New Commissioner Geoffrey Starks said the FCC must move quickly on complaints AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint are selling customers' real-time location data to bounty hunters (see 1901080046). The ex-Enforcement Bureau staffer, flanked by staff, met reporters Friday.
New Commissioner Geoffrey Starks said the FCC must move quickly on complaints AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint are selling customers' real-time location data to bounty hunters (see 1901080046). The ex-Enforcement Bureau staffer, flanked by staff, met reporters Friday.
The California Public Utilities Commission won't assess surcharges on text-message revenue for state USF, after an FCC order persuaded state commissioners to pull back a proposal to affirm texting is subject to public purpose program fees. Despite consumer group opposition (see 1901140045), the CPUC voted unanimously Thursday for the reversal in docket R17-06-023 without discussion as part of the consent agenda. The Utility Reform Network is "working with other groups to find a way to turn back this troubling precedent," emailed TURN Managing Director-San Diego Christine Mailloux. "We are disappointed in the Commission’s decision to move forward so quickly without putting sufficient effort into alternatives to ensure that California’s public purpose programs, serving our most vulnerable consumers, are well funded and supported," she said. "Carriers’ profit and public relations machine won out."
The California Public Utilities Commission won't assess surcharges on text-message revenue for state USF, after an FCC order persuaded state commissioners to pull back a proposal to affirm texting is subject to public purpose program fees. Despite consumer group opposition (see 1901140045), the CPUC voted unanimously Thursday for the reversal in docket R17-06-023 without discussion as part of the consent agenda. The Utility Reform Network is "working with other groups to find a way to turn back this troubling precedent," emailed TURN Managing Director-San Diego Christine Mailloux. "We are disappointed in the Commission’s decision to move forward so quickly without putting sufficient effort into alternatives to ensure that California’s public purpose programs, serving our most vulnerable consumers, are well funded and supported," she said. "Carriers’ profit and public relations machine won out."
Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., is defending a letter she and other lawmakers wrote the FCC and DOJ Antitrust Division to support T-Mobile's proposed buy of Sprint amid criticism from groups opposed to the deal. House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle, D-Pa., said he's not concerned opinion among subcommittee Democrats may be divided on the transaction. House Communications and the House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee are to examine T-Mobile/Sprint during a Feb. 13 hearing (see 1901280051). Two other House Communications members joined Eshoo in signing the letter -- Reps. Billy Long, R-Mo., and Kurt Schrader, D-Ore.
Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., is defending a letter she and other lawmakers wrote the FCC and DOJ Antitrust Division to support T-Mobile's proposed buy of Sprint amid criticism from groups opposed to the deal. House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle, D-Pa., said he's not concerned opinion among subcommittee Democrats may be divided on the transaction. House Communications and the House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee are to examine T-Mobile/Sprint during a Feb. 13 hearing (see 1901280051). Two other House Communications members joined Eshoo in signing the letter -- Reps. Billy Long, R-Mo., and Kurt Schrader, D-Ore.
Litigation looms over a lengthy FCC jurisdictional separations freeze despite buy-in from key state regulators. Critics plan a court challenge to a Dec. 17 order extending the freeze on rules allocating most regulated costs to intrastate rather than interstate services, which they say eases illegal cross-subsidies. “We’re going to definitely appeal," said Bruce Kushnick, New Networks Institute executive director. Commissioner Mike O'Rielly, chairman of a federal-state joint board on separations, and others said the rules are becoming less relevant, applying to fewer carriers.
TracFone got support from industry and public interest groups for the FCC to address “serious shortcomings” in the Lifeline national verifier being deployed by Universal Service Administrative Co. Commission and industry officials said it’s not clear if FCC Chairman Ajit Pai will press for further action, especially since his agency is reining in the program as part of changes to the USF (see 1806060031). Without FCC action, mass de-enrollments will start Jan. 2, commented the National Lifeline Association in docket 17-287. Lifeline funds are used to pay for government-subsidized services including broadband for the poor. The national verifier needs an application programming interface to work properly, stakeholders say.
TracFone got support both from industry and public interest groups for the FCC to address "serious shortcomings" in the Lifeline national verifier (see 1812030053) being deployed by Universal Service Administrative Co. FCC and industry officials said it’s not clear whether FCC Chairman Ajit Pai will press for further action, especially since the commission is reining in the program as part of a broader series of changes to the USF (see 1806060031). Without FCC action, mass de-enrollments will start Jan. 2, commented the National Lifeline Association in docket 17-287.
The FCC Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council approved a recommendation Thursday that new rules aimed at protecting the national security of networks be narrowly tailored to prevent disruptions. Commissioners approved an NPRM in April that would bar use of money in any USF program to buy equipment or services from companies that “pose a national security threat” to U.S. communications networks or the communications supply chain (see 1804170038). Chairman Ajit Pai said Wednesday those security concerns remain a commission focus (see 1812120043).