T-Mobile CEO John Legere and Sprint Executive Chairman Marcelo Claure faced no outright opposition to the carriers' proposed combination during a Wednesday House Communications Subcommittee hearing. Many Democrats registered varying degrees of skepticism regarding the executives' claims. Questions tilted toward focus on antitrust aspects of T-Mobile/Sprint, as expected (see 1902120056). Some probed the carriers' claims about the transaction's benefits for deploying 5G. Legere and other executives from the two carriers met FCC Chairman Ajit Pai Friday, they said in a filing posted Wednesday in docket 18-197.

Telco incumbents and rivals disagreed on an FCC proposal to scrap ex-ante regulation of price-cap carrier business data service TDM transport rates. Comments were posted through Monday in docket 16-143 on a Further NPRM (see 1810230032) on court remand of 2017 deregulation for lack of notice that some called an easy fix (see 1808280050). The commission should follow through on freeing price-cap telcos from TDM transport ex-ante rate regulation, commented USTelecom and ITTA: denial "would discourage competitive transport entry." AT&T said facilities-based transport competition is already "effectively ubiquitous." CenturyLink said transport services face "intense competition." The FCC can reach "the same conclusions regarding transport on the existing record, so long as it adequately considers" comments, said Verizon. "It would require an extraordinary change in factual circumstances to justify a departure or reversal." Deregulation critics' fears "have become reality" as "competition has been unable to keep ILEC TDM rates in check," commented Sprint, saying it's "experiencing significant price increases for newly deregulated" DS1 and DS3 transport and last-mile links. Incompas said the proposal "would lead to price increases for businesses and consumers." Instead, the commission should propose a market test to deregulate areas only where competition ensures just and reasonable rates, the group said. The American Petroleum Institute objected to deregulation in areas of concern to its member companies "in the absence of ILEC commitments to maintain reasonable levels of service." Alaska Communications (here) and other incumbents opposed a competitive market test. Addressing other FNPRM queries, USTelecom and ITTA said the FCC should grant rate-of-return carriers choosing price-cap treatment "further pricing regulation relief with respect to their TDM transport services," without a large data collection.

Telco incumbents and rivals disagreed on an FCC proposal to scrap ex-ante regulation of price-cap carrier business data service TDM transport rates. Comments were posted through Monday in docket 16-143 on a Further NPRM (see 1810230032) on court remand of 2017 deregulation for lack of notice that some called an easy fix (see 1808280050). The commission should follow through on freeing price-cap telcos from TDM transport ex-ante rate regulation, commented USTelecom and ITTA: denial "would discourage competitive transport entry." AT&T said facilities-based transport competition is already "effectively ubiquitous." CenturyLink said transport services face "intense competition." The FCC can reach "the same conclusions regarding transport on the existing record, so long as it adequately considers" comments, said Verizon. "It would require an extraordinary change in factual circumstances to justify a departure or reversal." Deregulation critics' fears "have become reality" as "competition has been unable to keep ILEC TDM rates in check," commented Sprint, saying it's "experiencing significant price increases for newly deregulated" DS1 and DS3 transport and last-mile links. Incompas said the proposal "would lead to price increases for businesses and consumers." Instead, the commission should propose a market test to deregulate areas only where competition ensures just and reasonable rates, the group said. The American Petroleum Institute objected to deregulation in areas of concern to its member companies "in the absence of ILEC commitments to maintain reasonable levels of service." Alaska Communications (here) and other incumbents opposed a competitive market test. Addressing other FNPRM queries, USTelecom and ITTA said the FCC should grant rate-of-return carriers choosing price-cap treatment "further pricing regulation relief with respect to their TDM transport services," without a large data collection.

Net neutrality advocates are encouraged by oral argument on the FCC's deregulation before a three-judge panel at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit Friday (see 1902010046). Challengers got some traction with arguments against reversal of Communications Act Title II broadband classification, net neutrality regulation repeal, transparency rule authority, public safety treatment and state pre-emption, the advocates suggested at a Public Knowledge event Wednesday (webcast). They mostly cited the comments and questions of Judge Patricia Millett, and to some extent, of Judge Robert Wilkins, on Mozilla v. FCC, No. 18-1051.

Net neutrality advocates are encouraged by oral argument on the FCC's deregulation before a three-judge panel at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit Friday (see 1902010046). Challengers got some traction with arguments against reversal of Communications Act Title II broadband classification, net neutrality regulation repeal, transparency rule authority, public safety treatment and state pre-emption, the advocates suggested at a Public Knowledge event Wednesday (webcast). They mostly cited the comments and questions of Judge Patricia Millett, and to some extent, of Judge Robert Wilkins, on Mozilla v. FCC, No. 18-1051.

Net neutrality advocates voiced confidence in their case against the FCC's order reversing broadband common-carrier regulation, with some optimistic it will be overturned. They said Wednesday the net neutrality rollback under a reclassified Communications Act Title I broadband regime was unjustified legally and bad policy that would unleash ISP "gatekeepers" to throttle and discriminate, harming consumers and competition. Petitioners and intervenors challenging the order held two media calls ahead of Friday's oral argument before a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in Mozilla v. FCC (see 1901230060). It's case 18-1051.

Net neutrality advocates voiced confidence in their case against the FCC's order reversing broadband common-carrier regulation, with some optimistic it will be overturned. They said Wednesday the net neutrality rollback under a reclassified Communications Act Title I broadband regime was unjustified legally and bad policy that would unleash ISP "gatekeepers" to throttle and discriminate, harming consumers and competition. Petitioners and intervenors challenging the order held two media calls ahead of Friday's oral argument before a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in Mozilla v. FCC (see 1901230060). It's case 18-1051.

Lifeline subscribership has "shrunk" almost 30 percent under FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and is set to drop at least another 30 percent "on his watch," said Kelley Drye attorney John Heitmann on a New America Open Technology Institute panel Wednesday. Representing Lifeline providers, he said Pai commission actions and proposals undercut enrollment and providers.

Lifeline subscribership has "shrunk" almost 30 percent under FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and is set to drop at least another 30 percent "on his watch," said Kelley Drye attorney John Heitmann on a New America Open Technology Institute panel Wednesday. Representing Lifeline providers, he said Pai commission actions and proposals undercut enrollment and providers.

A federal court panel denied an FCC stay request to postpone Feb. 1 oral argument on challenges to its net neutrality reversal order (see 1901170055), as some expected (see 1901150011). Judges Patricia Millett, Robert Wilkins and Stephen Williams of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit Thursday denied a commission motion for a delay that was based on the lapse in appropriations, said the brief order, citing opposition to the request in Mozilla v. FCC, No. 18-1051. That panel will review the case on the merits. The FCC Tuesday said petitioners challenging the order opposed the motion, and petitioner Incompas Wednesday filed opposition (see 1901150058). The FCC and others noted a previous D.C. Circuit ruling that such stay denials constituted "express legal authorization" for agencies to comply with court requests for oral argument or briefing, despite Anti-Deficiency Act restrictions during the partial government shutdown. The denial "does now enable us to adequately prepare," emailed an FCC spokesperson Thursday. Incompas is "glad the court ruled so quickly," and looks forward to presenting its "case to save net neutrality and keep the streaming revolution going," emailed Incompas General Counsel Angie Kronenberg. Mozilla didn't comment.