It’s “unacceptable” the FCC hasn’t publicly shared information on the scope of its investigation into wireless carrier geolocation data collection and sharing practices (see 1903200053), said Umair Javed, aide to Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, at an FCBA event Thursday. Though the probe has taken the better part of a year, the public remains in the dark about how the agency is working to protect data, he said.
A USTelecom initiative aims to improve broadband data and mapping, starting with a pilot in Virginia and Missouri. It will use "modern-data analytics" to develop a "comprehensive database of all broadband serviceable locations in our two pilot states -- and a road map for a collaborative government-led effort to expand the system nationwide," said CEO Jonathan Spalter at an event Thursday. He said ITTA, the Wireless ISP Association, USTelecom members and others will participate. The coalition hopes the mapping effort will be "useful in the FCC’s quest to modernize its broadband data collection process, and supportive of other related federal and state initiatives," he said.
The U.S, accomplished what it needed at the recent Conference Preparatory Meeting (CPM) for the 2019 World Radiocommunication Conference, despite later concerns (see 1903010042), said Franz Zichy, a State Department engineer, at a Thursday FCBA event. The next big step is the final Inter-American Telecommunication Commission prep meeting in Ottawa in August, speakers said.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said the April 12 commissioners’ meeting will focus on 5G for a second straight month. It includes the public notice for the auction of the 37, 39 and 47 GHz bands and a plan for sharing the 37 GHz band between industry and DOD. 5G is “the next big thing in wireless,” Pai blogged. He plans votes on nixing a rural telco USF rate floor and granting part of a USTelecom forbearance petition seeking ILEC relief from certain structural-separation and reporting duties. And there's a media modernization item, among others in the pipeline (see 1903210072).
The U.S. needs bright-line regulation prohibiting data throttling and paid prioritization, Public Knowledge Senior Counsel John Bergmayer told the FTC. An industry-related speaker fired back, arguing that self-regulation is the approach.
Google breached EU antitrust law by hampering rivals from placing search advertisements on websites, the European Commission said. It fined the company 1.49 billion euros, the third time it slapped massive penalties on Google for abusive behavior. The almost $1.7 billion fine takes account of the seriousness and long duration of Google's actions (2006-2016), said Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager at a Wednesday briefing. She acknowledged the company has made positive changes to its conduct related to Search and Android. Google said it will continue to give rivals more visibility.
FirstNet is developing a road map to enhance its network, “which will be driven by the needs of the public safety community,” officials said Wednesday during the board’s quarterly meeting, streamed from Jackson, Mississippi. Chairman Edward Horowitz and other FirstNet officials said the network’s primary goal is to be as useful as it can be for public safety agencies that subscribe.
Nexstar and Tribune announced specific divestiture plans to unload 19 stations in 15 markets to Tegna and E.W. Scripps in connection with Nexstar's proposed buy of Tribune, said Nexstar Wednesday. The sale would yield $1.32 billion cash. Nexstar CEO Perry Sook earlier estimated the company would divest around $1 billion in TV stations to comply with FCC ownership rules. Opposition comments this week argued the proposed deal wasn’t yet “ripe” for review because specific divestiture plans hadn't been disclosed (see 1903190054).
State bills to empower electric rural cooperatives to get into broadband are getting support in red states with large underserved rural areas. Mississippi enacted a measure in January (see 1901300026). Bills are on the move in states including Georgia, Texas and Oklahoma. Conservative lawmakers appear to find co-ops more palatable than municipalities as non-telecom entities delivering broadband service, agreed a supporter and an opponent of muni broadband.
After a "disappointing" outcome from its challenge of AT&T's buy of Time Warner, DOJ will seek court approval to bifurcate some antitrust trials into liability and remedy phases, agency antitrust chief Makan Delrahim said at the annual summit of America's Communication Association -- formerly the American Cable Association (see 1903200021). "It's never fun to lose, but you learn more from losing than from winning," Delrahim said. Separately, FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly criticized Justice for not updating its media market definitions from what he said were antiquated silos.