Lack of broadband market competition disempowers consumers, and increased FTC oversight is needed, consumer advocates told the agency. But industry groups argued existing regulations mean the market is more competitive than ever. The agency collected comments through Friday in docket 2018-0113 on broadband competition and consumer protection issues.
The FCC should make rules to stop a repeat of wireless carrier problems during Hurricane Michael recovery that were flagged by the agency, two Florida Panhandle public safety officials and a union told us. In a May report, the FCC Public Safety Bureau recommended wireless providers in hurricane-prone areas make roaming agreements, diversify backhaul technologies and work on best practices for cooperation and coordination with local utilities.
HARRISBURG -- A state broadband report shows wide discrepancies between FCC broadband availability estimates and reality, said lawmakers Monday at the capitol. The Center for Rural Pennsylvania, a bipartisan legislative agency, unanimously approved the report by Pennsylvania State University researchers, at Monday's meeting. FCC estimates about 800,000 Pennsylvanians are without broadband “are downplaying the true state of the digital divide because they rely on self-reported data” by ISPs, the report said. “It appears that official broadband maps are becoming less accurate over time -- particularly those for rural areas.”
Commissioners Mike O’Rielly and Jessica Rosenworcel said there's strong interest in the 6 GHz and 5.9 GHz band for Wi-Fi, but neither band will come online overnight, a New America conference heard Monday. O’Rielly told reporters later the rules for the 6 GHz band are still taking shape. The New America focus was how a new standard for Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi 6, will support 5G.
The Copyright Office urged Congress not to reauthorize one of three major provisions in the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act, adding another twist to the burgeoning debate over the law. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., and Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., announced they agreed to a “legislative framework” for a coming bill aimed at revamping retransmission consent rules and other “outdated" TV rules. Both announcements came a day before a planned Tuesday House Communications Subcommittee hearing aimed at setting up its STELA debate (see 1905280061).
The two FCC members who addressed the start of Consumer Advisory Committee meeting focused on combating illegal robocalls, with commissioners to vote Thursday on explicitly allowing technology to block such calls (see 1905310061) despite stakeholder requests for more time. "There has been some pushback on this, some folks asking the FCC to delay the vote, or asking the FCC to water down the decision," noted Commissioner Brendan Carr. "I’m absolutely opposed to those steps."
Now that the suite of ATSC 3.0 standards is complete, “our goal is not to stand still, but to march thoughtfully and deliberately into the future,” ATSC President Madeleine Noland told the Next-Gen TV Conference Thursday. In her maiden policy speech before the group since taking over May 15, Noland said ATSC “in the near term” needs to be “laser-focused on the successful commercial deployment of ATSC 3.0 in the U.S.”
So grave would be the "ripple effect" damage to Americans if President Donald Trump makes good on his threat to impose tariffs on Mexican imports that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce won’t rule out mounting a legal challenge to block the duties, said the business group’s chief policy officer. "We have no choice but to explore every option available to push back,” Executive Vice President Neil Bradley told journalists Friday. To stem the influx of migrants at the southern border, Trump will use authority under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose 5 percent tariffs on Mexican imports starting June 10, the president said. “If the crisis persists,” he would hike the duties to 10 percent July 1, 15 percent Aug. 1, 20 percent Sept. 1, and 25 percent Oct. 1.
The Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board is about “midway” through developing recommendations for Congress on U.S. surveillance programs, Chairman Adam Klein told us Friday. NSA is reportedly considering letting the controversial Section 215 phone surveillance program expire (see 1905060048) in December when the USA Freedom Act sunsets.
Industry commenters continued to push for tweaks to proposed competitive bidding rules for the upper 37, 39 and 47 GHz auction, slated to start Dec. 10 (see 1904120058). In initial comments, the Rural Wireless Association and Wireless ISP Association pressed for a more significant change -- smaller license sizes than the partial economic area licenses already agreed to by the FCC (see 1905170014). Replies were posted through Friday in docket 19-59.