The livestream of monthly commissioners' meetings have had technical problems making it difficult for people to watch, several users said in interviews Friday. The problems seemed to have increased for Friday's gathering versus others this year and in late 2019, some said. We experienced problems streaming this gathering, both at the commissioners' meeting itself and offsite. Users told us the live video on the regulator's website would unexpectedly pause or entirely stop working. Several of those we spoke with had tweeted about the issues, including here and here.
The FCC handed down proposed fines Friday against the four national carriers for failing to safeguard data on their customers' real-time locations (see 2002270063). T-Mobile faces the biggest at more than $91 million, followed by AT&T, $57 million; Verizon, $48 million; and Sprint, $12 million. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced during the news conference after the commissioners’ meeting that the notices of apparent liability had been approved and would be issued shortly (see 2002280040). Three commissioners raised questions about the FCC approach, including in media Q&A with us.
Who gets what accelerated relocation incentive payments in the FCC's C-band auction regime went largely unchanged in the band-clearing order approved 3-2 along party lines Friday (see 2002280005), said Chairman Ajit Pai and Commissioner Mike O’Rielly. Big rewrites of the draft order weren't expected (see 2002270048). The meeting was at times contentious, with pointed Republican and Democratic statements. Incumbent small satellite operators (SSO) plan to go to court.
Treating the purchase of what would have been a competitor as anti-competitive and warning of regulatory overreach were among suggestions groups made to DOJ and the FTC as the agencies consider new vertical merger guidelines. Comments on the draft were due Wednesday, and the agencies plan workshops March 11 and 18 (see 2002030052). The agencies didn't publicly post comment submissions.
Wireless carriers and CTIA had no comment Thursday on a report that Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint face proposed FCC fines for failing to safeguard data on their customers' real-time locations. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said the FCC is doing too little too late. The companies face hundreds of millions of dollars in fines and the FCC isn't offering a settlement, The Wall Street Journal reported.
House Commerce Committee ranking member Greg Walden of Oregon and some other Communications Subcommittee Republicans appeared hesitant during a Thursday hearing to support swift advancement of the Reinforcing and Evaluating Service Integrity, Local Infrastructure and Emergency Notification for Today’s (Resilient) Networks Act (HR-5926) or other resiliency bills. There was more widespread support by lawmakers and witnesses for the Fee Integrity and Responsibilities and To Regain Essential Spectrum for Public-safety Operators Needed to Deploy Equipment Reliably (First Responders) Act (HR-5928) and other measures.
At least the three FCC GOP members will approve a public notice on Rural Digital Opportunity Fund procedures at Friday's meeting that would authorize an Oct. 22 auction date for the first phase of the USF program, industry and agency officials said in interviews this week. It's less clear how much pushback it will get from Democratic commissioners. At last month's meeting, Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel called the fast pace of the RDOF rulemaking, before the FCC had a chance to correct widely disputed broadband mapping data, "an election year bonanza" (see 2001300001).
The C-band order will get some changes from the draft circulated by FCC Chairman Ajit Pai three weeks ago, industry and FCC officials said in interviews Thursday. They said the overall framework will be the same as was proposed by Pai, with a few changes proposed in recent filings. When commissioners vote Friday on the rules, Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks are expected to express concerns and may dissent.
Low-income consumers shouldn't have to reveal sensitive personal information or open themselves to surveillance in exchange for Lifeline subsidies, said replies posted through Wednesday in docket 17-287. FCC commissioners voted in November on party lines for a Further NPRM (see 1911140064).
Nexstar and Sinclair expect a 2020 political advertising boom and didn’t lay out any immediate merger and acquisitions plans, in respective Q4 calls Wednesday. Nexstar CEO Perry Sook and Sinclair CEO Chris Ripley have opposite views on the upside of sports betting. Executives of both companies said their stocks are cheap. Sinclair ended the day down 15% at $23.36. Nexstar fell 6% to $107.02.