Commissioner Brendan Carr promised more FCC action is on the way on changes to wireless infrastructure rules, in an interview on C-SPAN’s The Communicators recorded Wednesday. Carr said he's “actively looking” at ways to speed up siting decisions and steps the FCC can take “to make sure that we’re all moving in the same direction in terms of promoting the deployment of this new infrastructure.” The episode is expected to be televised this weekend and put online Friday.
CHARLOTTE -- Locked in a global race to 5G, the U.S. must be aggressive in lowering state and local barriers to wireless deployment, FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly told the Wireless Infrastructure Association Tuesday. The FCC should “exercise its authority” to stop “bad actors” in state and local government from slowing deployment of small cells, he said. O’Rielly said he wants to see a “solid mid-band play” for 5G wireless services available in the next two years. In an interview also Tuesday, O’Rielly also discussed net neutrality, 911 fee diversion and Sinclair.
The FCC fined telemarketer Adrian Abramovich $120 million for "malicious spoofing" in a "massive robocalling operation aimed at selling timeshares and other travel packages," which the agency said was the largest "forfeiture" in its history. The commission found Abramovich, of Miami, or his companies spoofed 96 million calls over three months in 2016 "to trick" consumers into listening to advertising pitches, violating a Truth in Caller ID Act prohibition against callers "deliberately falsifying caller ID information with the intent to harm or defraud consumers or unlawfully obtain something of value," said a release. Commissioners approved a forfeiture order at Thursday's meeting, with Commissioner Michael O'Rielly partially dissenting.
The FCC unanimously approved an NPRM on changing the way the agency handles interference complaints involving FM translators and full-power FM stations, as expected (see 1805030043). The approved version of the NPRM in docket 18-119 is little changed from the draft and proposes allowing translators facing interference to relocate to nearly any free frequency. “Our current process for resolving such interference complaints can be nasty, brutish and long,” Chairman Ajit Pai said Thursday. ”That’s why we aim to streamline and expedite it.”
The FCC fined telemarketer Adrian Abramovich $120 million for "malicious spoofing" in a "massive robocalling operation aimed at selling timeshares and other travel packages," which the agency said was the largest "forfeiture" in its history. The commission found Abramovich, of Miami, or his companies spoofed 96 million calls over three months in 2016 "to trick" consumers into listening to advertising pitches, violating a Truth in Caller ID Act prohibition against callers "deliberately falsifying caller ID information with the intent to harm or defraud consumers or unlawfully obtain something of value," said a release. Commissioners approved a forfeiture order at Thursday's meeting, with Commissioner Michael O'Rielly partially dissenting.
Chairman Ajit Pai has canceled most of the meetings she had scheduled with him since she returned to the FCC last year, Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said Thursday during a news conference. Earlier in the week, Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, who's leaving, said she was unable to regularly schedule meetings with Pai (see 1805070036).
The FCC approved 4-0 an NPRM on ways to spark interest in the 2.5 GHz band. The item was changed while on the eighth floor to ask additional questions about how to make better use of the band, for example, holding an incentive auction like the one held for broadcast TV, officials said Thursday. Few carriers are expected to pursue the band, which is largely controlled by Sprint, despite the push (see 1805040036). The band, once dedicated to use by schools through the instructional television fixed service starting in 1963, was made available for other uses through the educational broadband service (EBS) launched by the FCC 2004.
Chairman Ajit Pai has canceled most of the meetings she had scheduled with him since she returned to the FCC last year, Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said Thursday during a news conference. Earlier in the week, Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, who's leaving, said she was unable to regularly schedule meetings with Pai (see 1805070036).
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai could be close to gaining majority support for his proposals to provide additional USF support to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, in response to last year's hurricanes. Commissioner Brendan Carr said this week he voted for an order, and Commissioner Mike O'Rielly's office told us Thursday he's optimistic his concerns will be resolved and he will soon be able to vote on the item. Pai circulated a draft order and NPRM in March seeking to provide $256 million in additional USF support and repurpose another $698 million to help restore and upgrade storm-damaged communications networks, with $750 million for Puerto Rico and $204 million for the U.S. Virgin Islands (see 1803060039 and 1803160051).
The federal USF shift to the U.S. Treasury is moving ahead, with changes to the contribution and distribution processes happening Tuesday, Universal Service Administrative Co. emailed Monday. "Effective immediately, as of May 2018, USAC will accept payments to and distribute funds from the U.S. Treasury," said a USAC announcement on a web page where it said further transition updates will be posted. "We are taking this step to safeguard USF funds consistent with guidance from GAO and OMB. And we have made clear for months that the funds were going to be moved to the Treasury,” emailed an FCC spokesman.