Too Many Companies Waiting Too Long for FCC Action, Pai Says

"I've been struck in the last several weeks by how many companies across a variety of different communications industries have said that they're waiting for commission action on x or y,” said Pai, a Republican. “Regardless of what the action is it would just be nice to have some certainty there. To the extent that our office can play a role in these issues, we'd like to bring a sense of vigor and dispatch to the agency’s decisionmaking in order to benefit not just the industry but ultimately consumers.” While in the General Counsel’s Office, Pai was “always amazed” that “some proceedings had been lingering for decades, in some cases, without action,” he said. “If I have anything to say about it that won’t continue to be the case."

Pai also said he sees spectrum issues as among the most critical facing the FCC. “The spectrum shortage ultimately redounds to the detriment of consumers,” he said. “Where the rubber meets the road is that the consumer is not going to have the same level or quality of service that he or she might have enjoyed previously."

Rosenworcel, a member of the Democratic majority, told the CAC she remembers when the committee got its start in 2000. “The work you do, I know because I've watched it for so many years, is really, really important,” she said. “I spent five years on Capitol Hill and the bulk of that time was spent on the digital television transition, the Broadband Data Improvement Act, the 21st Century Communications and Video and Accessibility Act and on spectrum auctions. If there’s a single thread that connects all of those things it’s how they impact consumers.” Rosenworcel said she will ask “what the agency does well when it comes to consumers, and, quite frankly, what the agency can do better."

Commissioner Mignon Clyburn told CAC the FCC understands some changes may be needed to recent orders reforming the USF. “It is no secret that I have deep connections to rural America,” Clyburn said. “I believe that these reforms will allow us to come even closer to achieving Congress’s goal of providing all Americans access to affordable voice and advanced communications services. I recognize however that current efforts to modernize the fund may not resolve all of the issues that were raised in the proceeding. This agency continues to work very hard to hear everyone’s concerns and address them in a timely fashion."

Changes faced by consumers as part of any channel repacking prior to an incentive auction of broadcast spectrum probably will be minimal, Robert Alderfer, an agency official, told the CAC. Alderfer works for the FCC’s Incentive Auction Task Force. “It’s something that is a little bit different from the digital transition in that consumers … have set-top boxes,” he said. “We don’t expect that all stations will be affected by the repacking process so it’s going to be more limited in scope, we think, and it will be a simple matter, we think, of probably rescanning boxes for over-the-air viewers who may be affected.”

The task force “is really in the early stages” of its work and focused on mostly technical issues, Alderfer said. “We view outreach as a key component on this and so certainly it’s a timely discussion for the Consumer Advisory Committee.”