All signs point to an easy Senate confirmation vote for FCC nominee Geoffrey Starks, but his lack of a clear public track record on many high-profile telecom policy issues likely portends tough questions from lawmakers in both parties in the weeks ahead, communications officials and lobbyists told us. President Donald Trump at our deadline Monday formally nominated Starks, an Enforcement Bureau assistant chief, to succeed outgoing Commissioner Mignon Clyburn for a term ending June 30, 2022. Chairman Ajit Pai and some other commissioners lauded Starks’ selection Friday, though only some directly received a White House announcement about the nomination then (see 1806010072).
Consumer and labor advocates objected to FCC draft plans to relax consumer protection and education mandates when telcos discontinue legacy telecom services in favor of IP-based fiber and wireless offerings. Verizon and AT&T disputed ADT Security Services and Alarm Industry Communications Committee (AICC) concerns that a proposed "alternative options test" could effectively scrap an "adequate replacement test" and its interoperability requirements. Parties made closing arguments before lobbying restrictions took effect heading into this coming Thursday's commissioners' meeting that includes a draft order to streamline discontinuance duties.
Data throttling will be a top enforcement priority when FTC jurisdiction over broadband providers is restored June 11, said Consumer Protection Bureau Director Andrew Smith Friday. When the FCC net neutrality order takes effect, the FTC will look to publicly expose “issues with respect to fast-tracking of certain traffic and slowing down to less speed with respect to other traffic,” Smith said at a George Mason University event, citing recent throttling allegations against AT&T.
Sharing the C band now used by satellite operators and by broadcast and other programmers sending content using it could be tricky, many stakeholders agree. Where they differ is on whether it should be repurposed or shared or mainly left as-is. True to predictions and comments posted through Thursday, even newer filings reveal differences between carriers on one hand and current users on the other (see 1805310058), a docket 18-122 review shows. A couple dozen filings were posted Friday, from tech companies, carriers, equipment makers, cable and content interests plus other industries.
The FCC hasn’t launched its new Office of Economics and Analytics (OEA), four months after commissioners approved it 3-2. Former officials and industry lawyers said they have heard virtually nothing about the office since it was approved over dissents by Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Mignon Clyburn (see 1801300026). The FCC filed its plans with the Office of Management and Budget and with the union representing employees, commission officials said.
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer should “do everything possible” to address China’s allegedly unfair trade practices without “imposing tariffs” or enacting measures that “might harm large numbers" of U.S. workers, consumers and businesses, said a Wednesday letter signed by 34 House Democrats and Republicans and released Thursday. The letter to Lighthizer comes before the USTR's office releases its final list of duties by June 15 and a day after the White House announced its decision to proceed with the tariffs on Chinese imports (see 1805290046).
Online platforms should strive for some degree of uniformity when deciding how to filter malicious content, said Facebook Global Politics and Government Outreach Director Katie Harbath Thursday. “You don’t necessarily want Facebook making one decision, Google making another decision, Twitter making another decision, too,” Harbath said at a Cato Institute event. “These are conversations we have to be having collectively, to be thinking about what are the right ways to be handling this.” Platforms should draw lines in deciding where regulation is the “right answer,” and where companies should self-regulate, she said.
One of the biggest issues in the FCC small satellites authorization streamlining rulemaking might be its definition of a smallsat, experts said at an FCBA event Thursday. The requirement that smallsats above a certain orbit have collision avoidance capabilities also could face pushback, said Spire counsel George John. Development of such propulsion technology for smallsats is still "getting there," he said.
A proposal to make California the first state with a surveillance transparency law cleared the Senate but divided senators Thursday. No member spoke against SB-1186 on the floor, and the vote was 21-15, getting the minimum number of supporters needed in the 40-member body to send the bill to the Assembly. Sheriffs continued to oppose the bill requiring local law enforcement to have public notice and comment before using new surveillance technologies (see 1804030043). Senate passage Wednesday of a net neutrality bill (see 1805300084) picked up more kudos, including from ex-FCC chairman Tom Wheeler and a New York state senator.
Tests demonstrate the 3.7-4.2 GHz band can be safely shared, the Broadband Access Coalition (BAC) commented in docket 13-1. The FCC is preparing a report to Congress on the spectrum, also known as the C-band, as required by the Mobile Now Act. This offer a preview of arguments to come, with Chairman Ajit Pai promising to tee-up a C-band NPRM for commissioners' July meeting (see 1805230031).