FCC acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel called text telephone (TTY) “outdated” technology for the deaf and hearing impaired and said the agency will push the use of real-time text (RTT) on wireline networks. Rosenworcel, like past chairs, pledged to make disability issues a top focus. “The FCC is committed to meaningful stakeholder engagement, to ensure modern communications, accessibility gaps are both identified and addressed,” she told the Disability Advisory Committee Thursday. The virtual meeting was the first since February (see 1909240058).
The Senate half of a major California broadband proposal passed the legislature Thursday. Senators voted 29-8 without debate to concur with Assembly amendments to SB-4, which narrowly passed the other chamber Wednesday amid opposition by cable industry and other business interests. Senators later Thursday voted 28-8 to pass companion measure AB-14, which would still need final Assembly approval by Friday, the last day of session. Supporters expected Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to sign the bills to extend and update the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF).
Utility companies are hopeful the FCC will act on the Edison Electric Institute’s petition for clarification that the statute of limitations on all pole attachment complaint proceedings is two years and refunds aren't "appropriate" before a "good faith notice of dispute” (see 2104210046). ISPs remain opposed to the petition and say the issue has been addressed by the commission in recent rulings. Replies are due Sept. 10 in docket 17-84.
The House Commerce Committee seeks $4 billion more for the FCC Emergency Connectivity Fund as part of its portion of the Build Back Better Act budget reconciliation package, the panel said in a summary we obtained Thursday. Commerce intended to have released the full bill text Thursday night, lobbyists told us. The House Science and Education committees were in the process early Thursday evening of marking up their parts of the reconciliation measure, which touch on other tech and telecom matters.
Moving to open radio access networks for 5G will take time, with potential problems looming, speakers told a Fierce Wireless virtual event Wednesday. Verizon sees virtual RANs as happening first, with ORAN to follow. The FCC is looking at how it could promote ORAN (see 2108270039).
FCC acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced the several items that she and her colleagues tentatively will vote on Sept. 30. They include public-safety spectrum and 911 issues, plus paving the way for more robust Wi-Fi and cracking down further on some robocalls, she blogged Wednesday afternoon. The drafts will be released Thursday, a spokesperson told us. Our earlier news bulletin is here.
Efforts to update the Digital Millennium Copyright Act are stalling because Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., hasn't been able to find a Democratic partner (see 2103080053), opponents told us. Proponents believe lines of communication remain open and are hopeful for compromise. Senate Intellectual Property Subcommittee ranking member Tillis and Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., “plan to work together to identify targeted and commonsense copyright reforms that will help creators enforce their rights online,” their offices told us jointly.
California Public Utilities Commissioner Martha Guzman Aceves worries about the cable industry creating “false problems” that distract legislators from efforts to update the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF), she said in an interview. With CASF bills expected to be up for floor votes in days, California Cable & Telecommunications Association (CCTA) President Carolyn McIntyre blogged Friday that the legislature should force the commission to prioritize the most unserved areas (see 2109030065) as it considers how to direct broadband funding from a $6 billion bill. Some phone companies agreed with cable concerns, in Friday comments.
The FCC revived its proceeding on broadband access in multiple tenant environment buildings Tuesday, announcing it will seek comments on revenue sharing and exclusivity agreements. President Joe Biden signed an executive order in July encouraging the FCC to prevent ISPs from signing exclusivity agreements with landlords and promote competition (see 2107090006).
The world is moving too slowly on international rules and standards to tackle the non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite boom, space law experts said Tuesday at the Satellite 2021 conference and trade show. Work toward such a legal regulatory regime should have started long before now, said Jennifer Manner, EchoStar senior vice president-regulatory affairs.