APCO supported a proposal to require wireless carriers to disclose to potential customers at the point of sale whether they provide wireless emergency alerts, while public broadcaster representatives worried about costs. The FCC sought comment on additional changes as part of an NPRM approved in September, which accompanied an order making changes to the rules (see 1609290060). “Promoting consumer choice and providing better notice regarding WEA at the point of sale could lead to increased use of the system, which would benefit public safety,” APCO commented in docket 15-91. “Point of sale disclosures should include information such as how WEA capabilities vary by device, network technology, or geographic area. This is especially important for providers who elect to participate ‘in part.’” APCO also supported in general an FCC proposal to require carriers to file annual WEA performance reports. They would address geo-targeting, latency, availability and reliability. “Testing is fundamental to public safety communications, and the annual performance reports will increase transparency and improve the system’s trustworthiness and effectiveness,” APCO said. “For similar reasons, APCO supports the creation of a uniform format for alert logging and the collection of more detailed system integrity data.” Noncommercial broadcast stations can require updated or new equipment to continue receiving WEA messages if specifications change, said from PBS, CPB and America's Public Television Stations. The FCC should work to make sure federal funding remains available to cover "any reasonable costs" that public TV stations incur "to accommodate further changes to the specifications for WEA messages," the comments said. "PTV stations depend on funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce to cover the costs of updating their equipment or software to implement new capabilities required by the Commission with respect to the processing and transmission of WEA messages." Without the updates and the funding to make them, the public stations could be unable to receive WEA messages, they said.
Senate prospects for reconfirming Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel seemed to plummet Thursday, which would mean she would have to soon leave the FCC. The approval is believed to require filing for cloture, a timely process that no longer fits into expectations for the Senate’s remaining minimal time. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler committed to Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., earlier this week that he would resign immediately if it would ensure Rosenworcel’s confirmation, an agency spokesman confirmed.
It's surprising how many Lifeline providers opted for FCC broadband forbearance, said Norina Moy, Sprint director-government affairs, on an FCBA panel Tuesday. She said Sprint has begun offering Lifeline-supported broadband service to low-income customers, and it remains to be seen how much competition there will be. The National Hispanic Media Coalition was "troubled by the number of providers that asked for broadband forbearance," said Policy Counsel Carmen Scurato. Garnet Hanley, Wireline Bureau counsel, noted providers choosing forbearance could still offer Lifeline-supported broadband voluntarily.
Republican and Democratic senators flagged possible harms Wednesday that could arise from AT&T’s proposed buy of Time Warner. Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee Chairman Mike Lee, R-Utah, immediately sought to vet AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson’s predictions of lower prices, but also questioned deal opponent Gene Kimmelman, president of Public Knowledge. The $108.7 billion deal was announced in October and the nearly three-hour hearing was the first on its merits.
The Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council will meet Dec. 21, the FCC said in a notice in Tuesday's Federal Register. The meeting will be CSRIC's seventh under its current charter, which charges the council to work on issues such as cybersecurity and wireless alert platforms. CSRIC's charter is to expire March 18. The meeting is to begin at 1 p.m. in the Commission Meeting Room at FCC headquarters.
Sandwich Isles Communications faces $77 million in repayment duties and proposed fines from the FCC for violations and apparent violations of the USF high-cost program in Hawaii, with more repayments to come. The commission also ruled against SIC in a cost dispute with AT&T and the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA) over an undersea cable. The agency noted Sandwich Isles has continuing obligations to its customers and can't discontinue telecom service without express authorization.
Members of Senate leadership didn’t rule out a possible leadership-level deal under discussion to reconfirm FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel before Congress leaves in a matter of days. But the bipartisan Commerce Committee legislation stalled as a result of her holdup is likely doomed this session, its author and his principal telecom staffer said. A deal on Rosenworcel is believed to be the key to moving these bills through the Senate.
Consolidated Communications plans to buy FairPoint Communications in an all-stock transaction valued at about $1.5 billion, including debt, the companies said Monday. The combining of the midsized incumbent telcos is expected to close by mid-2017, subject to standard closing conditions, including federal and state regulatory approvals, they said, noting the boards of both companies already gave unanimous approvals. Analysts told us they don't expect major regulatory obstacles.
Most of the FCC's broadband privacy rules will take effect Jan. 3, said a summary of the agency's order published in the Federal Register Friday. Not yet taking effect are four sections of the order that contain information collection requirements that haven't been approved by the Office of Management and Budget. Another section, 64.2005, takes effect March 2. The FCC adopted the broadband privacy order 3-2 (see 1610270036), but it's seen as likely to be reversed after the Republican election victory (see 1611090034). The privacy order was based on the commission's reclassification of broadband under Title II of the Communications Act, which itself is seen as highly vulnerable .
A California probe into telecom market competition could foreshadow an increased state oversight role next year when the FCC changes political parties, officials said. Supporting a 5-0 decision Thursday by the California Public Utilities Commission, CPUC Commissioner Mike Florio said the state must aggressively oversee telecom due to the possibility of a weakened federal commission under a President Donald Trump. The CPUC ordered a staff report on competition, requiring communications providers to report data on voice and broadband subscribers and business data services. The commission flagged competitive bottlenecks in the telecom market and teed up a rulemaking on access to poles.