House Communications Subcommittee members voiced strong support during a Tuesday hearing for the Extending America’s Spectrum Auction Leadership Act (HR-7783) and two NTIA-focused spectrum bills, echoing expected backing from Wiley’s Anna Gomez and CommScope Business Development and Spectrum Policy Director Mark Gibson (see 2205230061). Lawmakers broadly supported elements of the Safe Connections Act (HR-7132), but opinions on the Ensuring Phone and Internet Access for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Recipients Act (HR-4275) divided along party lines.
The FCC repeated its request that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit hold Consumers' Research's challenge to the Q4 USF contribution factor in abeyance, after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit's decision to proceed with a similar challenge, said a letter Friday in case 21-3886 (see 2203020033). The agency said the parties can "suggest how the case in this court should proceed" after the 5th Circuit's ruling and the FCC's USF report. It also asked the court to reject Consumers' Research's request that the FCC respond to the group's agency comment within 30 days, saying Consumers' Research "effectively seek[s] a writ of mandamus" without attempting to "justify such extraordinary relief" or providing a basis to "override the FCC's broad discretion to order its proceedings."
Consumers' Research asked the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to deny the FCC's motion to hold its challenge to the Q4 USF contribution factor in abeyance or order the FCC to respond to its agency comments within 30 days, said a letter Wednesday in case 21-3886 (see 2201140051). The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied a similar motion Wednesday from the FCC on Consumers' Research's challenge to the USF Q1 contribution factor in case 22-60008.
Commenters on the Universal Service Fund generally agreed its funding system is unsustainable and in need of changes but disagreed on the solution, in comments posted Friday in docket 21-476 (see 2112220051) as the FCC prepares its report to Congress on the future of USF.
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied a Consumers' Research motion for an extension to file its initial brief in its challenge to the FCC Q4 USF contribution factor as moot, said a letter Friday in case 21-3886 (see 2201130030). Briefing was temporarily held in abeyance until the FCC motion to hold the case in abeyance is resolved, the letter said. An attorney for Consumers' Research didn't comment.
Consumers' Research sought a 14-day extension, until Feb. 9, to file its initial brief for its challenge to the FCC Q4 USF contribution factor, in a motion Thursday before the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in case 21-3886. It said the motion was unopposed by the FCC and intervening groups. It "makes little sense" to "push forward on an extensive brief raising numerous very significant constitutional issues about a multi-billion-dollar government program when the case may be stayed anyway," Consumers' Research said. The FCC recently sought to have the case be held in abeyance until it completes its report to Congress on the future of USF (see 2201110075).
Hold Consumers' Research's challenge of USF's Q4 contribution factor in abeyance until the FCC issues its report to Congress on the future of USF, the agency asked the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, per a filing Tuesday in case 21-3866 (see 2111180018). The report "should address petitioners’ arguments with respect to the lawfulness of the FCC’s rules and procedures for adopting the universal service contribution factor," the agency said: Consumers' Research opposed the motion and interveners supported it.
Reject USF's Q1 contribution factor and set it at zero, said Consumers' Research, Cause Based Commerce and others in comments posted Wednesday in FCC docket 96-45 (see 2112130050). It's "an unconstitutional tax raised and spent by an unaccountable federal agency," the groups said, asking the agency to "do the same for all future proposed Universal Service contribution factors due to the illegality of this entire scheme and process." Consumers' Research challenged the Q4 contribution factor in October (see 2110050056).
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted a motion to intervene in Consumers Research's challenge of the FCC's USF Q4 contribution factor, in an order posted Thursday in case 21-3886 (see 2111010070). Filing the petition were the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, National Digital Inclusion Alliance, Center for Media Justice, Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition, USTelcom, NTCA and the Competitive Carriers Association. The groups are allowed to file intervener briefs and "any determination regarding oral argument, including time allotted, if any, to the intervenors are reserved to the ultimate merits panel," the order said.
As states prepare for a significant role spending broadband funds from the bipartisan infrastructure bill, telecom industry representatives cautioned NARUC Tuesday against applying traditional telephone rules. “States will have a bigger role than they’ve ever had before” since the infrastructure package includes $42.5 billion for broadband deployment that NTIA will distribute to states, said Verizon Director-Public Policy Paul Vasington on a livestreamed, partially virtual NARUC conference panel. State commissioners asked companies to do more to help them resolve customer complaints.