Alpine PCS asked federal appeals judges to reverse the denial by the FCC of a waiver of its license-cancellation rule and overturn the commission’s later finding that the company was in default of its payment obligations from a 1996 auction. Alpine questioned why it was treated differently from NextWave, a huge player in the auction that was allowed to sell its licenses at a profit. Alpine said unless the FCC order is reversed, the company might owe the government $39 million. The FCC countered that it had followed its rules and asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to reject the challenge. Oral argument hasn’t been scheduled.
In an order Tuesday, the FCC extended the jurisdictional separations freeze for another year to June 30, 2011. This is the third time the commission has ordered a freeze on Part 36 category relationships and jurisdictional cost allocation factors adopted by the FCC in the 2001 Separations Freeze Order. The extension will “provide stability to carriers that must comply with the commission’s jurisdictional separations rules while the commission and the joint board undertake reform,” the order said. The FCC said lifting the freeze would “create undue instability and administrative burdens” while the commission considers an overhaul.
Expanding Lifeline and Link-Up programs to spur broadband adoption by those who can’t afford it should be part of comprehensive Universal Service Fund revamp legislation, said House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Rick Boucher, D-Va. At a hearing on the FCC’s adoption recommendations made in the National Broadband Plan, Boucher said he wants to work with Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., to integrate her adoption-focused USF bill with his own comprehensive USF bill. Boucher urged the FCC to accelerate its process to finalize details on an intended pilot program, saying the time frame for introducing his bill with Rep. Lee Terry, R-Neb., is “fairly near term.”
The California Public Utilities Commission approved two matching grants totaling $4.3 million to bring improved broadband service to the Central Valley and Mother Lode regions, it said May 6. The California Advanced Services Fund grants provide $1.2 million for the Audeamus Last Mile project in Fresno County and $3.1 million for the Mother Lode Broadband Project in Tuolumne, Calaveras, Alpine, Amador and Mariposa counties. The state grant would leverage federal funding awarded Audeamus earlier by the Broadband Initiatives Program under the ARRA broadband stimulus program, from which Audeamus got $2.7 million in grants and $2.7 million in loans. To get the state grant Audeamus must forego a portion of the federal loan equivalent to the state grant. The Mother Lode project, a creature of Telenational Communications and Mother Lode Internet, will increase access speeds for about 17,841 households in an area of some 525 square miles. The sponsor plans to complete its project within 20 months.
The FCC approved petitions by 21 cities, counties and states seeking waivers to move forward with statewide and regional interoperable wireless broadband networks using 700 MHz spectrum already assigned to public safety. Chairman Julius Genachowski had sought a quick vote on the order so public safety agencies have a chance for NTIA broadband stimulus grants, sources said. The order is noteworthy marks the first time that the FCC has imposed a technology standard, requiring that the systems use LTE. The order wasn’t a surprise: Public Safety Bureau Chief Jamie Barnett indicated in February that action on the waivers was coming.
Public Knowledge and the Consumer Federation of America called on the FCC to prohibit private meetings between representatives of groups and companies, on one hand, and commissioners and their aides on the other. The groups made the suggestion in comments on a notice of proposed rulemaking about changing the FCC’s ex parte rules. The commission approved the notice at its February meeting (CD Feb 19 p2).
The FCC Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau said it’s seeking comment on ways to help cellular customers avoid “bill shock.” Under a notice of inquiry, the bureau is considering ways to alert subscribers to charges before they add up. Bureau Chief Joel Gurin told reporters Tuesday that consumers should get better information “when it comes to all kinds of communications services."
TORONTO -- Despite new efforts by federal TV regulators to jump-start Canada’s digital TV transition, a growing number of industry experts are questioning the likelihood that the government’s Aug. 31, 2011, deadline for making the switchover from analog in larger markets will be met.
Limited writing by Elena Kagan, nominated Monday to the Supreme Court, about telecommunications, media and intellectual property law means there are few clues about how she would deal with these matters as a justice, lawyers said Monday. “There really isn’t much out there, and most of her articles are descriptive,” said Marvin Ammori, professor at University of Nebraska College of Law. “She discusses different ideas, versus arguing ‘here are the outcomes that should be achieved.’ You can’t really pin her down on which cases she approves of and which cases she doesn’t."
GENEVA -- U.N. agencies set up a broadband commission including FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski to spur the rollout of high-speed Internet access to reduce poverty and disease and to aid primary education, officials said. The commission of business, government and U.N. leaders aims to harness information and communications technology (ICT) to drive the global development agenda and help reach the Millennium Development Goals.