The FCC voted at its open meeting Fri. to reduce regulation of wireline Internet access service by reclassifying it as an “information service,” in line with the FCC’s treatment of cable modem service. The U.S. Supreme Court in June upheld the agency’s cable modem classification in the Brand X case, triggering action on the wireline companion piece which had been placed on hold during the litigation. DSL is the most common wireline Internet access service.
When the USF was new, Franklin Roosevelt wasn’t halfway through his first term. Even so, the venerable program still has a startling capacity to make news.
WILLIAMSBURG, Va -- Comr. Abernathy called for a change in the Sunshine rules to let FCC commissioners meet in private as needed to get consensus on complex issues out of the public eye. Abernathy told the FCBA annual retreat held here Fri. and Sat. that 1970s-vintage rules work against development of policy on critical but complicated issues.
Chmn. Powell announced Fri. he will leave the FCC in March. With key issues pending for all communications sectors, sources agreed the next chmn. is likely to maintain Powell’s policies in the broadest sense, including an emphasis on competition and on promoting new technologies.
Telecom Act revision should be legislation of few words and fewer regulations, BellSouth Chmn. Duane Ackerman told an American Enterprise Institute/Brookings Institution forum Tues. If Congress concludes competition between multiple facilities-based networks works better than traditional regulation -- which Ackerman believes it will -- telecom reform “could be dealt with in a very short bill in a matter of months, not years. This is not complicated.” Ackerman emphasized that telecom reform must be simple, to avoid lengthy litigation like that over the Telecom Act of 1996.
The Universal Service Administrative Co.’s (USAC’s) outside board members are trying to get a legislative fix to solve an accounting problem (CD Oct 6 p1) that caused the $6.5 billion universal service program to lose money and jeopardized not only to the E-rate program but also high-cost rural telephony support. Although USAC can’t lobby Congress, its board has been meeting with state regulators, telecom industry associations, education groups and others to seek help in gaining legislation during the lame-duck session of Congress beginning Nov. 15. “The USAC board is reaching out to constituents, talking to people about a solution, trying to do as much as we can,” said USAC Chmn. Frank Gumper, a Verizon consultant: “We've got to do something to get the situation under control, to get the program back to normal.”
The Internet Innovation Alliance (IIA) officially kicked off Mon., as its leaders said “promoting VoIP services” and “educating people” were top goals of the new group. Unlike other VoIP organizations, such as the VON Coalition, the IIA will focus primarily on regulatory and economic rather than social policy VoIP issues, its leaders said.
VoIP providers are forming the Global IP Alliance to demonstrate to state, national and international regulators that the industry is capable of self-governance. The alliance, expected to be formally announced in the next several weeks, will be led by Pulver.com and consist of ILECs, CLECs, IXCs and pure VoIP providers from around the world. “We want to make sure we represent all points of view globally,” said Pulver.com Gen. Counsel Jonathan Askin, who will be exec. dir. of the alliance. He said the group has attracted “a lot of” U.S. VoIP providers and “a couple of” European ones, but he said “we need to get more Asian” companies. The initial members will include SBC, Global Crossing, Skype, KMC, Volo and Pulver.com.
One of the few surprises at Wed.’s FCC mostly well scripted meeting was a strong statement from Comr. Copps warning that the FCC is still falling short on homeland security. Shortly after the session’s start, Copps -- responding to an FCC report on post-Sept. 11 communications changes that led off a meeting largely focused on homeland security -- addressed at length Commission shortcomings. Sources involved with emergency communications said Thurs. that issues remain, echoing in part Copps’ statements. Copps, sources said, delivered what he viewed as a moderate speech.
Supported by at least 2 Bell companies, USTA urged the FCC in comments to leave the IP-enabled services market free of economic regulation. But some consumer groups argued the Commission should subject VoIP to Title II regulation to protect consumers, and use its authority to exempt such services from unnecessary regulations. The Local Govt. Coalition reminded the FCC it had “no power to adopt a comprehensive scheme for regulating information services independent of Title II, Title III or Title VI” of the Communications Act. Meanwhile, states pressed for a technology-neutral functional approach to VoIP oversight. “Regulators should not be choosing technology winners and losers,” NARUC Gen. Counsel Brad Ramsay told us. More comments were expected after our deadline Fri.