Some California lawmakers want to take broadband responsibilities from the California Public Utilities Commission and create a broadband office, similar to many other states. At a webcast hearing Wednesday, the Assembly Communications Committee advanced Democratic Chair Tasha Boerner’s AB-2575, which would establish a department and commission on broadband and digital equity. The committee also cleared bills concerning the 211 helpline, video franchising and shot clocks for utilities to review broadband applications.
The Senate Commerce Committee confirmed Thursday the panel plans to mark up the draft Spectrum and National Security Act and five other tech and telecom-focused bills during a Wednesday executive session, as expected (see 2404240074). The 108-page draft measure from committee Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., would restore the FCC’s spectrum auction authority through Sept. 30, 2029, also as expected (see 2403210063). The proposal also provides a new vehicle for allocating stopgap funding for the commission’s ailing affordable connectivity program amid a delay in advancing a separate House-side bid to force a floor vote on providing that money, lobbyists told us.
While the "all-in" video pricing order has appeared in the Federal Register and is now effective (see 2404180008), compliance will be phased in, the FCC Media Bureau said in a public notice in Tuesday's Daily Digest. It said compliance for mid-sized and large cable and direct broadcast satellite operators won't be required until either Dec. 19 or when the Office of Management and Budget completes its Paperwork Reduction Act review, whichever comes later. Compliance for cable operators with annual receipts of $47 million or less won't be required until March 19, 2025, or Paperwork Reduction Act review, whichever comes later.
Section 60506 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act “should have been as unremarkable as it was uncontroversial,” said a brief Monday (docket 24-1179) in the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals from 20 industry and business petitioners, including CTIA and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in support of their 16 consolidated challenges to the FCC’s Nov. 20 digital discrimination order (see 240319004).
California state and local enforcers could seek injunctive relief for digital discrimination under modification to a bill by Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D). The Assembly Judiciary Committee approved AB-2239 with the amendment at a livestreamed meeting Tuesday. The panel and the Senate Judiciary Committee also considered multiple bills on algorithms and social media.
Netflix will expand its use of charging different prices in different countries, co-CEO Greg Peters said in an earnings call Thursday after the market's close. Peters told analysts the company has no set position on a potential ceiling to its pricing. Netflix said its Q1 revenues were $9.4 billion, up 14.8% over Q1 2023. Asked about the streamer's live sports strategy, co-CEO Ted Sarandos told analysts that Netflix is "not anti-sports but pro-profitable growth" and that it would consider other sports opportunities that could drive engagement and revenues similar to its World Wrestling Entertainment deal.
Most ex parte meetings on the net neutrality order have focused on Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and her fellow Democrats Geoffrey Starks and Anna Gomez, with about twice as many meetings as with the Republicans, based on our count. Industry officials said that’s not surprising, saying Commissioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington certainly will dissent and have little leverage to seek changes. Commissioners vote Thursday.
Industry and consumer groups have lobbied the FCC in recent days on whether to maintain its proposed language regarding forbearance of Universal Service Fund (USF) contributions for broadband internet access service (BIAS) in its draft order restoring net neutrality rules, according to an analysis of recent ex parte filings in docket 23-320. The FCC in its draft order to be considered Thursday during the commissioners' open meeting tentatively decided to grant ISPs forbearance from Communications Act Section 254(d) requirements, which govern USF contributions (see 2404050068).
The FCC's "all-in" pricing disclosure requirement for cable and direct broadcast satellite operators will be effective Friday, according to a notice for that day's Federal Register. The commission voted 3-2 on party lines at its March meeting to mandate "all-in" pricing for bills and promotional materials (see 2403140050).
Congressional Republicans have remained relatively quiet about the FCC’s draft net neutrality order since Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel released it earlier this month (see 2404030043) but are likely to become more active in opposition when the commission adopts it as expected next week, lawmakers and observers said in interviews. Congressional Democrats have been comparatively active since the draft’s release, including sending Rosenworcel suggestions aimed at preventing loopholes that ISPs could use to circumvent regulation. Congressional Democrats highlighted that divergence in style Thursday by bringing Rosenworcel to Capitol Hill for a news conference that amounted to a preemptive victory lap ahead of the FCC’s April 25 vote on the order.