Senate Democrats will prevent any easy floor passage of the FCC Reauthorization Act (S-2644) and the Mobile Now spectrum bill (S-2555) until the Senate votes on the renomination of FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, as expected (see 1605060062), a senior Democrat confirmed this week. Commerce Committee Republican staff plan to file for hotline unanimous consent consideration of both measures on the Senate floor this month, and a Commerce Committee aide confirmed Tuesday that Mobile Now will undergo a hotline attempt this week. Both hotline efforts would fail under the current Democratic strategy.
FCC conditions for Charter Communications' buying Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks include requiring New Charter to build out its broadband network by a million customer locations within four years of close and to offer a low-income broadband service. A number of the conditions the agency itself acknowledges aren't transaction specific. Despite that, the FCC said in its 348-page order Tuesday that buildout "would provide a substantial public interest benefit [and] spur competition, leading to lower prices and greater choice for consumers." That the order was coming was announced last week (see 1605060059).
A path forward still exists this Congress to advance the Senate’s FCC Reauthorization Act (S-2644) and the Mobile Now spectrum bill (S-2555) despite a rapidly diminishing number of legislative days in 2016 and a tough political climate, Capitol Hill observers told us. The Senate Commerce Committee approved Mobile Now March 3 and the FCC Reauthorization Act April 27, both by unanimous voice vote, and both are likely to be filed for hotline expedited consideration by the full Senate this month. Mobile Now is expected to be hotlined this week.
A path forward still exists this Congress to advance the Senate’s FCC Reauthorization Act (S-2644) and the Mobile Now spectrum bill (S-2555) despite a rapidly diminishing number of legislative days in 2016 and a tough political climate, Capitol Hill observers told us. The Senate Commerce Committee approved Mobile Now March 3 and the FCC Reauthorization Act April 27, both by unanimous voice vote, and both are likely to be filed for hotline expedited consideration by the full Senate this month. Mobile Now is expected to be hotlined this week.
The Senate reconfirmation fight over FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel may bleed over into stalling some big-ticket telecom legislation on the Senate floor, said officials from industry and on Capitol Hill. Some have heard that Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., signaled an interest in obstructing telecom legislation until Rosenworcel gets a confirmation vote, which could have major implications for measures recently cleared from the Commerce Committee. That potential scenario was viewed as an unsurprising extension of Reid’s recent outrage.
The Senate reconfirmation fight over FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel may bleed over into stalling some big-ticket telecom legislation on the Senate floor, said officials from industry and on Capitol Hill. Some have heard that Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., signaled an interest in obstructing telecom legislation until Rosenworcel gets a confirmation vote, which could have major implications for measures recently cleared from the Commerce Committee. That potential scenario was viewed as an unsurprising extension of Reid’s recent outrage.
The FCC tweaked rules for the 3.5 GHz shared band, approving changes circulated for a vote by commissioners in March (see 1603110083). Commissioner Mike O’Rielly dissented in part, questioning whether the changes will make the band commercially viable. The FCC approved the initial 3.5 GHz NPRM in 2012 (see 1212130044), setting up an experimental three-tiered access and sharing model made up of federal and nonfederal incumbents, priority access licenses (PALs) and general authorized access users.
The FCC tweaked rules for the 3.5 GHz shared band, approving changes circulated for a vote by commissioners in March (see 1603110083). Commissioner Mike O’Rielly dissented in part, questioning whether the changes will make the band commercially viable. The FCC approved the initial 3.5 GHz NPRM in 2012 (see 1212130044), setting up an experimental three-tiered access and sharing model made up of federal and nonfederal incumbents, priority access licenses (PALs) and general authorized access users.
The FCC launched an effort to replace its telco special access regime with a “technology-neutral” framework governing business data services (BDS) used by enterprise customers on a retail basis and telecom competitors on a wholesale basis. Commissioners voted 3-2 along party lines Thursday as some expected (see 1604270051) to approve a Further NPRM along with a tariff investigation order that prohibits certain incumbent telco practices. Chairman Tom Wheeler said the plan is to establish “a level playing field” and make regulatory judgments based on the competitiveness of markets. “That is what is proposed. Then we ask a lot of questions,” he said.
The FCC launched an effort to replace its telco special access regime with a “technology-neutral” framework governing business data services (BDS) used by enterprise customers on a retail basis and telecom competitors on a wholesale basis. Commissioners voted 3-2 along party lines Thursday as some expected (see 1604270051) to approve a Further NPRM along with a tariff investigation order that prohibits certain incumbent telco practices. Chairman Tom Wheeler said the plan is to establish “a level playing field” and make regulatory judgments based on the competitiveness of markets. “That is what is proposed. Then we ask a lot of questions,” he said.