The trickle of public comments on FCC net neutrality issues turned into a tsunami after Chairman Ajit Pai's announcement Wednesday that he plans to roll back much of the agency's 2015 broadband reclassification and net neutrality order (see 1704260054). After posting only a couple hundred public comments in the open internet docket in the previous two months, the electronic comment filing system (ECFS) posted about 100 Wednesday, about 1,100 Thursday and about 9,650 Friday (as of late afternoon). Many appear to be form letters using templates and online submission links provided by advocacy groups on both sides of the dispute. Rhetoric around the NPRM also is heating up (see 1704280051), though it's not expected to derail Pai's reconfirmation (see 1704280055).
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's industry meetings on internet regulation issues sparked criticism in some quarters about the lack of more disclosure. One veteran public-interest advocate said it was "inconceivable" that certain parties didn't face commission filing duties and called the approach "hypocritical" for an agency touting its transparency. But Pai said he was simply soliciting input without discussing a pending proceeding, and his office said outside parties made filings when their presentations triggered requirements. Others defended the meetings as legal and laudable FCC outreach and Pai's overall approach as highly transparent. Pai unveiled his plan for a rulemaking notice on open internet and broadband reclassification issues in a speech Wednesday (see 1704260054).
A torrent of statements on FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's proposed net neutrality rulemaking notice started even before Pai spoke Wednesday at the Newseum (see 1704260054). Both those for and against the proposal have had years to practice for what's widely expected to be a repeat of the massive fight that led to the FCC approving its last net neutrality rules 3-2 in 2015 under former Chairman Tom Wheeler.
Lawmakers are bracing for FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s possible rulemaking notice on the commission’s 2015 open internet order, which some believe will target Communications Act Title II for rollback and may be unveiled Wednesday (see 1704240049). The agency may be contacting some Capitol Hill offices on the matter, though Democrats say they're in the dark. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., is hopeful this possible pending action will spur bipartisan legislative negotiation that he has sought this year and in 2015, interests he has discussed with the FCC before this action.
Net neutrality is expected to be the major focus at the FCC’s May meeting, industry officials said. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has had a busy agenda so far, but several former FCC officials said Tuesday they're not hearing of much else teed up for that meeting. Pai is to speak at the Newseum Wednesday on the future of Internet regulation, where he's likely to sketch out his plans for a net neutrality NPRM (see 1704240049). Pai is to circulate draft items by Thursday for the May 18 meeting. One other item on tap for the meeting is a proposed “comprehensive review” of FCC media regulations (see 1704250065).
An FCC draft wireline infrastructure rulemaking notice got more support than opposition heading into a scheduled vote Thursday, despite language proposing to roll back technology transition copper-retirement rules and streamline the process for discontinuing telecom services, which include safeguards backed by telco competitors (see 1704060046). In final lobbying before Sunshine Act restrictions took effect April 13, Verizon welcomed the agency's efforts to boost fiber deployment, and Google Fiber and the American Cable Association (ACA) voiced support while suggesting some tweaks to an NPRM section on pole attachments.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's efforts to take on net neutrality could start with an NPRM in a few months, we're told. Approving new rules could take as long as a year, current and former commission officials said Friday. Pai and staff have started talking to industry representatives about the process of taking on net neutrality and repeal of broadband classification as a Communications Act Title II service. A staff team within the FCC has been working on an NPRM, agency officials and others said Friday. The goal apparently is to seek a vote by the June 15 commissioners’ meeting, since Commissioner Mignon Clyburn’s term expires June 30, they said.
Local governments should face head-on state legislative efforts to pre-empt local processes for approving wireless small-cells applications, local government officials said on a NATOA webinar Thursday. Many states are moving industry-backed wireless siting legislation meant to ease the local process for approving industry small-cells applications (see map). Arizona and Colorado bills are nearing passage, but localities stalled a Minnesota bill and are resisting another in Florida.
The California Public Utilities Commission will consider pole-attachment rules allowing licensed phone companies to put wireless equipment on utility poles. In a meeting Thursday, commissioners unanimously voted to grant the petition by the Wireless Infrastructure Association to open a rulemaking to extend right-of-way (ROW) rules of commercial mobile radio services to wireless pole attachments by CLECs. Also, all commissioners voted in favor of Google Fiber’s acquisition of the Webpass telecom affiliate, the last regulatory OK. They voted 4-1 on nearly $47 million in funding for a 1 Gbps middle-mile project.
The Senate's 50-48 approval Thursday of a measure to kill FCC ISP rules spurred discussion of potential next shifts on the jurisdictional state of broadband. The vote is seen as a significant step for the Congressional Review Act resolution of disapproval (see 1703220071), which still needs to be considered on the House floor. If enacted, lawmakers say more steps will need to be taken as part of a strategy to return broadband’s jurisdiction to the FTC, as some say they want.