The Wireless Communications Association and the Ad Hoc BRS Applicants Association asked the FCC to keep minimum prices reasonable to encourage vigorous bidding in an auction of broadband radio service licenses in 78 markets. In April, the FCC sought comment on the rules for auction 86, scheduled to start Oct. 27. The Wireless Bureau proposed an across-the-board 1 cent per MHz/POP price for the spectrum in each market, and a minimum bid of $20,000 a license. Comments were due Friday.
The FCC can quickly approve a fifth network neutrality principle once it’s back to five members, acting Chairman Michael Copps said Thursday at a Free Press conference. He also backed quick work to reduce by two-thirds the license term of radio and TV stations and to approve localism rules. Copps criticized broadcasters and newspaper owners as not doing enough investigative journalism even as they face competition from new media.
Level 3 filed a petition at the FCC asking it to prohibit wireless carriers’ use of “inserted” competitive local exchange carriers to collect access fees that they would otherwise not be able to collect from long distance carriers. Level 3 said the use of these inserted CLECs violates several sections of the Communications Act. “Five years ago … the Commission made clear that CMRS carriers and the CLECs they selected could not work together to obtain access payments that exceeded the competing ILEC’s interstate rates for portions of a wireless originated call handled by the CLEC,” Level 3 said. “The Commission was clear that when a CLEC is providing access (i.e. transit) services at the behest of the CMRS carrier, the CLEC cannot use its ability to tariff access charges to charge for functions performed by the CMRS carrier. and not by the CLEC.” Notwithstanding the order, the company said, “Level 3 continues to be presented with demands by some CLECs … to pay access charges that far exceed the federal access rates that the ILEC would levy for performing the same functions for wireless-originated toll- free traffic.” - HB
Experts see uncertainties in completing the Verizon- Frontier $8.6 billion landline deal, but executives from both companies underlined their confidence about receiving all regulatory approvals in a year. Verizon also expects no impact on its forbearance case pending in federal court, it said. Verizon agreed to sell 4.8 million access lines in 14 states to Frontier, tripling Frontier’s size.
Small wireless supported a Corr Wireless petition asking the FCC to review a USAC decision that effectively decreased the level of funding available to competitive eligible telecom carriers under the interim funding cap, in filings at the FCC. The Universal Service Administrative Co. decided funds given up by Verizon Wireless after it purchased Alltel should no longer be counted as part of the fund.
A Washington public-relations firm filed a formal protest at the Government Accountability Office accusing the FCC of improperly awarding mega-agency Burson Marsteller a $3.5 million contract to provide DTV transition “consumer education and awareness campaign support services” through the analog cutoff June 12. The firm, Weber Merritt, confirmed the complaint Monday.
An FCC notice of inquiry about universal service high- cost support for non-rural carriers spurred old arguments for a USF overhaul, in comments at the commission last week. But the notice, which asks how the FCC should respond to a 2005 remand by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (CD April 9 p4), may address too narrow an issue to result in comprehensive reform, industry officials said. In 2005, the court called unlawful the FCC’s current non-rural rules, which address carriers like Qwest that serve high-cost areas with too many lines to be considered “rural” by the statutory definition.
IBM said it’s making $2 billion in loans available for projects that will be supported by federal stimulus spending. Organizations of all sizes “looking to implement technology projects consisting of a majority portion of IBM hardware, software and technology services components” are invited to apply for the money, the company said. IBM’s lending unit, IBM Global Financing, said the money can go to projects involving health IT, smart grid technologies or increasing broadband access. Applicants for federal broadband money are required to put up at least 20 percent of a project’s capital costs, putting stimulus out of the reach of many start-ups. ----
Small phone companies went to Capitol Hill Tuesday to make the case for legislation including broadband in the universal-service program. Another priority is having this year’s must-pass satellite measure change retransmission- consent rules to give small phone companies easier access to video programming. But lawmakers warned that communications issues face stiff competition for attention in a Congress focused on the economy, health care, energy and a Supreme Court nominee.
Public Safety Spectrum Trust Chairman Harlin McEwen remains optimistic about the prospects for a national public safety broadband network. The form the national pubic safety network will take remains unclear, McEwen said Tuesday at the Wireless Communications Association conference. It may not entail the kind of public-private partnership proposed during last year’s D-block auction.