CTIA and the major wireless carriers urged the FCC to clarify that the Telephone Consumer Protection Act doesn’t apply to robocalls and robotexts from wireless service providers to their subscribers, in reply comments posted Monday in docket 02-278. Consumer and public interest groups argue that providers shouldn’t receive special treatment (see 2404050044). Commissioners approved a Further NPRM in February seeking comment on the wireless provider exemption (see 2402160048).
Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg sees little possibility that Congress will continue the affordability connectivity program, he told CNBC Monday as the carrier released Q1 results. House Democrats hope they can force a vote on a bill that would keep the ACP alive (see 2404170066). Vestberg told an analysts' call Verizon is happy with its roll-out of C-band spectrum and offered an update about how the company is using AI to improve efficiency.
The FCC is proposing to ban most favored nation (MFN) provisions in carriage agreements as part of a resurrected look at challenges independent programmers face in getting carriage. An NPRM adopted Wednesday and released Friday also proposes banning unreasonable alternative distribution methods (ADM) in carriage agreements. The NPRM was approved 3-2 along party lines. A previous look at indie programmer challenges had been championed by Commissioner Mignon Clyburn under Chairman Tom Wheeler (see 1601290047), but no action was taken under Chairman Ajit Pai. The NPRM asks questions about the state of the video marketplace and whether indie programmers have better carriage opportunities on platforms than they did in 2016. Beyond MFNs and ADMs, the NPRM also asks about the prevalence of forced bundling practices and if other practices impede indie programmer market entry or growth. MFN provisions guarantee all multichannel video programming distributors (MVPD) pay a programmer the same. ADMs bar programmers from showing content on an online video distributor for a window of time after it has aired on a linear channel. "The marketplace for video programming continues to evolve and provide consumers with new ways to watch," Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said. "But the laws that govern this marketplace from Congress have not changed. What also has not changed is that independent programmers continue to express concern about the challenges they have getting their programming on the channel line-up of cable and satellite television." Commissioner Brendan Carr in his dissent said the NPRM "proceeds from a dated view of the [video] marketplace that can only further tilt the regulatory playing field in a way that will not serve consumers’ interests." He said it stretches the FCC's authority under Communications Act Section 616 -- prohibiting MVPD discrimination against programmers -- beyond what Congress intended. Commissioner Nathan Simington said in his dissent: "A public notice refreshing the record, or a fresh notice of inquiry, would have been appropriate paths for the Commission to take up the questions posed by the notice of proposed rulemaking here... Instead, we opt to tentatively conclude a great deal about the structure of the video marketplace, and what public interest demands we do, on the basis of a stale record."
APCO representatives urged that the FCC seek additional comment on implementing next-generation 911. The FCC sought comment last year on proposals about quickening the adoption of NG911 (see 2309110042). “Proposed rules in this proceeding are focused on the delivery of 9-1-1 traffic, which comprises only the first part of the emergency communications chain,” APCO told Public Safety Bureau staff according to a filing Thursday in docket 21-479. “To take the next step toward achieving public safety’s vision for NG9-1-1, the Commission should initiate a further notice of proposed rulemaking to address interoperability requirements for 9-1-1 service providers and other elements of the emergency communications chain,” APCO said.
Last week’s multistate 911 outage is under investigation, additional state and local officials said after the FCC and others noted Thursday they were examining Wednesday disruptions in Texas, Nebraska, Nevada and South Dakota (see 2404180053). The Nebraska Public Service Commission “will make a determination after more facts from [public safety answering points] and carriers are collected,” Commissioner Tim Schram (R) told us Friday. Deputy Fire Chief Billy Samuels of Clark County, Nevada, said in an email Thursday that the “cause of the outage remains under investigation.” On Wednesday night during the outage, Clark County’s Office of Emergency Management activated a multi-agency coordination center, while the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department “established unified command to ensure that police, fire and medical needs from the community were not unmet,” said Samuels. “Through this coordinated effort, an alternative solution was established, but full 911 service was restored before this was implemented,” he said. The county doesn’t know of emergencies that went unaddressed during the outage, he said.
The American Library Association requested flexibility from the FCC in response to a November proposal allowing schools and libraries to use E-rate support for off-premises Wi-Fi hot spots and wireless internet services (see 2311090028). ALA representatives met with an aide to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, according to a filing posted Friday in docket 21-31. “ALA recommended the Commission adopt straightforward rules that do not require libraries to develop hotspot-specific policies or procedures but allow them to incorporate new or additional Wi-Fi hotspots into existing practices,” ALA said: “Flexibility for libraries to design and implement their own program based on their communities’ needs will be instrumental to success in each context. … Reducing recordkeeping burdens and creating more flexibility around data retention policies would be beneficial to libraries and therefore to the success of the program overall.”
Companies offering automated frequency coordination systems in the 6 GHz band told the FCC they have launched a portal for reporting interference. The companies said the portal should satisfy a requirement that the Office of Engineering and Technology imposed. “We have committed significant effort and resources to develop an efficient, centralized means for authorized 6 GHz incumbents to report potential harmful-interference events,” said a filing posted Friday in docket 21-352. “All information submitted through the Portal is automatically shared with the approved 6 GHz AFC system operators” and the FCC, including the Enforcement Bureau, the filling said. Broadcom, Comsearch, Federated Wireless, Qualcomm, Sony Group, Wi-Fi Alliance Services and the Wireless Broadband Alliance signed it.
NCIC Communications asked the FCC to "expand its authority" to non-incarcerated people's communications service video visitation providers "to ensure those providers are required to comply with all FCC mandates applicable to IPCS providers," holding separate meetings with aides to Commissioners Geoffrey Starks and Anna Gomez. The company also met with Enforcement Bureau and Wireline Bureau staff, per an ex parte filing posted Friday in docket 23-62. NCIC noted that some non-interconnected VoIP and commissary providers "often provide services that a traditional IPCS provider would provide" but "purport to operate outside of the FCC’s jurisdiction." It also asked the FCC to "extend to video visitation providers the requirement to provide access to video relay service."
The House Communications Subcommittee plans May hearings on the FY 2025 budget requests for the FCC and NTIA, the Commerce Committee said Friday. President Joe Biden in March proposed $448 million for the FCC in FY25 and $65 million for NTIA (see 2403110056). The FCC hearing, set for May 7, would happen less than two weeks after the commission is expected to vote in favor of net neutrality rules that largely mirror a rescinded 2015 order. House Communications Chairman Bob Latta, R-Ohio, previously predicted the subpanel would hold more hearings on the FCC’s net neutrality actions (see 2404180058). The NTIA hearing will happen May 15.
The FCC’s Disability Advisory Committee will next meet May 16, starting at 10 a.m. at FCC headquarters, said a notice in Friday’s Federal Register. DAC last met in January (see 2401300051).