Carriers Say FCC Texting Ruling Provides Needed Clarity; Free Press Slams Pai

T-Mobile supported the FCC’s draft ruling clarifying wireless messaging as a Communications Act Title I information service, set for a commissioner vote Wednesday (see 1812050019). Other carriers also supported the ruling, while Free Press raised concerns. T-Mobile reported on a call with an aide to Chairman Ajit Pai in docket 08-7. The ruling “will remove regulatory uncertainty and allow T-Mobile and other wireless messaging providers to continue to incorporate robotext-blocking, anti-spoofing measures, and other anti-spam features into their service,” T-Mobile said. “It will allow industry to continue to protect the messaging ecosystem and spare [consumers] from receiving unlawful and unwanted spam.” “This classification ensures greater consistency in the regulatory treatment of these services across the messaging ecosystem,” AT&T said in meetings with aides to Commissioners Mike O’Rielly, Brendan Carr and Jessica Rosenworcel. “The Draft Declaratory Ruling empowers wireless providers to continue protecting consumers from unwanted text messages thereby keeping messaging services relatively spam-free.” Verizon also endorsed the ruling in meetings with commissioner aides. The action would "stand firm with millions of wireless consumers in the battle to safeguard messaging from unscrupulous robotexters,” said CTIA President Meredith Baker in a letter. Free Press slammed the ruling, saying it's “full of the same kinds of mistakes, errors, and lies that Pai and his team have made their specialty, all delivered with the knowing smirk and feigned concern that serves as the facade for their every utterance.” Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and eight other senators opposed the declaratory ruling, writing Pai to “classify text messaging as a telecommunications service” to provide such communications “protections that promote innovation and support freedom of speech.”