Comcast again delayed implementing its data cap plan for numerous Eastern states, now until 2022. "While only a very small percentage of customers need additional data, we are providing them with more time to become familiar with the new plan," it blogged Thursday. The cable ISP said this month it was pausing overage fees until August on the 1.2 TB limit in Eastern and Northeastern states (see 2102030017). That delay didn't end concerns from state and local officials. See our report here.
All comments support CTIA’s petition for reconsideration of 5G Fund rules (see 2102090037), approved 3-2 in October (see 2010270034), and the FCC should make the changes sought, CTIA replied, posted Friday in docket 20-32. The Rural Wireless Association and NTCA defended their petition seeking recon of excluding "areas from eligibility for support in the 5G Fund Phase I auction based upon where new mobile coverage data submitted in the Digital Opportunity Data Collection show the existence of either unsubsidized 4G LTE or unsubsidized 5G broadband service,” they said: “T-Mobile and AT&T fail to show why the Commission’s decision on eligibility should not be reconsidered.” The Coalition of Rural Wireless Carriers (CWRC) fired back against T-Mobile's objections to its petition. “The principal issue is whether the Commission’s decision in the 5G Fund Order disregards guardrails enacted by Congress and therefore must be reconsidered and revised,” it said. The FCC misreads Consolidated 2016 Appropriations Act Section 631, CRWC said: “The statute bars the Commission from using any funds to change rules governing high-cost support provided to competitive eligible telecommunications carriers in any manner that is inconsistent with paragraph (e)(5) or (e)(6) of Section 54.307 of the FCC’s rules, which provide that the phase-down of legacy support must be paused until the Commission has implemented Mobility Fund Phase II.”
Comcast again delayed implementing its data cap plan for numerous Eastern states, now until 2022. "While only a very small percentage of customers need additional data, we are providing them with more time to become familiar with the new plan," it blogged Thursday. The cable ISP said this month it was pausing overage fees until August on the 1.2 TB limit in Eastern and Northeastern states (see 2102030017). That delay didn't end concerns from state and local officials. See our report here.
In a recent expansion on the cost of a rule on imports of computers, telecom equipment, robots, drones and other electronics, the Commerce Department estimated that the six nations named as foreign adversaries were responsible for more than half of U.S. imports of those goods. Commerce earlier estimated that the total cost of the regulation could be as high as $20 billion (see 2101150055), and that remains, but they broke it down into the cost to learn about the rule, the cost to develop a compliance plan, the cost for annual compliance, and the cost of compliance with investigations.
The FCC has taken several actions in recent years to curb Illegal robocalls, with a multipronged approach to stop bad actors, lawyers told Incompas Tuesday. They said providers should adopt a mitigation program that best suits their network and is reasonably expected to reduce robocalls. “It’s all about flexibility,” and any bump in the road needs to be addressed quickly, said Gunnar Halley, Microsoft assistant general counsel. The FCC should consider taking a moment to pause and see how its efforts are panning out, said Sheba Chacko, BT Americas chief regulatory counsel.
House Majority Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina confirmed Wednesday he will again seek $100 billion in broadband funding as part of coming infrastructure legislation, as expected (see 2011200056). The House Commerce Committee, meanwhile, proposed $7.6 billion in E-rate remote learning funding as part of its portion of the coming COVID-19 budget reconciliation measure. It’s bringing the bill up for a committee markup Thursday, also as expected (see 2102090079). Commerce Democrats’ decision to fast-track consideration of the measure drew committee Republicans' ire.
Reject calls for a pause in equipment certifications for 6 GHz unlicensed low-power indoor (LPI) devices until more testing is done (see 2101270037), CTA wrote Thursday in FCC docket 18-295. “This misguided proposal threatens the important role the Commission’s equipment-certification process plays in advancing U.S. technological innovation, far beyond the context of this 6 GHz proceeding,” CTA said. “CTA members and other equipment manufacturers of all kinds, using bands across the radiofrequency spectrum, depend on a predictable, reliable and timely FCC equipment certification process."
Reject calls for a pause in equipment certifications for 6 GHz unlicensed low-power indoor (LPI) devices until more testing is done (see 2101270037), CTA wrote Thursday in FCC docket 18-295. “This misguided proposal threatens the important role the Commission’s equipment-certification process plays in advancing U.S. technological innovation, far beyond the context of this 6 GHz proceeding,” CTA said. “CTA members and other equipment manufacturers of all kinds, using bands across the radiofrequency spectrum, depend on a predictable, reliable and timely FCC equipment certification process."
Local and state officials oppose Comcast capping the amount of broadband data residential subscribers can use monthly without financial penalties. That's despite the cable operator pledging to delay implementation until summer. Comcast and Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro (D) said Wednesday the ISP will pause overage fees until August on the 1.2 TB limit in Eastern and Northeastern states (see 2102030017). Baltimore City Council Member Zeke Cohen (D) responded, “We will not be satisfied until the data caps are removed.”
Comcast is pausing -- but not halting -- rollout of its 1.2 TB data plan across a variety of Eastern and Northeastern states (see 2011230037), it said Wednesday. The rollout set to happen in March is being delayed to give customers "additional time to become familiar with the new plan," Comcast emailed. It said the soonest that customers who exceed 1.2 TB of data could see overage charges is the August bill. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro (D) said he negotiated with Comcast to delay implementation of the overage charges and a waiver of the early termination fee for customers who opt out this year.