The House Commerce Committee leadership of both parties will begin “a series of meetings to explore the feasibility of expanding access to unlicensed spectrum for consumer use,” the committee said in a news release Monday. Committee leadership planned for meetings with the FCC, NTIA and the Department of Transportation to talk about possible unlicensed spectrum use in the 5 GHz band. “We will examine the FCC and administration’s efforts to safely increase unlicensed access to the 5.9 GHz band without harming the existing work being done to improve auto safety through Intelligent Transportation Systems,” said Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich., ranking member Frank Pallone, D-N.J., Communications Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., and subcommittee ranking member Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., in a joint statement. The automotive industry has resisted the idea of opening the band to unlicensed use, emphasizing the intelligent transportation technology use in this part of the spectrum. Thomas Kern, interim president of Intelligent Transportation Society of America, praised the lawmakers for “their thoughtful, collaborative approach to spectrum policy and for their efforts to increase unlicensed spectrum without putting life-saving connected vehicle technologies at risk,” he told us in a statement. Kern called both Wi-Fi and vehicle-to-vehicle communication “revolutionary innovations” and said the ITSA wants to “advance solutions to expand Wi-Fi while also accelerating the adoption of next-generation crash avoidance technologies on our nation's roads.” FCC Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Mike O'Rielly issued a joint statement commending the news. The commissioners "enthusiastically support these efforts to facilitate allowing safe, unlicensed access to the 5.9 GHz band," they said. "More than a decade and a half after this spectrum was set aside for vehicle and roadside systems, we agree it is time to take a modern look at the possibilities for wireless services in these airwaves, to allow a broader range of uses. We believe by taking steps right now, we can support automobile safety, increase spectrum for Wi-Fi, and grow our wireless economy."
The FCC approved an order finalizing rules for the 3.5 GHz shared spectrum band, in a 5-0 vote Friday, opening the band partly for unlicensed use and for small cells, while protecting the Navy systems already in the band (see 1503270052). In a potential win for public interest groups concerned about the use of LTE-unlicensed (LTE-U) in the band (see 1504100039), the FCC also said it will release a separate public notice exploring that issue. The item approved Friday already includes a further notice asking additional questions about the rules for the band.
The FCC approved an order finalizing rules for the 3.5 GHz shared spectrum band, in a 5-0 vote Friday, opening the band partly for unlicensed use and for small cells, while protecting the Navy systems already in the band (see 1503270052). In a potential win for public interest groups concerned about the use of LTE-unlicensed (LTE-U) in the band (see 1504100039), the FCC also said it will release a separate public notice exploring that issue. The item approved Friday already includes a further notice asking additional questions about the rules for the band.
The FCC approved rules reclassifying broadband as a common carrier service Thursday by a 3-2 vote before a standing-room only crowd at FCC headquarters. After months of fighting and a failed last stand by FCC Republicans, there were few surprises left by the time commissioners voted. The action now shifts to the courts and to Congress, industry officials said.
The FCC approved rules reclassifying broadband as a common carrier service Thursday by a 3-2 vote before a standing-room only crowd at FCC headquarters. After months of fighting and a failed last stand by FCC Republicans, there were few surprises left by the time commissioners voted. The action now shifts to the courts and to Congress, industry officials said.
The FCC approved rules reclassifying broadband as a common carrier service Thursday by a 3-2 vote before a standing-room only crowd at FCC headquarters. After months of fighting and a failed last stand by FCC Republicans, there were few surprises left by the time commissioners voted. The action now shifts to the courts and to Congress, industry officials said.
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler’s draft net neutrality order would fully forbear from Sections 203, 204 and 205, “the core of Title II utility-style rate regulation,” an FCC official told us Thursday, speaking with more specificity about agency claims it won't impose traditional rate regulation on broadband providers under Title II. Gone with the forbearances would be requirements that carriers file rates with the agency and charge customers only those rates. Also to be forborne is authorization for the agency to hold hearings on the lawfulness of the rates, and for the FCC to set rates if carriers’ rates are unlawful, the official said.
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler’s draft net neutrality order would fully forbear from Sections 203, 204 and 205, “the core of Title II utility-style rate regulation,” an FCC official told us Thursday, speaking with more specificity about agency claims it won't impose traditional rate regulation on broadband providers under Title II. Gone with the forbearances would be requirements that carriers file rates with the agency and charge customers only those rates. Also to be forborne is authorization for the agency to hold hearings on the lawfulness of the rates, and for the FCC to set rates if carriers’ rates are unlawful, the official said.
Public interest groups argued for stronger consumer protections when legacy services are discontinued during the IP transition. But AT&T and industry groups said approving more regulations wouldn't recognize that customers are choosing to move from copper, and more rules would hinder fiber deployment. The comments were among dozens filed at the deadline and posted Friday on the FCC NPRM (see 1411210037) on toughening rules for retirement and imposing stronger battery backup requirements.
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler will circulate this week a draft order to pre-empt North Carolina and Tennessee laws (see 1407250075) posing obstacles to building municipal broadband in a city in each of those states. The draft will be based on the idea that while states may be able to dictate whether municipalities can get into the broadband business, the FCC has authority over laws that put up obstacles to broadband deployment, senior agency officials told reporters during a news-media call Monday.