Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., used her formation of the Congressional Caucus on Multicultural Media to slam the FCC set-top NPRM. She gathered Congressional Black Caucus Chairman G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., and industry stakeholders in Rayburn Thursday for a news conference where she repeated her calls for FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler to pause the proceeding until the Congressional Research Service and GAO finish impact studies looking at its effect on diverse programming. If the set-top proceeding is expedited, “I don’t believe legislation would be out of the question,” Clarke said. Public Knowledge hosted a call later Thursday countering the criticisms.
Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., used her formation of the Congressional Caucus on Multicultural Media to slam the FCC set-top NPRM. She gathered Congressional Black Caucus Chairman G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., and industry stakeholders in Rayburn Thursday for a news conference where she repeated her calls for FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler to pause the proceeding until the Congressional Research Service and GAO finish impact studies looking at its effect on diverse programming. If the set-top proceeding is expedited, “I don’t believe legislation would be out of the question,” Clarke said. Public Knowledge hosted a call later Thursday countering the criticisms.
Pennsylvania shouldn't delay its Verizon copper probe, the Communications Workers of America said in a letter Monday to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. But the state's Office of Consumer Advocate said it took no position on Verizon’s request to pause the proceeding until after resolution of the East Coast strike (see 1605090045). Verizon asked May 6 to delay current dates for the prehearing memorandum deadline (May 20) and the prehearing conference itself (May 26) until 30 days and 45 days after union workers return to work. “CWA initiated this proceeding more than seven months ago, raising serious matters that affect public and employee safety,” the union said. “It is long past time for Verizon to be required to respond to CWA's discovery requests and for this matter to move forward through the filing of testimony, hearings, and decision.” The New York Public Service Commission granted a similar Verizon request for delay of the PSC’s own copper probe (see 1605120048). Verizon, CWA and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers negotiators met for the second time Tuesday in a sesion convened by the Department of Labor (see 1605160002).
Verizon asked New York regulators to hit pause on their copper service quality investigation until the company can resolve its East Coast strike. In a letter Tuesday to the New York Public Service Commission, Verizon sought an extension of time to respond to the commission’s order initiating the proceeding. The current due date is May 20, but Verizon asked the PSC to move the due date until 45 days after the strike ends because it said the necessary staff are occupied filling in for striking union workers. Verizon made a similar request Monday to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, which has also opened a copper probe (see 1605090045).
Verizon asked New York regulators to hit pause on their copper service quality investigation until the company can resolve its East Coast strike. In a letter Tuesday to the New York Public Service Commission, Verizon sought an extension of time to respond to the commission’s order initiating the proceeding. The current due date is May 20, but Verizon asked the PSC to move the due date until 45 days after the strike ends because it said the necessary staff are occupied filling in for striking union workers. Verizon made a similar request Monday to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, which has also opened a copper probe (see 1605090045).
Verizon asked Pennsylvania regulators to hit pause on their copper service quality investigation until the company resolves its East Coast strike. In a motion filed Friday at the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, Verizon requested “that this case be held in abeyance for the duration of the strike” and to delay current due dates for prehearing memorandum (May 20) and the prehearing conference (May 26) until 30 days and 45 days, respectively, after union workers return to work. Verizon asked for the delay because it said the employees who would attend the prehearing conference are engaged in emergency work assignments filling in for the striking union workers. The purpose of the prehearing conference is to establish a litigation schedule. While not specifically rejecting Verizon’s motion, a spokeswoman for the Communications Workers of America said the probe must go on. “Verizon earlier tried to stop this investigation, but in April, the PUC rejected that move,” she said. “The PUC decided in February that a hearing into Verizon's neglect of the network was needed. The documentation of Verizon's failure to keep up the network and give customers the service they pay for dates to last fall and even earlier. One of the reasons workers are on strike is to push Verizon to provide customers with the service they deserve. Regulators are taking a serious look at this company, as they should.”
Verizon asked Pennsylvania regulators to hit pause on their copper service quality investigation until the company resolves its East Coast strike. In a motion filed Friday at the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, Verizon requested “that this case be held in abeyance for the duration of the strike” and to delay current due dates for prehearing memorandum (May 20) and the prehearing conference (May 26) until 30 days and 45 days, respectively, after union workers return to work. Verizon asked for the delay because it said the employees who would attend the prehearing conference are engaged in emergency work assignments filling in for the striking union workers. The purpose of the prehearing conference is to establish a litigation schedule. While not specifically rejecting Verizon’s motion, a spokeswoman for the Communications Workers of America said the probe must go on. “Verizon earlier tried to stop this investigation, but in April, the PUC rejected that move,” she said. “The PUC decided in February that a hearing into Verizon's neglect of the network was needed. The documentation of Verizon's failure to keep up the network and give customers the service they pay for dates to last fall and even earlier. One of the reasons workers are on strike is to push Verizon to provide customers with the service they deserve. Regulators are taking a serious look at this company, as they should.”
House lawmakers sent the FCC a letter Thursday as expected (see 1605040068) with 60 signatures criticizing the set-top box NPRM. “We strongly urge you to press pause,” they told the FCC, citing uncertainty and the possible effects on small businesses. Reps. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., Bob Latta, R-Ohio, Kurt Schrader, D-Ore., and Collin Peterson, D-Minn., led the letter. It prompted praise from the American Cable Association, as expected, and others. The letter, signed mostly by Republicans but also some Democrats, “sent a strong message to the FCC today to consider the threats to rural consumers and small companies before pressing ahead with a mandate requiring implementation of technology that does not yet exist,” said NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield. “The cost of implementing the commission’s set-top box proposal could devastate the video business in rural areas, where many consumers do not receive an over-the-air signal and many small, rural telcos already struggle mightily with the costs of delivering video services. Now that the commission has heard from a broad, bipartisan cross-section of elected officials on an array of concerns with the set-top box proposal, we hope the agency will heed these calls and reconsider the proposed rules.” WTA also lauded the message: “It’s not often you see content providers, distributors, economists, Republicans, and Democrats all aligned against a proposal from the FCC,” said WTA Vice President-Government Affairs Derrick Owens. The Future of TV Coalition, which opposes the NPRM, circulated the letter. “To date, more than 150 Members of Congress -- including nearly half of all House Democrats -- have expressed serious concerns with the proposed mandate,” Future of TV said. The lawmakers began circulating a letter draft and gaining backers last week (see 1604270063). The FCC has received and is reviewing the letter, a spokeswoman said.
House lawmakers sent the FCC a letter Thursday as expected (see 1605040068) with 60 signatures criticizing the set-top box NPRM. “We strongly urge you to press pause,” they told the FCC, citing uncertainty and the possible effects on small businesses. Reps. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., Bob Latta, R-Ohio, Kurt Schrader, D-Ore., and Collin Peterson, D-Minn., led the letter. It prompted praise from the American Cable Association, as expected, and others. The letter, signed mostly by Republicans but also some Democrats, “sent a strong message to the FCC today to consider the threats to rural consumers and small companies before pressing ahead with a mandate requiring implementation of technology that does not yet exist,” said NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield. “The cost of implementing the commission’s set-top box proposal could devastate the video business in rural areas, where many consumers do not receive an over-the-air signal and many small, rural telcos already struggle mightily with the costs of delivering video services. Now that the commission has heard from a broad, bipartisan cross-section of elected officials on an array of concerns with the set-top box proposal, we hope the agency will heed these calls and reconsider the proposed rules.” WTA also lauded the message: “It’s not often you see content providers, distributors, economists, Republicans, and Democrats all aligned against a proposal from the FCC,” said WTA Vice President-Government Affairs Derrick Owens. The Future of TV Coalition, which opposes the NPRM, circulated the letter. “To date, more than 150 Members of Congress -- including nearly half of all House Democrats -- have expressed serious concerns with the proposed mandate,” Future of TV said. The lawmakers began circulating a letter draft and gaining backers last week (see 1604270063). The FCC has received and is reviewing the letter, a spokeswoman said.
NTCA asked the FCC to give parties more time to review a proposed Telcordia contract to be next local number portability administrator (LNPA). The rural telco association became the latest group urging the FCC to hold off on approving the pending master services agreement (MSA) between Telcordia (iconectiv) and North American Portability Management (NAPM). "Unfortunately, the LNPA transition thus far has been marked by limited transparency and little opportunity for meaningful input from small and rural carriers," said an NTCA filing Thursday in docket 09-109. "This lack of opportunity for meaningful input in advance of decisions being made extends as well to the iconectiv MSA currently on circulation." NTCA said it may not ultimately have objections to the MSA, but is concerned key decisions are being made by "NAPM members only, in a closed process," with small rural carriers lacking the staff or resources to join NAPM. It lamented NAPM's call for quick FCC approval of the MSA. "NTCA therefore urges the Commission to 'pause' approval of the iconectiv MSA and allow additional time for small carriers and other stakeholders to review it and comment on its provisions," the RLEC group said. "A short window should not delay the process enough to matter in terms of the cost savings to which NAPM refers, as much of the work of preparing for the testing and other transition related activities can continue." In a filing on a meeting with FCC officials, the LNP Alliance and New America's Open Technology Institute voiced their "urgent concerns" with the NAPM call for quick FCC approval of the MSA "without allowing for time for smaller carriers and the public at large to review" the lengthy document. They also elaborated on various arguments they made recently in public comments criticizing NAPM (see 1605020039 and 1605030051). Some other parties also voiced concerns in the docket.