Telco, cable and electric company interests cited their efforts to restore services in the Florida Panhandle hammered by Hurricane Michael in October. Recovery was slowed by the magnitude of the devastation and coordination difficulties, and service remains out in some areas, they commented, posted through Tuesday responding to an FCC Public Safety Bureau public notice in docket 18-339 (see 1811160050).
Senate Intelligence Committee reports put malicious Instagram activity on Congress’ radar, lawmakers told us this week. One finding was continued meddling by Russia’s Internet Research Agency (see 1812170036). Lawmakers said such activity isn't surprising.
Charter Communications will pay $62.5 million in direct refunds to consumers to settle a New York lawsuit that alleged wide disparity between the former Time Warner Cable’s advertised and actual internet speeds, New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood (D) said Tuesday. The AG said it’s the largest consumer payout by an ISP in U.S. history, and the settlement could be worth $174.2 million including the value of premium channels and streaming services the company plans to provide free. Charter’s separate negotiation with New York over the Public Service Commission revoking TWC deal OK over allegedly missed broadband deployment commitments (see 1812110022) continue and is the bigger worry for Wall Street, said MoffettNathanson analyst Craig Moffett.
The FCC could soon address intercarrier compensation "arbitrage," said two FCBA panelists Tuesday. The commission is taking the issues seriously in a proceeding "ripe" for action, said Matthew Nodine, AT&T assistant vice president-federal regulatory. He's hopeful the commission acts in a "very quick time frame" to curb arbitrage "schemes" that generate carrier payments. Moderator Philip Macres of Klein Law suggested the agency could look to act in Q1. The FCC didn't comment.
FCC approval of Gray’s buy of Raycom is likely around the corner, said attorneys and industry watchers. OK is presaged by DOJ’s support last week (see 1812140019) and by FCC Monday rejection (see 1812170044) of a 7-year-old appeal of an even older Raycom transaction in Hawaii. “It sure looks like they’re clearing the decks to approve the deal,” said Garvey Schubert's Lawrence Miller.
A second hold placed last week on Senate confirmation of FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr to a full five-year term has at least considerably hindered the prospects for the chamber to approve him and Democratic FCC nominee Geoffrey Starks this year, lawmakers and lobbyists said in interviews. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., placed a hold on Carr because of the FCC's decision to suspend the window for responding to Mobility Fund Phase II challenges (see 1812140047). Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, placed an ongoing hold on Carr earlier this year over concerns about FCC handling of the USF Rural Health Care Program (see 1809130059). Senate leaders intend to move the nominees as a pair.
FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr and wireless carriers cheered after an FCC order persuaded the California Public Utilities Commission not to move ahead on a Jan. 10 vote on a proposal to affirm text messaging is subject to state USF and other “public purpose program” surcharges. Last week’s FCC order classifying wireless texting as an information service (see 1812120043), plus negative public attention in the media, contributed to the state agency scuttling the item, observers said. The CPUC could legally revive the plan, said NARUC and California consumer groups.
The war of words between municipalities and MVPDs escalated over whether local franchise authorities can continue public, educational and government programming obligations in addition to a 5 percent U.S. cap on LFA charges. The fight led to what stakeholders said appears to be the first study estimating LFA potential costs, filed with the FCC days after its new economics office opened (see 1812110036). The NCTA-backed economic analysis by Compass Lexecon said such additional fees can run into the billions of dollars annually. The group and others claim broadband deployment could be stifled because such fees can eat up industry spending.
The FCC extended by up to six years a freeze on federal-state jurisdictional separations -- of telco costs and revenue -- set to expire Dec. 31. That's longer than recent extensions but shorter than apparently proposed in a draft order (see 1811140033). It was a compromise sought by Commissioner Brendan Carr after Commissioner Mike O'Rielly, federal-state joint board chairman, pushed a 15-year extension proposed in an NPRM that state regulators opposed (see 1807180059).
The C-Band Alliance (CBA) proposal for that spectrum may be gaining steam, but questions remain about what’s next for the FCC on this key mid-band swath. Any approach likely will face significant opposition, based on replies last week that show no emerging consensus (see 1812120010). The alliance has some optimism.