Some want more clarity about the FCC's role regulating broadband, said comments posted through Tuesday. The agency asked to refresh dockets including 17-287, on how broadband service's reclassification as an information, not telecom, service affects authority over Lifeline, pole attachment agreements and public safety. Commenters disagreed whether the FCC should reconsider based on the public safety considerations.
President Donald Trump renewed his support Tuesday for efforts to include broadband funding in a fourth major COVID-19 legislative package, amid continued Capitol Hill interest in addressing broadband in future pandemic-related measures. The fortunes of broadband funding as part of future pandemic-related bills fluctuated in the weeks since Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, the most recent aid bill (see 2003270058). Many tech and telecom entities listed proposals to include broadband funding in HR-748 and future aid legislation as one of the issues they lobbied the Hill on during Q1.
Disney, Huawei and ViacomCBS were among telecom and tech entities reporting increased Q1 lobbying spending by Monday afternoon. Microsoft, NAB and the Telecommunications Industry Association showed declines over the same period in 2019.
The “past few weeks” have seen a “dramatic drop” in robocall reports FTC Consumer Protection Bureau Director Andrew Smith said Monday, citing COVID-19’s economic disruption as one potential reason. Many robocalls originate in India, and stay-at-home orders might be affecting the volume, he told the American Bar Association, noting the agency’s recent warning letters with the FCC against VoIP service providers (see 2004030052). When the FTC acts against VoIP providers, it sees measurable drops in robocall volume, which shows existing laws are helping, he said.
AT&T told members of Congress’ Commerce and Judiciary committees it’s working to address expected customer upheaval once the latest Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act reauthorization law takes effect, including informing some DirecTV subscribers they will lose access to stations after May 31. STELA set that deadline for satellite providers using the distant-signal license to serve all 210 designated market areas (see 1912190068). Congress “can avoid having customers deal with these issues during” the COVID-19 pandemic “by delaying the new law’s June 1 effective date until January 1, 2021,” AT&T emailed to lawmakers. Public Knowledge and some others interpret the message as a bid to delay STELA’s start.
The FCC commissioners' approval of the long-pending Ligado plan for terrestrial use of its L-band spectrum (see 2004200011) might not be the end of the proceeding, since a legal appeal is considered possible by some proceedings watchers. The 5-0 approval of the order was announced Monday, but the order wasn't released. An FCC official said it was approved as circulated and there were no changes to the draft order.
The FCC appears to be split 3-2 on the 5G Fund NPRM, scheduled for a vote Thursday. Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks are said to be concerned about Chairman Ajit Pai's proposed approach. Rosenworcel questioned that approach when it was unveiled earlier this month (see 2004010065).
Internet regulation has a good shot following the COVID-19 pandemic, said California Public Utilities Commission officials Friday on a Santa Clara University High Tech Law Institute webinar. The virus forcing people to stay at home shows the internet is a “basic utility” that “needs to be regulated,” said Commissioner Martha Guzman Aceves. Sen. Scott Wiener (D), author of California’s still-unenforced net neutrality law, rallied supporters to keep fighting despite litigation.
There’s wide consensus COVID-19 tracing apps should be voluntary, and developers should follow guidelines for collecting, retaining and deleting data. The American Civil Liberties Union (see 2004160047) and the European Commission released similar proposals Thursday for protecting data. Privacy attorneys we interviewed largely agreed.
The FCC-proposed satellite operator indemnification requirement that has been challenged by operators (see 2004140052) is likely moving from the orbital debris draft order on commissioners' Thursday agenda to the accompanying Further NPRM, satellite officials told us. An FCC official said calls for the order to be delayed instead of being part of this week's agenda seem like a long shot, however.