The FCC extended comment deadlines by two weeks on a Form 477 Further NPRM proposing to update broadband and voice service data submission duties. Initial comments and replies are now due Oct. 9 and Oct. 24 (instead of Sept. 25 and Oct. 10), said an order Tuesday from the Wireline, Wireless and International bureaus in docket 11-10. The American Cable Association, NCTA, NTCA, USTelecom and the Wireless ISP Association asked for a four-week extension to Oct. 23 and Nov. 6, citing recent hurricane disruption (see 1709130046).

Blocking unwanted and illegal robocalls is the FCC’s No. 1 consumer objective, Chief of Staff Matthew Berry told the agency’s Consumer Affairs Committee Monday. The FCC is pursuing a “multipronged strategy,” including taking enforcement action against bad actors, Berry said. “There’s a lot going on here.” After his remarks, the CAC approved recommendations from one of its working groups on blocking unwanted calls.

Industry urged the FCC to tread lightly in bolstering slamming and cramming rules targeting providers making unauthorized changes to consumers' preferred telecom providers or inserting unauthorized charges on phone bills. Major telco, cable and billing interests expressed concerns about potential new regulations teed up in a July NPRM (see 1707130054), while consumer groups were more supportive. Comments were posted in docket 17-169 Wednesday and Thursday. Replies those days in docket 17-97 on a July notice of inquiry (see 1707130054) also saw the telco industry and consumer groups at odds on whether the FCC should mandate a call authentication standards framework.

Cable and telco groups asked the FCC for a four-week extension to comment on an NPRM proposing to update their Form 477 broadband and voice service data submission requirements (see 1708030026). Instead of an initial deadline of Sept. 25, comments would be due Oct. 23, replies Nov. 6, proposed a petition by the American Cable Association, NCTA, NTCA, USTelecom and the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association posted Wednesday in docket 11-10. They cited "extenuating circumstances," including the need to provide detailed factual information that has been complicated by "back-to-back major hurricanes," and said many "members are already overburdened with additional proceedings and other regulatory obligations."

Big business interests seek to “run out the clock” to avoid California legislators voting on broadband privacy rules based on the FCC rules repealed by President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress, privacy advocates told us this week. The California legislature has a Sept. 15 deadline to pass pending legislation, but the state's chamber of commerce asked the state Senate leader to hold the privacy bill and he hasn't scheduled a vote. Meanwhile, big wireless companies are pushing for passage of small-cells legislation, but local governments remain opposed and plan to take the fight to the governor's office, a local lobbyist said.

Mobile Future adds Margaret McCarthy, ex-aide to Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., as executive director ... Sidley Austin hires Wim Nauwelaerts, ex-Hunton & Williams, as partner and member, global Privacy and Cybersecurity practice ... NBCUniversal creates unified research group to align sales research, insights and data capabilities for all platforms and partnership, led by Kavita Vazirani, who moves to newly created role of executive vice president-strategic insights and analytics ... USTelecom promotes Lorna Johnson to vice president-finance and administration.

Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Brock Long names Field Operations Directorate Assistant Administrator Michael Byrne federal disaster recovery coordinator for Storm Harvey-hit (see 1709010042) areas ... Utilities Technology Council hires Rob Thormeyer, ex-aide to then-Federal Energy Regulatory Commission member Colette Honorable and before that at NARUC, as its first director-communications and advocacy ... Last Mile Communications CEO Peter Kahelin, a founding partner, retires effective in Q4, and will be non-executive chairman ... Cox Media Group moves up Paul Curran to market vice president-Orlando.

Southeast Texas won't quickly recover after Tropical Storm Harvey damaged and flooded 911 facilities and utility infrastructure (see 1708290029 and 1708280049), emergency and utility officials said in interviews last week. Surging numbers of calls overwhelmed public service answering points (PSAPs) used to far fewer requests, said one official. Industry officials said providers are working together and continue to restore service and assist with relief. The FAA cleared drones to fly into the area.

The FCC should let industry self-regulate rural call completion and eliminate recording, reporting and retention rules, large carriers commented this week in docket 13-39. But smaller rural carriers said required reporting improved call-completion rates. A July Further NPRM (see 1707270053 and 1707130054) seeks to change or eliminate data-collection and reporting rules and require covered carriers to monitor rural performance of their intermediate providers and hold those providers accountable.

USTelecom painted a positive picture of U.S. wireline broadband availability. "As of mid-2016, 96 percent of Americans had at least one wired broadband network platform available to them, and 84 percent had at least two wired options," said a report Friday analyzing FCC data. It said 65 percent of households had access to at least two wired 10/1 Mbps service options, and 49 percent had access to at least two 25/3 Mbps service options -- those data speeds are FCC broadband definitions, in effect, for rural areas and urban/suburban areas, respectively. "The increasingly competitive state of broadband availability is the result of substantial capital investments by broadband providers in a dynamic, evolving market," said a release.