An anonymous hold has been placed on the renomination of FCC Chmn. Martin for another term, Senate sources said Fri. But committee sources said it’s likely the Senate will vote on Martin’s post next week. The nomination was “hotlined” Thurs. -- a procedure in which senators’ offices are contacted for an up-or-down vote. An objection was lodged during that process, halting movement toward a unanimous consent vote, Senate sources said. A hold is a common, though sometimes controversial, mechanism members use to exert leverage for issues, sometimes unrelated to the nomination, they are concerned about.
The FCC should publicize all reports it has done or commissioned on changing media ownership rules, Comrs. Copps and Adelstein said during a teleconference about a minority ownership study released by Free Press. “The time is right now for the Commission to step up to the plate and explain all the research they have undertaken on this topic, whether it was released, suppressed, begun, finished or half- finished,” Copps said. FCC reports disclosed by Sen. Boxer (D- Cal.) (CD Sept. 19 p1) have raised enough doubt to cast a shadow over Commission research, he said: “We don’t know if the data that’s being used by the Commission to make its decision is credible or totally uncredible. This is the time for FCC research in the sunshine.”
Some industry groups are using an FCC notice of proposed rulemaking on USF contribution methodology to argue for moving to a number-based method of calculating payments -- a question the FCC never raised, NASUCA claimed. The VON Coalition, CTIA and other groups said tweaks to current methodology will fall far short of needed reform.
BOSTON -- FCC Comr. Tate made a surprise Mon. visit to the VON conference, asking VoIP industry help in guarding kids from inappropriate video programming. Tate told the group she was at the conference “in a listening and learning mode.” But since VoIP providers’ entry into video is a conference theme, maybe the industry “could help us provide tools for parents as you get into video,” she said. Tate knows the issue hadn’t been raised with industry, but it’s important to keep in mind in considering provision of video, she said.
The new public safety mesh network in Providence won’t operate over the 4.9 GHz band allocated by the FCC and DHS for public safety, but that’s not surprising, according to experts who spoke with Communications Daily this week. Because of the poor propagation characteristics of that band, Providence and other cities are choosing other bands for their networks, they said. Some expressed concern that the lack of a national standard could cause trouble down the road for any planned nationally interoperable network.
FCC Chmn. Martin gives great weight to opinions from top advisers who, in the eyes of many, play more crucial a role in Commission work than predecessors in previous administrations. While others vie for the list, here, based on numerous interviews with former and current FCC officials, is Martin’s inner circle:
Regulated carriers can report subscribers transmitting apparent child porn without violating requirements that they protect customer proprietary network information (CPNI), the FCC said. Reports go to the CyberTipLine run by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). The FCC made the clarification in the order released late Wed. on its own initiative, it said.
The N.C. Utilities Commission no longer will run state- level reviews of mergers and acquisitions among competitive telecom carriers. The NCUC amended its rules to allow such mergers to close upon receiving required federal approvals. The NCUC was responding to a Level 3 Communications petition saying it was time to drop legacy merger approval requirements set when telecom service was a monopoly. Under the new policy, competitive carriers must file information about the merger transaction with the NCUC, and file another notice when the merger closes. The NCUC retains the right to make post-closing inquiries and take any action needed to guard consumer interests such as setting conditions on state operating authority. The NCUC in Case P-100, Sub 163 rejected BellSouth suggestions for merger notices to all incumbents with which the competitive carriers interconnect, and hearings should 3rd parties raise public interest concerns. It concluded the proposed changes would contradict the rule changes’ intent.
AT&T accused CTIA of trying to gain special privileges for wireless carriers, in its comments on a rulemaking released with the final report of the Independent Panel Reviewing the Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Communications Networks. AT&T also took issue with NENA’s contention that all 911 system service providers should be required to analyze the redundancy of their 911 networks and tell the FCC about possible gaps.
Sen. DeWine (R-Ohio) is in a tough race against Rep. Sherrod Brown (R-Ohio), elected to the House in 1992. Active on telecom, intellectual property, software and piracy, DeWine chairs the Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee. He’s considered slightly friendlier to cable than to Bells, industry sources said. Still, the communications industry is pouring money into his campaign, as it is into that of Sen. Allen (R-Va.). The point is to maintain stability on Judiciary and the Senate Commerce Committee, on which Allen serves, sources said.