FCC Releases Wireless Competition Report, Hearing-Aid Compatibility NPRM

The FCC posted its new mobile wireless competition report Wednesday, which said the U.S. wireless industry is effectively competitive. Commissioners approved the report 3-2 Tuesday over dissents by Commissioners Mignon Clyburn and Jessica Rosenworcel (see 1709260045). The final report appears to change little from the draft circulated by Chairman Ajit Pai three weeks earlier (see 1709070056). “Competition continues to play an essential role in the mobile wireless marketplace -- leading to lower prices, more innovation, and higher quality service for American consumers,” the report concluded. Also Wednesday, the agency released an NPRM, approved at the meeting, seeking comment on a proposal to reduce the “regulatory burden” on smaller carriers of complying with hearing-aid compatibility rules (see 1709260045). “While in many cases these reports have helped the Commission compile information for the public and monitor compliance with wireless hearing aid compatibility deployment benchmarks, we believe that, in light of various changes in the marketplace since these reporting requirements were adopted, the benefits of annual reporting by small, rural, and regional service providers may be outweighed by the burdens of this information collection on these entities,” the NPRM in docket 17-228 said.