How to enforce net neutrality rules ultimately comes back to the Communications Act Section 706 or Title II question, panelists in both camps said Friday at an FCC net neutrality roundtable. Chairman Tom Wheeler’s lone question to panelists dealt with the Title II approach suggested by House Communications Subcommittee ranking member Anna Eshoo, D-Calif.
Industry officials urged Congress to reconsider many elements of USF support policy, despite lauding the broad principles that have guided it. House Communications Subcommittee Republicans issued a white paper last month (http://1.usa.gov/1pmX66c) asking several questions about USF, seeking responses by Friday. It was the fifth white paper the subcommittee issued as part of efforts to overhaul the Communications Act, an initiative announced in December. Initial responses, which the committee has not posted online but were shared with us, were on what parties considered necessary changes to the USF contribution mechanism.
Connecticut’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority should adopt the public interest settlement agreed to by Frontier Communications, Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen and state Consumer Counsel Elin Swanson Katz as part of PURA’s ongoing review of the telco’s proposed purchase of AT&T’s broadband, video and wireline assets in the state, said Jepsen’s and Katz’s offices Friday. The settlement, along with additional voluntary commitments from Frontier, “has satisfied the applicable criteria” PURA requires for approval of Frontier/AT&T Connecticut and makes it acceptable on public interest grounds, said Jepsen’s and Katz’s offices in a joint filing (http://bit.ly/1r6SoKE). Frontier reached the agreement with the two state offices in August (CD Aug 13 p13), but PURA later sought a redraft (CD Sept 3 p16).
A GAO report on disclosure requirements for on-air ads aimed at Congress for broadcasters’ interests (CD Sept 18 p20) underscores the need for improved and extended online public file rules, said public interest groups. The GAO findings on rules for broadcaster disclosure are simply a result of the discontinued enforcement of the fairness doctrine, and could have been discovered by accessing the FCC rules, broadcast attorneys said. They said the report showed broadcasters are abiding by the rules. GAO didn’t make recommendations and the FCC offered technical comments, the report said.
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, who is proving better than some recent chairmen at indicating where he’s going on issues well ahead of commission votes, is dropping broad hints where he’s likely headed on wireless net neutrality. All indications are that mobile broadband will be subject to the same rules as fixed, but with an exception allowing carriers to engage in “reasonable network management.”
AT&T’s planned buy of DirecTV received support from independent programmers, state entities and labor organizations, while multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) again said the deal that is worth about $67 billion appears to hurt the video programming market. Dish Network and the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association urged conditions and a showing that proposed commitments would be realized, if the FCC approves the deal. Initial comments on the proceeding were due Tuesday night.
House Communications Subcommittee ranking member Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., wants more aggressive overhaul of video laws next year, and is unhappy with what the four congressional committees of jurisdiction have produced for Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act reauthorization. “The STELA bill is just the STELA bill,” Eshoo said Thursday at a Hudson Institute event. “It doesn’t contain anything earth-shattering.”
The Senate Commerce Committee signed off unanimously on the Satellite Television Access and Viewer Rights Act (S-2799) Wednesday. The Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act reauthorization bill includes provisions repealing the set-top box integration ban and limiting broadcaster sharing agreements, much like House STELA legislation does. Several Commerce members had filed amendments Monday (CD Sept 16 p2) and Tuesday (CD Sept 17 p6), but only two amendments advanced onto the approved STAVRA.
FirstNet is on target to release a request for proposal (RFP) in March, acting General Manager TJ Kennedy said Wednesday. The board approved three resolutions at a meeting Wednesday, including a $120 million budget for FY 2015. The meeting was FirstNet’s first with its revamped board (CD Sept 5 p13). The board approved a Comprehensive Network Solution Request for Information (RFI) and Statement of Objectives. The document (http://bit.ly/1qZkpnd) is a key step toward an eventual RFP, Kennedy told reporters after the meeting.
Three petitions to deny AT&T’s plan to buy DirecTV cite implications for public, educational and government (PEG) channels, competition and the public interest. The petitions by public interest groups and groups representing the PEG community were filed in docket 14-90. AT&T again said the new company would create a stronger competitor to the cable bundle. Comments in the proceeding were due Tuesday.