Verizon urged the FCC to act quickly on copper retirement and telecom service discontinuance issues raised in a wireline broadband infrastructure deployment rulemaking. "While we encourage the Commission to promptly resolve all of the items in the Notice, it may be possible to address questions relating to these two areas on a standalone basis," said a filing Thursday in docket 17-84 on a meeting with Wireline Bureau staffers. Verizon asked the FCC to simplify copper retirements by reducing the public notice period to 90 days when there are customers and 30 days when there aren't, with notices for customers tied to their migration date. It asked for streamlining notifications of interconnecting entities, requiring notice "only for entities who directly interconnect with the incumbent LEC’s network and purchase circuits or provide services on the copper being retired."

Verizon urged the FCC to act quickly on copper retirement and telecom service discontinuance issues raised in a wireline broadband infrastructure deployment rulemaking. "While we encourage the Commission to promptly resolve all of the items in the Notice, it may be possible to address questions relating to these two areas on a standalone basis," said a filing Thursday in docket 17-84 on a meeting with Wireline Bureau staffers. Verizon asked the FCC to simplify copper retirements by reducing the public notice period to 90 days when there are customers and 30 days when there aren't, with notices for customers tied to their migration date. It asked for streamlining notifications of interconnecting entities, requiring notice "only for entities who directly interconnect with the incumbent LEC’s network and purchase circuits or provide services on the copper being retired."

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai appears free to consider issues affecting Securus and inmate calling services in general, despite allegations he has a conflict of interest stemming from his past legal work for the ICS provider, ethics specialists and former commissioners told us. They noted Pai is more than five years removed from his Securus representation, and government recusal requirements last only one to two years. But two government watchdog advocates suggested Pai hold himself to a higher standard to avoid any appearance of a conflict.

Alaska Communications Systems defended its FCC bid to have General Communication, Inc. declared the ILEC under Communications Act Section 251(h)(2), arguing GCI had supplanted ACS as the dominant service provider in the Anchorage study area. Cable groups and GCI opposing an ACS petition didn't raise serious questions on the merits or legal analysis (see 1708080048) "so much as they impugn the supposed motive for the filing," said an ACS reply posted Tuesday in docket 17-181. "Rather than a punitive act, appointing GCI as the ILEC will ensure that Section 251(c) of the Act will continue to be satisfied. GCI is the only local exchange service provider in Anchorage with market power. Its dominance is a present threat to competition, and it may become an even greater threat if it is permitted to consummate its proposed merger with Liberty Interactive Corporation without meaningful safeguards." ACS also said it should be relieved of dominant carrier status and its Section 251(c) ILEC duties in the Anchorage study area without being required to make further, "duplicative" filings. Section 251(c) covers the additional obligations of ILECs for interconnection, unbundled (wholesale) access and resale.

Europeans may have ample concerns about Privacy Shield during the agreement's inaugural review next month (see 1704200034), but industry and privacy experts interviewed over the past week don't expect the EU to withdraw from the trans-Atlantic data sharing agreement, though some admit it's unclear what will happen. Experts said both sides have invested too much into forging the agreement, which ensures certain privacy protections for Europeans' data used by U.S. companies and government agencies, and the economic stakes are too high to start anew.

An FCC reconsideration order that would relax broadcast ownership rules is still expected in September or October, attorneys and industry officials told us (see 1707190054). The item, an order on reconsideration of the 2014 quadrennial review, is expected to make it easier for the Sinclair/Tribune deal to be approved without divestitures. Industry officials and attorneys said it's widely expected to roll back newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership rules and rules on joint sales agreement (JSA) attribution, and may also relax or change the eight-voices test and top-four network rule. The American Television Alliance met with FCC officials last week to urge the commission not to eliminate the top-four network rule.

Europeans may have ample concerns about Privacy Shield during the agreement's inaugural review next month (see 1704200034), but industry and privacy experts interviewed over the past week don't expect the EU to withdraw from the trans-Atlantic data sharing agreement, though some admit it's unclear what will happen. Experts said both sides have invested too much into forging the agreement, which ensures certain privacy protections for Europeans' data used by U.S. companies and government agencies, and the economic stakes are too high to start anew.

Last week’s federal court ruling upholding a Kentucky city’s right to make one-touch, make-ready policy may strengthen the legal case for more local OTMR policies across the U.S., said attorneys and others who support the practice. But a state industry association head said the U.S. District Court in Louisville opinion has no impact for similar litigation in Tennessee and West Virginia, states that -- unlike Kentucky -- are subject to FCC pole-attachment authority. Meanwhile, one-touch advocates said the court ruling supports making state and national policies.

The Aerospace Industries Association raised concerns about a WiMAX Forum petition asking the FCC to launch an NPRM on service rules for the aeronautical mobile airport communications system (AeroMACS). Other companies supported the petition. “AIA is a vigorous proponent of the NextGen program that the Federal Aviation Administration is undertaking to modernize our nation’s airspace,” the group commented in RM-11793. “AeroMACS, which will benefit the safety and regularity of flight, is a key part of that program and many of our members have strong interest in its success.” But AIA also said the FCC shouldn’t act hastily: “It would be premature to rush a proceeding that will impact aviation safety, infrastructure investments, and product development cycles for decades, as there is substantial detail for which interested stakeholders must agree." Lockheed Martin also raised concerns, saying it's "deeply concerned about the impact on the ability to access the same C-band spectrum for Aeronautical Mobile Telemetry (AMT) operations in support of critical flight testing -- whether by Lockheed Martin or other aerospace industry sector members. In this context, we advocate a balanced spectrum use approach, including an opportunity for testing of system compatibility to be conducted in the United States.” Equipment maker Airtel said many AeroMACS providers are waiting for the FCC to act. “The widespread and expeditious deployment of AeroMACS holds the potential to bring significant benefits to American airports, air travelers, and equipment manufacturers,” Airtel said. The FCC should therefore "move quickly" to adopt an NPRM on services rules for AeroMACS. Equipment maker Symnatec also urged the FCC to act, as did solutions provider Telrad Networks. The WiMAX Forum proposed AeroMACS spectrum be shared between federal and nongovernment users under a memorandum of agreement to be negotiated between the NTIA, on behalf of federal users, and a private entity to be designated by the FCC (see 1707190033). The spectrum is in the 5000-5030 MHz and 5091-5150 MHz bands.

The Aerospace Industries Association raised concerns about a WiMAX Forum petition asking the FCC to launch an NPRM on service rules for the aeronautical mobile airport communications system (AeroMACS). Other companies supported the petition. “AIA is a vigorous proponent of the NextGen program that the Federal Aviation Administration is undertaking to modernize our nation’s airspace,” the group commented in RM-11793. “AeroMACS, which will benefit the safety and regularity of flight, is a key part of that program and many of our members have strong interest in its success.” But AIA also said the FCC shouldn’t act hastily: “It would be premature to rush a proceeding that will impact aviation safety, infrastructure investments, and product development cycles for decades, as there is substantial detail for which interested stakeholders must agree." Lockheed Martin also raised concerns, saying it's "deeply concerned about the impact on the ability to access the same C-band spectrum for Aeronautical Mobile Telemetry (AMT) operations in support of critical flight testing -- whether by Lockheed Martin or other aerospace industry sector members. In this context, we advocate a balanced spectrum use approach, including an opportunity for testing of system compatibility to be conducted in the United States.” Equipment maker Airtel said many AeroMACS providers are waiting for the FCC to act. “The widespread and expeditious deployment of AeroMACS holds the potential to bring significant benefits to American airports, air travelers, and equipment manufacturers,” Airtel said. The FCC should therefore "move quickly" to adopt an NPRM on services rules for AeroMACS. Equipment maker Symnatec also urged the FCC to act, as did solutions provider Telrad Networks. The WiMAX Forum proposed AeroMACS spectrum be shared between federal and nongovernment users under a memorandum of agreement to be negotiated between the NTIA, on behalf of federal users, and a private entity to be designated by the FCC (see 1707190033). The spectrum is in the 5000-5030 MHz and 5091-5150 MHz bands.