FCC commenters disagreed about whether there's consumer confusion concerning the price of cable and direct broadcast satellite (DBS) video service, with video providers warning in docket 23-203 replies l that the FCC's "all-in" video pricing proposal will cause rather than fix consumer uncertainty. Confusion is already here, countered locality and broadcast interests. The sides also continued to disagree about whether the commission has legal authority for its pricing disclosure proposal. Initial comments made similar points (see 2308010028). The all-in pricing NPRM was adopted in June (see 2306200042).
The FCC sought comment on the Competitive Carriers Association and USTelecom's petition to extend a waiver of its requirement that broadband data collection filings be verified by a licensed professional engineer, per a notice for Tuesday's Federal Register (see 2308070042). Comments are due by Sept. 1, replies Sept. 11, in docket 19-195.
The FCC Enforcement Bureau redesignated USTelecom's Industry Traceback Group (ITG) as the registered consortium for the industry-led robocall traceback group, said an order Friday in docket 20-22 (see 2306120050). The ITG "continues to fight to protect consumers against illegal robocalls, scammers and spoofers and we’re honored that the FCC has once again recognized our important role in this work," said USTelecom CEO Jonathan Spalter: "The volume of illegal robocalls is declining, but there’s still more work to be done."
A bill that would restrict California regulators’ discretion to make extra rules for NTIA’s broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program dismayed local and consumer advocates. With a month left in session, California legislators are also weighing broadband bills to require wireless eligibility for federal funding and to streamline broadband permitting. Assembly Communications Committee Chair Tasha Boerner (D) said the goal of her BEAD bill (AB-662) is to bring “accountability” to the California Public Utilities Commission.
USTelecom names Alanna Chapell, ex-office of Rep. Daniel Kildee, D-Mich., director-government affairs ... The Blue Owl Group, consultants including for internet, launches with Colin Crowell, ex-Twitter vice president and ex-FCC senior counselor, as managing director and including as advisers Alder Renewables’ Ian Punkett, Lucia Gamboa, Ledyard Group’s Lauren Culbertson Grieco, all also ex-Twitter, and Sotera Consulting founder Patricia Cartes Andres, ex-Google.
Industry groups disagreed on an FCC NPRM proposing to expand certain robocall rules to all voice service providers, in comments posted Thursday in docket 17-97. Commissioners adopted the item in May (see 2305180036). Some urged caution and asked the FCC to grant flexibility if it mandates any additional call blocking rules.
The Competitive Carriers Association and USTelecom asked the FCC for an exemption for three more filing cycles from a requirement that broadband data collection filings be verified by a licensed professional engineer. The process under a previous waiver (see 2207080072) “has been effective, with no impact to the quality or accuracy of the BDC filings, and there remains an ongoing industry need for a waiver of the PE requirement,” said a filing posted Friday in docket 19-195: “A strict imposition of the … requirement would fail to reflect the realities of the broadband workforce and hinder broadband deployment for both mobile and fixed networks, as acknowledged by the Commission in its declaratory ruling and granting of limited waiver last year.” The current waiver expires after the next filing in September.
The FCC's outage reporting order approved 4-0 at its July open meeting (see 2307200041) expands on why the agency isn't requiring originating services providers to notify covered 988 service providers about outages, saying doing so wouldn't help improve the 988 Lifeline's reliability, according to our side-by-side comparison with the draft order. The finalized rule was released Friday. If an outage is in an originating service provider's network, it's unclear what the value is of covered 988 service providers starting to troubleshoot their own networks, the FCC said in the order. The finalized order also adds a paragraph expanding on its legal authority. And it adopts USTelecom-suggested language to harmonize the compliance timeline for the 988 outage reporting rules with the compliance timeline for 911 outage reporting rules adopted last year (see 2307140017).
The FCC contacted the White House’s Council on Environmental Quality and the EPA about their plans about health and environmental risks from lead-sheathed cables used by AT&T and Verizon, which report earnings this week. USTelecom said Friday the telecom industry is working to better understand the extent of the problem (see 2307210056). The cables received lawmaker, industry and public attention after The Wall Street Journal reported this month about telcos, including AT&T and Verizon, having left lead cables underground, underwater and on poles nationwide.
The DOJ, FTC and FCC touted the results of a joint initiative cracking down on a telemarketing operation responsible for billions of illegal robocalls Tuesday. The initiative, Operation Stop Scam Calls, included enforcement actions targeting "lead generators who deceptively collect consumers’ telephone numbers and then provide those telephone numbers to robocallers and others" to facilitate illegal robocalls, said a news release. “The FCC is committed to using every tool at its disposal to crack down on illegal robocalls and protect the US communications network,” said Enforcement Bureau Chief Loyaan Egal. DOJ noted that the partnerships have led to pursuing about 90 cases against illegal telemarketing operations. “The department and its partners are committed to pursuing those who make and facilitate these calls," said Arun Rao, deputy assistant attorney general-DOJ Civil Division Consumer Protection Branch. "Our collective efforts ... help us to expand our playbook, allowing us to outwit and defeat these perpetrators in their own arena," said Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost (R). Collaboration is "a key component in investigating and prosecuting illegal robocallers," said Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita (R). Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes (D) noted that the "blatant disregard for consumer protection laws will not be tolerated and violators of these laws will be held accountable.” The announcement is "another important step in protecting consumers from illegal and unwanted robocalls," said USTelecom Vice President-Policy and Advocacy Josh Bercu, who's also Industry Traceback Group executive director: "The partnership among federal and state government agencies is producing real results."