FCC at agenda meeting March 14 will address cable operators’ conc...

FCC at agenda meeting March 14 will address cable operators’ concerns about regulatory classification of Internet delivered over cable. Commission said Thurs. it would consider declaratory ruling and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on legal classification and appropriate regulatory framework for Internet service when delivered over cable. At moment, that’s considered “cable service.” In fact, Supreme Court, in case on pole attachments earlier this year, dealt with issue and some justices expressed dismay that Commission had not yet classified service (CD Jan 17 p1). Industry insiders believe Commission is likely to reclassify it as “information service,” which would protect it from being called “telecom service” and all common carrier regulations that would naturally follow. Cable executives have been lobbying FCC intensively on almost daily basis in recent weeks in hope that if it chose to call it “information service,” agency would ensure that local franchising authorities (LFAs) would have no regulatory jurisdiction over high-speed data. Item had been widely expected by cable industry, especially since Commission opened proceeding addressing Internet via wireline at its last agenda meeting. Meeting is scheduled for 9:30 a.m., Rm. TW-C305, FCC hq. Commission also will consider: (1) Order on streamlined procedures for transfer of control applications by domestic telecom carriers. (2) Order and rulemaking dealing with charges for changing end users’ presubscribed interexchange carriers. (3) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comments on how to address interference to public safety systems in 800 MHz band. Last fall, Nextel submitted White Paper to Commission that proposed reconfiguration of operations at 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz and 2.1 GHz to mitigate interference that public safety licensees were receiving from wireless operators such as Nextel. Proposal has been expected to seek comments on wider range of potential solutions than the one put forward by Nextel. (4) Further action on new Multichannel Video Distribution and Data Service (MVDDS) in 12.2-12.7 GHz band. Meanwhile, FCC originally planned, then postponed, consideration of proposed amendment of Parts 2 and 25 of Commission rules to permit frequency sharing between nongeostationary orbit fixed satellite systems with GSO and terrestrial systems in Ku-band frequency. It also delayed review order that allows terrestrial companies to use DBS satellite spectrum in 12.2-12.7 GHz band that included applications of Northpoint, PDC Broadband and Satellite Services.