Recent legislative and regulatory rural call completion moves drew largely high marks from an FCBA panel Tuesday. Industry panelists said the Improving Rural Call Quality and Reliability Act signed into law would improve transparency by mandating the FCC require intermediate providers to register and meet service quality standards. Some also praised an April 17 commission order and Further NPRM (text) to replace "covered" long-distance provider data reporting requirements with oversight of intermediate provider performance, and to launch a rulemaking on the new law (see 1804170025 and 1804180025). But a rural telco official voiced concern the FCC shift could invite greater rural calling problems, and was less optimistic certain regulatory and technology transitions would largely address the issue.
Copyright and data privacy legislation will be major focuses for tech sector lobbying groups in coming months, and the software industry will push for passage of a government data transparency bill, industry representatives and lobbyists told us (see 1804200060 and 1804230061). Copyright stakeholders are preparing for consideration of at least three separate bills with tech implications. Expect legislators to explore baseline privacy legislation in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica privacy controversy, though it will be a significant undertaking, observers said.
The American Space Commerce Free Enterprise Act (HR-2809), which the House OK'ed Tuesday evening by voice vote, would sizably change how nontraditional space operations are governed, though issues of orbital debris oversight aren't clear, experts told us. The proposal to give Commerce much oversight that rested with the FAA is a major change that raises some concerns given lack of Commerce expertise, said Michael Listner, principal of the Space Law & Policy Solutions consultancy. House Space Subcommittee Chairman Brian Babin, R-Texas, tweeted the proposal is an "important step ... to secure America’s leadership in space [as it] declares America open for space business."
As she prepares to leave office Friday, FTC Commissioner Terrell McSweeny told us she’s hoping for swift action on the five nominees awaiting Senate confirmation (see 1804170058). McSweeny, a former domestic policy adviser to Vice President Joe Biden who has repeatedly advocated for better consumer data portability (see 1802220042), continues to seek more data control.
Any FCC moves to raise the national broadcast station ownership coverage cap or adjust the UHF discount in response to any unfavorable ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit would face a certain legal challenge, but some actions are more viable, attorneys and academics on both sides of the issue said in interviews. FCC action on the cap is seen as a possible countermove to any D.C. Circuit ruling against restoration of the UHF discount, which a three-judge panel appeared to view unfavorably Friday (see 1804200059). It’s not clear what the FCC will do, and most attorneys we asked doubt the agency’s leadership has yet decided anything. Any action to further adjust the UHF discount or alter the cap would likely face a tough time in court, said University of Minnesota School of Journalism assistant professor-media law Christopher Terry.
With a proposal on the 3.5 GHz band from FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly on revised rules for the 3.5 GHz citizens broadband radio service (CBRS) band seen imminent, industry officials said one by the Competitive Carriers Association and CTIA could be critical. The joint plan will face opposition from many groups that want the FCC to stick with current rules, which would license priority access licenses on census-tract basis everywhere.
Consumers have a mushrooming array of options for blocking or otherwise avoiding unwanted robocalls, but legitimate callers are increasingly caught up in those nets, robocall service vendors said Monday at an FCC/FTC expo on illegal robocall technology. Legitimate callers "are getting Heismaned" by robocall-blocking tech, said Deirdre Menard, Transaction Network Services director of product management.
Don’t cite state law to justify New York diversion of 911 fees for things not directly related to 911, an aide to FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly said Monday. O’Rielly and Rep. Chris Collins (R) condemned New York diversion Friday while visiting the Niagara County Emergency Management Office public safety answering point in Buffalo. A New York department said it uses fee revenue for first responder communications and state tax law prevents the state from using the money differently. But Niagara County Sheriff James Voutour said the policy keeps 911 funding from counties responsible for handling many emergency calls.
The FCC advisory committee on preparation for the 2019 meeting of the World Radiocommunication Conference fell short of reaching consensus on three agenda items approved Monday. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai spoke at the WRC Advisory Committee (WAC) meeting, assuring members the commission is watching closely and urging them to find consensus. The WAC formulates industry’s positions while a group coordinated by NTIA works with government agencies.
House Commerce Republican lawmakers are beginning to consider legislative vehicles for enacting broadband infrastructure bills championed in President Donald Trump’s February infrastructure proposal (see 1802120001), though they told us they're also still considering ways to advance stand-alone measures. House Digital Commerce Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta, R-Ohio, suggested earlier this month the possibility of lawmakers using a yet-to-be-introduced NTIA reauthorization bill as a vehicle (see 1804170059). Entities lobbying on the broadband infrastructure push remained relatively steady in Q1 compared with the previous quarter, though some lobbyists told us the rapid closing of the legislative window is narrowing lawmakers’ options for advancing bills in this Congress.