rule, in a meeting with FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington and staff, said an ex parte letter posted Wednesday in docket 21-450 (see 2203230041). The group said its members face similar challenges in meeting the deadline. ACA Connects also asked the FCC to allow fixed broadband providers to follow the agency's 2011 enforcement guidance on reporting actual speeds and latency in the forthcoming consumer broadband labels.