An FCC declaratory order to clarify wireless messaging as a Title I information service, rather than a more regulated telecom service, appears headed to a 3-1 vote Wednesday, with a dissent expected by Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, industry officials said. Twilio sought Communications Act Title II classification for texting in 2015, after the FCC classified broadband as a Title II service (see 1510130040).
The administration will soon publish public comments on the update to the National Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Strategic Plan expected in early spring, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Assistant Director-Artificial Intelligence Lynne Parker said Tuesday. The administration is pleased overall with the strategic plan inherited from the previous administration, Parker told an Information Technology and Innovation Foundation event. The overwhelming majority of comments are positive, she said: “We don’t need to overhaul the original plan.” The federal government can’t ignore significant AI investment from industry and R&D gaps, she said.
Talks with the telecom industry could resolve a McAllen, Texas, lawsuit challenging the state’s small-cells law, local officials told us this week. Texas is defending the 2017 law pre-empting local governments in the right of way (ROW) from a state court challenge by McAllen and a federal court challenge by Austin (see 1710040044). A Michigan bill awaiting gubernatorial clearance could be the next state small-cells law to be challenged in court by localities, said Kitch local government attorney Mike Watza.
FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly wants to act on liability under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, possibly in a reassigned phone number draft order targeted for the Dec. 12 commissioners' meeting. He backed a draft order to classify SMS and other wireless messaging as Communications Act Title I information services, generally supported a draft order to increase rural telco USF funding and suggested he might soon push for changes to the agency’s administrative law judge process. He spoke to reporters after a Phoenix Center event Tuesday at which he discussed his municipal broadband speech concerns, kidvid efforts and broader process proposals. Also there, supporters of the FCC Title I reversal of Title II net neutrality regulation voiced confidence it will be upheld in court.
Defining "deferred transmission" is the key stumbling block in talks on a World Intellectual Property Organization treaty updating broadcaster protections against signal piracy, said Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights Chair Daren Tang during the Nov. 26-30 meeting. SCCR delegations need a "very, very firm discussion at the next round" of negotiations on deferred transmissions, said Tang, CEO of the Singapore Intellectual Property Office. He floated a revised consolidated document that for the first time gathers all proposals in one text. Stakeholders have some optimism but said more work remains.
Chairman Ajit Pai and Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel clashed over the FCC denying media outlets Freedom of Information Act requests for data about who was commenting in last year's net neutrality proceeding. "What is the Federal Communications Commission hiding?" Rosenworcel asked in a statement Monday accompanying the order. Pai called Rosenworcel's critique "partisan gamesmanship."
Nexstar agreed to buy Tribune for $6.4 billion, they said Monday. The fate of Tribune has been a focus of speculation since its sale to Sinclair collapsed. To stay under the 39 percent national TV-station ownership cap, the deal will include divestitures “approaching $1 billion, plus or minus,” said Nexstar CEO Perry Sook on a conference call. Nexstar is “very focused on complying with the current rules” and isn’t seeking to wait on a revised national cap or change to the UHF discount to get the deal done and approved speedily, he said.
Artificial intelligence will have major ramifications economy-wide, potentially revolutionizing the communications industry, Chairman Ajit Pai said. At an FCC event, he urged “regulatory humility” when dealing with emerging technology, as micromanagement would be “foolish or counterproductive.”
With the FCC eyeing what it calls "fundamental changes" to its local cable rate regulation framework, most lawyers with local franchise authority (LFA) experience and locality allies we talked to said this is likely the agency looking for an easy target in its deregulation quest. A minority view believes cord cutting could be raising fears LFAs could soon end up in position to re-regulate cable franchises, and the FCC is tackling those little-employed rules before then. Commissioners launched a Further NPRM at October's meeting that would revise the agency's cable rate rules regime for basic tier regulation by LFAs (see 1810230037).
Cities may face an uphill battle convincing the 10th Circuit to transfer appeals of the FCC’s September infrastructure order to the 9th Circuit, said experts Friday. San Jose and other municipalities sought transfer in a Thursday motion (in Pacer) that questioned use of a judicial lottery to select the 10th Circuit. They argued Portland, Oregon’s 9th Circuit appeal of the August order pre-empting moratoriums should establish venue for appeals of the September order setting shot clocks and rate ceilings.