Wireline Bureau Committed to Clyburn’s Priorities, Chief Says
Although presumed incoming Chairman Tom Wheeler could be in place by the Oct. 22 FCC Open Meeting (CD Sept 13 p1), Chairwoman Mignon “Clyburn’s in charge,” FCC Wireline Bureau Chief Julie Veach told an FCBA audience Friday. “All of the bureaus are continuing to press forward on her priorities, and coordinating all of our matters through her office as if we had never heard of the nominees.” Veach spoke to several dozen attorneys at a brownbag lunch at Bingham McCutchen on what the bureau has been focusing on, and where its priorities lie going forward.
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"All of the bureaus are more or less doing what I've done here today, which is assessing for themselves where are we, what’s coming up in the next year, what am I going to need to be able to get these things done, and -- based on what I know of the leaders who may be coming in -- what might they be interested in?” Veach said. “I've certainly been thinking about that, but I absolutely am 100 percent committed to Chairwoman Clyburn and her agenda."
Veach gave a status update on the special access data request that the commission approved in December (CD Dec 19 p1). The bureau is preparing an order with specific instructions for data collection on the state of the marketplace, based on the feedback it has gotten from providers. Veach said the order will be released “very soon.” At that point the agency will make its filing with the Office of Management and Budget for Paperwork Reduction Act approval, she said. “We've been informally coordinating with OMB throughout the process,” Veach said. “Our staff’s been very engaged with them.” The commission is building information technology “so that when all these hoops are jumped through, we'll be ready to go” on the actual analysis, she said. She declined to discuss whether the bureau still intends to collect data from 2010 and 2012, or whether other data would be requested. “I've had meetings on the issue and we've talked about it internally, but it’s not something I can share,” she said.
Veach discussed her participation on the Technology Transitions Task Force, put in place to examine issues related to the Internet Protocol transition. The task force is focused on what the agency needs to do “to make sure we have a competitive market and consumer are protected,” she said. The Wireline Bureau has as its focus “how can we ensure that, going forward, regardless what types of structure we have -- whether it’s a carrier pigeon or fiber -- how do we ensure that we have competition?”
The agency is working in combination with other federal agencies to get the Lifeline eligibility database off the ground, Veach said. If consumers are enrolled in one of several government program, they are automatically eligible for Lifeline. In some states, the eligibility databases are already in place, Veach said. Regarding USF contribution reform, Veach declined to answer questions about whether decisions on the contribution mechanism were likely anytime soon. On high-cost loop support for rate-of-return carriers, Veach said the bureau has been “trying very hard to work” to work with carriers “to address their concerns and provide them with more certainty” so they can keep making broadband investments.