Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.; Josh Hawley, R-Mo.; Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.; and Chris Coons, D-Del., formed a Senate Judiciary Committee privacy working group, Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Blumenthal and Coons told us. Judiciary heard testimony from Google, Intel, DuckDuckGo, Mapbox and others during a privacy hearing Tuesday.
The House Judiciary Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law Subcommittee plowed into T-Mobile’s proposed buy of Sprint Tuesday. T-Mobile CEO John Legere and Sprint Executive Chairman Marcelo Claure defended the deal against skepticism, mostly from Democrats. Legere faced questions on why T-Mobile executives logged so many nights at the Trump International Hotel Washington since the deal was announced.
The House Communications Subcommittee appears likely to press forward with a markup of the Save the Internet Act net neutrality bill (HR-1644) despite a divide among members during a Tuesday hearing. HR-1644 and Senate companion S-682, filed last week, would add a new title to the Communications Act that says the FCC order rescinding its 2015 rules “shall have no force or effect.” The bill would retroactively restore reclassification of broadband as a Communications Act Title II service (see 1903060077).
Rural telco interests voiced concerns about FCC proposals to auction off their subsidies in areas completely or almost completely served by unsubsidized broadband competitors. They opposed such reverse auctions or backed limiting their use to areas with 99 or 100 percent competitive overlap, and sought "reasonable" transitions, continued support for broadband-only lines, and a tribal broadband factor. Fixed-wireless and cable groups backed the thrust of a Further NPRM approved unanimously in December (see 1812120039) but urged auctioning RLEC areas with as little as 50 percent competitive overlap. Comments were posted through Monday in docket 10-90.
The FCC WRC-19 Advisory Committee (WAC) wrapped up work Monday, after finalizing nearly 100 recommendations to the World Radiocommuncation Conference this fall in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. In some cases, as is typical for WRC meetings, the WAC wasn’t able to develop a single unified position. The FCC is to release items addressed at the meeting for comment by Friday, agency officials said, so they can be ready for submission to the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL).
Internet companies urged flexible reading of California’s privacy law. The California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) will be enforced from Jan. 1, though Attorney General Xavier Becerra (D) has until July 1, 2021, to adopt rules and guidance interpreting CCPA. “It would be unfortunate if the lack of clarity or conflicts in the statute were amplified in the implementing regulations,” the Internet Association commented. Privacy advocates urged the AG to make it easy for consumers to take advantage of CCPA rights, while some specialized industries sought exemptions.
Comcast could join Charter Communications in trying to take a legal fight over racial discrimination claims by a video programmer to the Supreme Court. Experts told us odds of the issue getting taken up -- while long -- are better than many competing petitions for writ of certiorari. Charter's rates "at least an 8 or 9" out of 10 for getting a hard look by the court, said Barry McDonald, Pepperdine University professor of law.
Three of the four witnesses set to testify at Tuesday's House Communications Subcommittee hearing on Democrats' Save the Internet Act net neutrality bill support the measure in written testimony released Monday. A fourth witness, Cooley's Robert McDowell, doesn't criticize the bill but urges lawmakers not pursue measures unlikely to get bipartisan support. HR-1644/S-682, filed last week, would add a new title to the Communications Act that says the FCC order rescinding its 2015 rules “shall have no force or effect.” The bill would retroactively restore reclassification of broadband as a Communications Act Title II service (see 1903060077). The hearing begins at 11 a.m. in 2322 Rayburn.
TV station owners fear the FCC is leaning toward a national cap lower than they want, and are seeking to characterize a 78 percent cap as maintaining “the status quo.” That's according to interviews with broadcasters, broadcast attorneys and a letter to all five commissioners filed Monday. “Nothing in the record provides any basis for tightening the national ownership cap,” said Ion, Nexstar, Tribune, Univision and others that in total represent almost 500 stations.
John Oliver Sunday warned viewers of HBO’s Last Week Tonight that the FCC could soon weaken robocalling protections, by tweaking Telephone Consumer Protection Act rules. Oliver targeted the FCC in 2015 and 2017 over net neutrality rules. This time, Oliver said the FCC hasn’t done enough to curb robocalls and may soon weaken its rules. Experts said action mightn't happen soon.