USTelecom CEO Tells Pai He Wants More BDS Deregulation; Starry Seeks Opposite
USTelecom sought what could amount to additional deregulation beyond what's in a draft business data services order, while Starry sought the opposite on BDS. The period for lobbying on the item set for an April 20 commissioner vote (see 1704120049)…
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ended Thursday. CEO Jonathan Spalter and others from the association met Monday with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and aide Jay Schwarz, with a filing posted Thursday in docket 05-25 saying "reduction in the FCC’s detailed price setting role proposed in the Order is important, but relatively constrained." The agency seems to be keeping authority to ensure prices for traditional BDS remain just and reasonable, they noted, saying broader relief has benefits and asking the regulator to follow the non-dominance tack from CenturyLink and Frontier Communications. The commission's competitive market test may be too conservative, the executives told Pai and Schwarz. Wi-Fi and wireless broadband access startup Starry, meanwhile, seeks all IP-based BDS providers offering just, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms and conditions, under Title I Communications Act oversight and Section 706. "Many BDS providers participate in other markets, including retail broadband, mobile wireless, online advertising, video content production and delivery, data storage," wrote the firm started by its CEO Chet Kanojia, who founded the Aereo streaming service that lost to broadcasters a Supreme Court case and shut down. "Because these markets rely on BDS as a critical input into the delivery of the product or service, it is rational for such an integrated BDS provider to exploit its position as the owner of the critical input."