Ajit Pai -- in his first public speech as FCC head -- highlighted robocalls and closing the digital divide as his top consumer issues. “The focus of this committee really is where the rubber meets the road in terms of the FCC’s mission,” he said at the opening of an Consumer Advisory Committee meeting Friday. As he did in recent meetings with commission stakeholders and to the agency's staff, he talked of his plan mentioned also in a September speech to help close the digital divide (see 1701230058). Also at the CAC meeting, NAB General Counsel Patrick McFadden repeated the promises of the next TV transition to ATSC 3.0.
The Federal Aviation Administration's delay in releasing proposed regulations for drone flights over people, which was expected at the end of December, now is seen as caught up in President Donald Trump's sweeping order to suspend new federal regulations. Some in the commercial drone community are worried any further postponement could adversely affect the industry's growth.
The Federal Aviation Administration's delay in releasing proposed regulations for drone flights over people, which was expected at the end of December, now is seen as caught up in President Donald Trump's sweeping order to suspend new federal regulations. Some in the commercial drone community are worried any further postponement could adversely affect the industry's growth.
President Donald Trump’s immigration executive order Friday blocking citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. for 90 days awakened an outcry in the tech industry over the weekend. The order "hurts our nation -- both morally and economically -- and runs counter to our country's long-standing values,” CTA President Gary Shapiro said in a Sunday statement. CTA understands the president’s “superseding role” in protecting the U.S. from terrorism, Shapiro said. But "blocking access en masse of employees of U.S. companies who are lawful visa and green card holders based on religion or national origin raises constitutional issues.”
President Donald Trump’s immigration executive order Friday blocking citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. for 90 days awakened an outcry in the tech industry over the weekend. The order "hurts our nation -- both morally and economically -- and runs counter to our country's long-standing values,” CTA President Gary Shapiro said in a Sunday statement. CTA understands the president’s “superseding role” in protecting the U.S. from terrorism, Shapiro said. But "blocking access en masse of employees of U.S. companies who are lawful visa and green card holders based on religion or national origin raises constitutional issues.”
President Donald Trump’s immigration executive order Friday blocking citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. for 90 days awakened an outcry in the tech industry over the weekend. The order "hurts our nation -- both morally and economically -- and runs counter to our country's long-standing values,” CTA President Gary Shapiro said in a Sunday statement. CTA understands the president’s “superseding role” in protecting the U.S. from terrorism, Shapiro said. But "blocking access en masse of employees of U.S. companies who are lawful visa and green card holders based on religion or national origin raises constitutional issues.”
Despite pressure on Congress to address ISP privacy rules through the Congressional Review Act, new FCC Chairman Ajit Pai is more likely to address the rules procedurally, by acting on a petition for reconsideration, industry officials said. A Capitol Hill source said a procedural fix would have the advantage of being relatively quiet and not provoke the same public backlash as a fight in Congress. Pai spent part of this week, his first in the new job, meeting with outside stakeholders from industry and elsewhere.
Despite pressure on Congress to address ISP privacy rules through the Congressional Review Act, new FCC Chairman Ajit Pai is more likely to address the rules procedurally, by acting on a petition for reconsideration, industry officials said. A Capitol Hill source said a procedural fix would have the advantage of being relatively quiet and not provoke the same public backlash as a fight in Congress. Pai spent part of this week, his first in the new job, meeting with outside stakeholders from industry and elsewhere.
APCO and the National Emergency Number Association supported a petition by Onvoy Spectrum, which is seeking to directly obtain pseudo-automatic number identifications (p-ANI) for use in its 911 technology for data-only devices using over-the-top VoIP. The FCC Wireline Bureau issued a notice in December seeking comment (see 1612230019). Onvoy is developing a new capability for a VoIP app to contact 911 from devices not tied into a wireless carrier network, APCO said. “APCO is encouraged by Onvoy’s efforts, because there is presently no 9-1-1 solution for such OTT mobile applications, and Onvoy appears to be addressing a number of important 9-1-1-related considerations,” APCO commented in docket 13-97. “It is in the public interest for the Commission to grant appropriate waiver relief to enable Onvoy to continue to pursue further testing of its OTT VoIP 9-1-1 solution.” In separate comments, NENA said it "cannot fault Neustar for attempting to establish sensible criteria for the evaluation of requests for wireless p-ANI resources. Clearly some gating criteria must be established for this purpose. As a practical matter, however, there is little to no technical difference between wireless and VoIP p-ANI resources. [Wireless] and VoIP technologies are rapidly converging, and approaches such as Onvoy’s, which enables dynamic location capabilities for VoIP services, are a natural part of that convergence.” Neustar administers the p-ANI pool.
APCO and the National Emergency Number Association supported a petition by Onvoy Spectrum, which is seeking to directly obtain pseudo-automatic number identifications (p-ANI) for use in its 911 technology for data-only devices using over-the-top VoIP. The FCC Wireline Bureau issued a notice in December seeking comment (see 1612230019). Onvoy is developing a new capability for a VoIP app to contact 911 from devices not tied into a wireless carrier network, APCO said. “APCO is encouraged by Onvoy’s efforts, because there is presently no 9-1-1 solution for such OTT mobile applications, and Onvoy appears to be addressing a number of important 9-1-1-related considerations,” APCO commented in docket 13-97. “It is in the public interest for the Commission to grant appropriate waiver relief to enable Onvoy to continue to pursue further testing of its OTT VoIP 9-1-1 solution.” In separate comments, NENA said it "cannot fault Neustar for attempting to establish sensible criteria for the evaluation of requests for wireless p-ANI resources. Clearly some gating criteria must be established for this purpose. As a practical matter, however, there is little to no technical difference between wireless and VoIP p-ANI resources. [Wireless] and VoIP technologies are rapidly converging, and approaches such as Onvoy’s, which enables dynamic location capabilities for VoIP services, are a natural part of that convergence.” Neustar administers the p-ANI pool.