Tech and telco groups disagreed about USTelecom's petition for reconsideration of calling party notification and blocked call list requirements, in comments posted Monday in docket 17-59 (see 2105200074). Lumen said requirements should exclude legacy networks because it's "unclear whether those systems are technically capable of accommodating such a notification." The Voice on the Net Coalition agreed and said the FCC should confirm that calls blocked by a subscriber through anonymous call rejection or Do Not Disturb don't fall under the session initiation protocol (SIP) response code requirements. The Ad Hoc Telecom Users Committee disagreed: "Introducing carrier discretion as to the type of notification will only increase confusion for legitimate callers." Incompas and the Cloud Communications Alliance said such flexibility "is exactly what the commission sought to avoid by prescribing standardized uniform notifications." The groups opposed extending January's deadline for notification implementation. USTelecom's petition "does not explain how a different form of notification would be superior to use of the SIP codes," said the American Bankers Association, National Retail Federation and others.
AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon agreed to start providing vertical-location information where available on all calls to 911 nationwide within seven days, to implement compliance plans, and to each pay a $100,000 fine, the FCC said Thursday. Public safety groups applauded the action. The agency's two Republican members were upset over process and technological issues.
The California Public Utilities Commission shared proposed resolutions on California LifeLine and inmate calling services for its Thursday meeting. Commissioners plan to vote on a resolution to comply with a May 5 order (in Pacer) by U.S. District Court for Northern California (case 3:20-cv-08312-MMC) that granted the National Lifeline Association’s request to stop the agency from implementing a zero dollar co-pay for basic and standard LifeLine plans. The proposed resolution would rescind that: “Wireless providers may file a Tier 2 advice letter if they wish to charge a co-pay for these plans, subject to review for affordability and compliance with program rules.” The CPUC would comment at the FCC supporting the federal agency lowering “the extremely high cost of communications for inmates and their loved ones.” The FCC sought comment on permanent rate caps in a May 24 (see 2105240055). The CPUC is weighing lowering intrastate ICS rates (see 2105030059). Also Friday, the commission sought comment by July 2, replies July 19 in its broadband-for-all rulemaking (docket R.20-09-001) on three digital redlining studies by the Greenlining Institute; University of Southern California; and Communications Workers of America and National Digital Inclusion Alliance.
President Joe Biden proposed substantial budget increases Friday for the FCC, FTC and most tech-focused agencies within the Commerce and Justice departments for FY 2022, in documents released Friday. The administration proposed a smaller increase for the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and would keep CPB's funding at $475 million.
Drafts released Thursday revealed details of what acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel wants FCC colleagues to vote on at the members' June 17 meeting. On letting companies market RF devices pending FCC authorization, a draft would allow a greater number of the products than initially suggested. CTA sought limited marketing and sales of wireless devices to consumers before they're authorized.
The FCC will launch a proceeding aimed at increasing telecom security by making changes to its equipment authorization rules and competitive bidding procedures “to help keep insecure devices off the market,” acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said Wednesday. Commissioners will also take up a proposal sought by CTA allowing the limited marketing and sales of wireless devices to consumers before equipment authorization. All the items are to be voted at the June 17 commissioners' meeting.
A state bill to authorize broadband and VoIP oversight by the New York Public Service Commission cleared the Assembly Corporations Commission at a livestreamed Tuesday hearing. The PSC would gain authority on broadband infrastructure resiliency, public safety and data collection under the bill (AB-7412), which goes next to Ways and Means Committee. The Republican side voted no and raised concerns about possible federal preemption and state-by-state regulation discouraging investment. Lawmakers learned in a recent storm that there's “very little regulation and ... we could use some,” said Chair Amy Paulin (D). The proposed law might end up in court like New York’s recent affordable broadband requirement (see 2105180044), said Paulin: she hopes the court will side with consumers. AARP, Consumer Reports and Communications Workers of America support AB-7412. The committee also split by party to clear AB-2396 to direct the PSC to set reasonable rates for cable and broadband pole attachments. It goes next to the Rules Committee.
House Commerce Committee ranking member Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and Communications Subcommittee ranking member Bob Latta, R-Ohio, pressed committee Democrats Tuesday to set an FCC oversight hearing on implementation of the $7.17 Emergency Connectivity Fund and $3.2 billion emergency broadband benefit. EBB and ECF “could be subject to waste, fraud, and abuse,” Latta and Rodgers said in a letter including to Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J. “The Commission still is without a permanent Chair and short-handed with only four commissioners.” The GOP leaders want the committee hearing to examine what they view as acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel’s “lack” of “commitment to free speech.” They cited the letter Reps. Anna Eshoo and Jerry McNerney, both D-Calif., sent providers in February asking them to justify carrying Fox News, Newsmax and One America News Network (see 2102220068). Rosenworcel “ignored” Commerce Republicans’ “request that she denounce efforts of these Federal government officials to silence speech,” Latta and Rodgers said. Commerce Democrats and the FCC didn’t comment. The committee's last FCC oversight hearing was in September (see 2009170068).
Ossia wireless power firm taps Jim Cottrell, ex-HP, to lead regulatory efforts as senior director-regulatory compliance ... Comcast adds Toni Beck, ex-NextDecade, as vice president-external affairs, Houston Region ... Liberty Global and Digital Colony creating AtlasEdge Data Centres in transaction they expect to close in Q3, with industry executive Josh Joshi to be AtlasEdge executive chairman ... Hearst Television promotes Andrew Vrees to president-general manager, WMUR-TV Manchester, New Hampshire, succeeding Jeff Bartlett, retiring this summer.
The FCC seems unlikely to backtrack on last year’s 5-0 order splitting 5.9 GHz between Wi-Fi and auto safety (see 2011180043). Commissioner Brendan Carr considers this a key early test of the commission’s resolve to stick with controversial decisions (see 2105130064). Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg expressed concerns, similar to those in the last administration (see 2103250071).