An FCC draft ruling and orders would undo 2015 net neutrality regulation and Title II broadband classification under the Communications Act, as Chairman Ajit Pai and staffers outlined Tuesday (see 1711210020). The 210-page draft declaratory ruling, report and order, and order released Wednesday would "reverse heavy-handed utility-style" broadband regulation "and return to the light-touch framework" that promoted a "free and open internet" before Title II classification, it said.
An FCC draft ruling and orders would undo 2015 net neutrality regulation and Title II broadband classification under the Communications Act, as Chairman Ajit Pai and staffers outlined Tuesday (see 1711210020). The 210-page draft declaratory ruling, report and order, and order released Wednesday would "reverse heavy-handed utility-style" broadband regulation "and return to the light-touch framework" that promoted a "free and open internet" before Title II classification, it said.
FCC Democratic commissioners urged net neutrality advocates to rise up in defense of open internet regulation that appears to be in the crosshairs of Chairman Ajit Pai and fellow Republicans. "Time to call foul. Time to raise a ruckus. Time to save #NetNeutrality," tweeted Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel Friday, linking to a Slate article in which she called for FCC hearings across the country to allow Americans to comment on Pai's plans.
FCC Democratic commissioners urged net neutrality advocates to rise up in defense of open internet regulation that appears to be in the crosshairs of Chairman Ajit Pai and fellow Republicans. "Time to call foul. Time to raise a ruckus. Time to save #NetNeutrality," tweeted Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel Friday, linking to a Slate article in which she called for FCC hearings across the country to allow Americans to comment on Pai's plans.
Stakeholders criticized proposed FCC wireline broadband infrastructure actions in a draft item on the agenda for Thursday's commissioners' meeting (see 1710270040). Consumer groups, industry parties and others opposed changes the draft would make to agency rules adopted in past orders on technology transitions, copper retirements and telecom service discontinuances. Electric utilities voiced concern about possible FCC efforts to further drive down pole-attachment rates. The objections were in filings posted Monday and last week in docket 17-84, including on meetings before lobbying restrictions took effect Thursday.
Stakeholders criticized proposed FCC wireline broadband infrastructure actions in a draft item on the agenda for Thursday's commissioners' meeting (see 1710270040). Consumer groups, industry parties and others opposed changes the draft would make to agency rules adopted in past orders on technology transitions, copper retirements and telecom service discontinuances. Electric utilities voiced concern about possible FCC efforts to further drive down pole-attachment rates. The objections were in filings posted Monday and last week in docket 17-84, including on meetings before lobbying restrictions took effect Thursday.
The FCC would seek to spur advanced wireline broadband investment and deployment through further regulation of pole attachments and deregulation of telco retirement of legacy networks and services, under a draft item that Chairman Ajit Pai Thursday placed on the tentative agenda for a Nov. 16 commissioners' vote. The 109-page draft "seeks to accelerate the deployment of next-generation networks and services by removing regulatory barriers to infrastructure investment; to speed the transition from legacy copper networks and services to next-generation fiber-based networks and services; and to eliminate Commission regulations that raise costs and slow broadband deployment," said a summary.
CenturyLink appears close to winning FCC approval of its planned buy of Level 3 without many conditions, parties following the proceeding told us Wednesday. An agency spokesman confirmed a draft order on the transaction circulated among commissioners. Commissioner Mike O'Rielly voted to approve the item, an aide said. Other commissioner offices didn't comment.
CenturyLink appears close to winning FCC approval of its planned buy of Level 3 without many conditions, parties following the proceeding told us Wednesday. An agency spokesman confirmed a draft order on the transaction circulated among commissioners. Commissioner Mike O'Rielly voted to approve the item, an aide said. Other commissioner offices didn't comment.
Commenters disagreed on proposed FCC rule changes to curb slamming and cramming -- when providers make unauthorized changes to consumers' preferred telecom providers or add unauthorized charges on phone bills -- as replies were posted Monday and Friday in docket 17-169. Filing for the first time in the rulemaking, ATIS, CenturyLink and Incompas voiced concerns about some proposals (see 1707130054), while the Communications Workers of America and Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission were supportive. Saying burdens outweighed benefits, ATIS opposed an FCC proposal to make an optional preferred interexchange carrier (PIC) freeze "the default so that consumers are automatically afforded this protection against slamming" without having to opt in. CenturyLink called slamming proposals "unwarranted" and "disproportionate," urging the FCC to focus on "targeted regulation only when" the benefits clearly outweigh costs, though it agreed with many cramming proposals. Saying competition could be harmed and choice limited for all-distance services, Incompas asked the FCC to reject the default PIC freeze and a proposal to require executing carriers to "double check" with customers to verify they wanted to change providers. CWA backed "strong protections against slamming and cramming that apply to all voice providers, whether traditional landline, interconnected VoIP, or wireless," and criticized telecom carriers' "unrealistic sales quotas" as "inconsistent" with anti-cramming efforts. PPUC said "regulatory experience," including of the FTC, "would seem to bely" industry arguments against new rules, "especially with respect to cramming." It said a "cramming prohibition should be codified and extended to all providers of voice communications, regardless of technology," and suggested slamming rules should also extend to all voice providers. Billing Services Group North America, CTIA and consumer groups filed replies after also filing initial comments (see 1709140023). BSG opposed proposals "to eliminate or require certification" of third-party verifications, to impose a default PIC freeze, and to block third-party billing. CTIA said the record showed that in mobile wireless "slamming does not exist and cramming has all but disappeared." Consumers Union and six other consumer groups said "enhanced cramming and slamming protections should apply to all voice customers."