The debate over how the FCC should treat special access services heated up further Thursday, as a top telco accused another of "doublespeak." In a blog post, AT&T used Verizon's own words to criticize Verizon's joint proposal with Incompas for a new business data service regulatory framework (see 1606270058). Verizon said it was disappointed, while a special access regulation advocate said AT&T's slam was "silly." AT&T Wednesday criticized the FCC on special access, as initial comments arrived in the BDS rulemaking (see 1606280058 and 1606290045).

The debate over how the FCC should treat special access services heated up further Thursday, as a top telco accused another of "doublespeak." In a blog post, AT&T used Verizon's own words to criticize Verizon's joint proposal with Incompas for a new business data service regulatory framework (see 1606270058). Verizon said it was disappointed, while a special access regulation advocate said AT&T's slam was "silly." AT&T Wednesday criticized the FCC on special access, as initial comments arrived in the BDS rulemaking (see 1606280058 and 1606290045).

An FCC consultant and agency staff stood by their business data service analysis despite additional 2013 cable deployment data that ILECs say show much more competition than believed when the commission proposed a new BDS regulatory framework (see 1604280057). Documents released by the Wireline Bureau Tuesday and posted Wednesday in docket 16-143 -- including a modified BDS white paper by consultant Marc Rysman, a Boston University econometrician -- factored in the recent supplemental cable data and feedback from peer reviews.

An FCC consultant and agency staff stood by their business data service analysis despite additional 2013 cable deployment data that ILECs say show much more competition than believed when the commission proposed a new BDS regulatory framework (see 1604280057). Documents released by the Wireline Bureau Tuesday and posted Wednesday in docket 16-143 -- including a modified BDS white paper by consultant Marc Rysman, a Boston University econometrician -- factored in the recent supplemental cable data and feedback from peer reviews.

Parties skirmished over the business data service market and regulation, as comments were due Tuesday in the FCC BDS proceeding in docket 16-143. ILECs and their allies urged the commission to recognize the BDS market is competitive and reduce regulation, while rivals and other critics said the agency should fix what they see as a broken marketplace. AT&T also panned what it said was the supposed "compromise" between Incompas and Verizon, which it called a "sometimes ILEC."

Parties skirmished over the business data service market and regulation, as comments were due Tuesday in the FCC BDS proceeding in docket 16-143. ILECs and their allies urged the commission to recognize the BDS market is competitive and reduce regulation, while rivals and other critics said the agency should fix what they see as a broken marketplace. AT&T also panned what it said was the supposed "compromise" between Incompas and Verizon, which it called a "sometimes ILEC."

Incompas and Verizon suggested a new framework for streamlining FCC treatment of business data services (BDS), also called special access services. In a joint letter to the FCC Monday in docket 16-143, Incompas and Verizon proposed creating three tiers of BDS offerings based on their data speeds, with the lowest tier (below no lower than 50 Mbps) deemed noncompetitive and subject to regulation, the highest tier (above 1 Gbps) deemed competitive and not subject to regulation, and the middle tier subject to commission review by census blocks. CenturyLink and NCTA criticized the proposal. Meanwhile, an NCTA blog suggested the BDS proceeding could "backfire and slow the deployment of 5G" unless the commission changes course.

Incompas and Verizon suggested a new framework for streamlining FCC treatment of business data services (BDS), also called special access services. In a joint letter to the FCC Monday in docket 16-143, Incompas and Verizon proposed creating three tiers of BDS offerings based on their data speeds, with the lowest tier (below no lower than 50 Mbps) deemed noncompetitive and subject to regulation, the highest tier (above 1 Gbps) deemed competitive and not subject to regulation, and the middle tier subject to commission review by census blocks. CenturyLink and NCTA criticized the proposal. Meanwhile, an NCTA blog suggested the BDS proceeding could "backfire and slow the deployment of 5G" unless the commission changes course.

His office will “sit down with all the players” this week to discuss the pay-TV backed compromise set-top proposal (see 1606160059), Chairman Tom Wheeler said Friday at a news conference after commissioners' meeting. The commission needs to understand the pay-TV proposal before it can decide how to react, Wheeler said. In a later news conference by the Republican FCC commissioners, Mike O’Rielly said “there was a lot to like” about the pay-TV proposal, and he hoped this week’s meetings wouldn’t be a discussion of “how to mangle it.”

His office will “sit down with all the players” this week to discuss the pay-TV backed compromise set-top proposal (see 1606160059), Chairman Tom Wheeler said Friday at a news conference after commissioners' meeting. The commission needs to understand the pay-TV proposal before it can decide how to react, Wheeler said. In a later news conference by the Republican FCC commissioners, Mike O’Rielly said “there was a lot to like” about the pay-TV proposal, and he hoped this week’s meetings wouldn’t be a discussion of “how to mangle it.”