Microsoft asked the FCC Friday to launch a Further NPRM on TV white spaces. NAB, which has raised concerns about Wi-Fi in the TV bands, is on board with at least asking many of the questions proposed, the company said. The software maker proposes modifying rules to allow higher power levels in some areas, higher antennas, and geofenced operation of white spaces devices (WSDs) on mobile platforms. The FCC in March tweaked the white spaces rules and said it will consider an FNPRM on changes previously sought by Microsoft (see 1903200059).
An executive of a smaller cable operator called broadband service a utility, speaking alongside the head of America’s Communications Association about the importance of such ISP services. Although neither cable ally favored a common-carrier regulatory approach to broadband service such as Communications Act Title II net neutrality, the two may have -- perhaps inadvertently -- given a talking point to Title II advocates. That's according to later comments from such net neutrality proponents.
Panelists from Facebook, Comcast, the NAB and Tegna repeatedly agreed at a DOJ workshop on advertising competition that broadcast commercials and digital ads are substitutes for each other and therefore in competition. “We are a likely substitute or swap for your attention,” said Facebook Vice President-Business Product Marketing Ty Ahmad-Taylor. “We are trying to compete to get those dollars as well.”
Wednesday’s FTC oversight hearing before the House Consumer Protection Subcommittee is a good opportunity to gauge what additional privacy resources the agency needs, Chair Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., and House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J., said in interviews. The pair recently asked the agency what it would do with an additional $50 million-$100 million in annual funding (see 1905010183). FTC Chairman Joe Simons took to Capitol Hill Thursday to discuss budgetary needs, said Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., and a lobbyist.
As the FCC readies rules for an 833 toll-free number auction, with commissioners set to vote Thursday on a public notice on auction participation and procedures, toll-free number industry insiders said such an auction anytime soon could be poor timing. That's due to big question marks on how carriers will handle location-based services. Only a fraction of 833 numbers would have noteworthy demand in an auction anyway, and the limbo that location-based services are in could mean auction prices for those particularly desirable numbers could be depressed, said Bruno Tabbi, Ignition Toll Free president.
An NPRM reallocating the 1675-1680 MHz band, teed up for a vote at next week’s FCC meeting (see 1904170049), isn't expected to face opposition from any commissioners. Late questions have emerged, agency and industry officials said Thursday. Ligado sought a few tweaks. It wants the regulator to seek comment on a national license for the band, rather than partial economic area licenses.
Broadcast industry officials, advertisers and academics presented differing stances Thursday at the first day of a DOJ Antitrust Division workshop on whether linear local TV spots compete with digital promotions.
Apple posted its highest Services revenue ever, $11.4 billion, in the March quarter, up from $9.8 billion a year ago, said CEO Tim Cook on Tuesday’s earnings call. That 16 percent growth rate didn't offset a 17 percent global revenue decline in iPhones to $31 billion. Canalys reported Wednesday that iPhone shipments worldwide sank 23.2 percent in Q1 to 40.2 million shipments amid a global “freefall” in smartphone shipments that retreated for the sixth straight quarter.
California lawmakers moved a cavalcade of privacy bills, including several tweaking last year’s California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), in hearings this week. The Assembly Appropriations panel Wednesday unanimously cleared three without discussion. No members voted against five privacy bills, or two other bills on wireless data throttling of public safety users and e-commerce marketplace transparency, at a Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee hearing Tuesday.
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission sought Supreme Court review of the 8th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals decision that interconnected VoIP is an information service, in a case about whether the state may regulate Charter Communications cable phone service. The agency Wednesday filed a writ of certiorari in case No. 18A889. That was expected (see 1903040025).