FCC commissioners will likely approve an order 5-0 Wednesday cutting IP captioned telephone service (IP CTS) rates, though FCC Democrats Jessica Rosenworcel's and Geoffrey Starks' concerns are expected to be discussed, FCC and industry officials said. Among the biggest is how well automated speech recognition (ASR) technology will work to generate captions. There has been little input from consumers since the draft was proposed, officials said. An FCC spokesperson didn’t comment.
Before Wednesday’s meeting, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai likely doesn’t have the three votes he needs for the 4.9 GHz order and Further NPRM, FCC and industry officials said. Commissioners Mike O’Rielly, Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks have concerns that could get resolved before the meeting. The approach faces opposition, especially from public safety groups (see 2009230048) that lobbied commissioner aides.
Opponents of states using 911 fees for unrelated purposes support an FCC notice of inquiry proposed for vote at Wednesday’s meeting. Some want earlier action and wonder what the future holds, since the item’s main FCC champion, Commissioner Mike O’Rielly, is likely leaving. The agency would ask how to dissuade states from diverting 911 fees and the impact of the practice (see 2009090048).
Commissioner Mike O’Rielly's impending exit from the FCC hasn’t made industry lobby him less, according to interviews with attorneys from a wide swath of industries and our examination of filings. O’Rielly used his written House Commerce testimony Wednesday (see 2009160043) to indicate he expects to exit the commission, after President Donald Trump nominated a replacement (see 2009160064).
Open radio access networks got a push from the FCC Monday, with a nearly daylong virtual forum headlined by Chairman Ajit Pai and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. All the commissioners, who have discussed the importance of ORAN and the growing dominance of China’s Huawei in equipment markets, also spoke.
Open radio access networks got a push from the FCC Monday, with a nearly daylong virtual forum headlined by Chairman Ajit Pai and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. All the commissioners, who have discussed the importance of ORAN and the growing dominance of China’s Huawei in equipment markets, also spoke.
A draft order on the Lifeline minimum service standard is based partly on two petitions for reconsideration filed by entities that uniformly oppose the current draft (see 2008240024), said FCC and industry officials in recent interviews. The text of the draft order and the MSS formula it uses haven’t been released. Officials confirmed it partially grants petitions filed in docket 11-42 by CTIA and many wireless eligible telecom carriers that sought changes to the way the MSS is calculated.
A draft order on the Lifeline minimum service standard is based partly on two petitions for reconsideration filed by entities that uniformly oppose the current draft (see 2008240024), said FCC and industry officials in recent interviews. The text of the draft order and the MSS formula it uses haven’t been released. Officials confirmed it partially grants petitions filed in docket 11-42 by CTIA and many wireless eligible telecom carriers that sought changes to the way the MSS is calculated.
The draft order on circulation revising who pays to move toll-free traffic and who gets paid (see here) hews fairly closely in many areas to the USTelecom consensus proposal (see 2006080002), FCC and industry officials and representatives said in interviews last week. Agency and company representatives said it's unlikely to be voted out soon because it's not a high-priority item. The regulator didn't comment Friday.
COVID-19 required local governments step up to expand internet access and broadcast critical information, NATOA President Brian Roberts and General Counsel Nancy Werner told us. NATOA hopes “to spend less time responding to FCC preemptive orders” next year, and more time supporting local effort to fill gaps shown by the pandemic, Werner said during the group's virtual meeting this week.