All 55 states, territories and Washington, D.C., were incorporated into the Lifeline national verifier framework by December, Universal Service Administrative Co. said Friday in an annual report: The NV was launched in 46 states and territories plus Washington, and soft launched in nine states and territories "with an anticipated full launch date in early 2020." That's later than original targets (see 1912180046). Consumers submitted 1.4 million-plus applications through the NV, USAC said. USAC also updated its NV plan.
Country of origin cases
CTIA, NCTA and USTelecom seek "broad safe harbor that promotes voice service providers' good-faith efforts to combat abusive robocalls" (see 1908260021). They met with staff from the FCC Wireline and Consumer Affairs bureaus Wednesday, said a letter posted Monday in docket 17-97. Comcast said about 14.25 percent of calls originating on other voice providers' networks and bound for its residential subscribers had end-to-end call authentication, known as secure handling of asserted information using tokens (Shaken) and secure telephone identity revisited (Stir).
The tech industry’s content liability shield should be tightened because its protections have expanded well beyond the original intent, House Commerce Committee ranking member Greg Walden, R-Ore., told us Thursday. Congressional scrutiny of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act is growing.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai circulated an item Tuesday for an NPRM implementing Section 13(d) of the Pallone-Thune Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act (Traced Act) (see 1912310028), per Friday's circulation list. The act requires the FCC to establish a registration process for a neutral, third-party consortium to lead efforts to trace back the origins of suspected unlawful robocalls.
DOJ filed civil actions for temporary restraining orders against five companies and three individuals in two cases, alleging Tuesday they carried out hundreds of millions of fraudulent robocalls to Americans. Defendants in one case are Ecommerce National d/b/a TollFreeDeals.com, SIP Retail d/b/a sipretail.com, and their owners Nicholas Palumbo and Natasha Palumbo of Scottsdale, Arizona. Defendants in the other case are Global Voicecom, Global Telecommunication Services, KAT Telecom (aka IP Dish) and their owner Jon Kahen of Great Neck, New York. Calls originating in India "led to massive financial losses to elderly and vulnerable victims" across the U.S., DOJ said.
“We did not get this right from the start,” Sonos CEO Patrick Spence wrote customers Thursday. That's after two days of rebukes from customers who were told their systems would no longer receive software updates as of May (see 2001230058). Thanking customers for their loyalty, Spence said: "I hope that you’ll forgive our misstep, and let us earn back your trust." In the email apology, also on a blog, Spence sought to “personally assure” customers of the path forward for legacy products, including original Zone Players, Connect, Connect:Amp, first-generation Play:5, CR200 and Bridge products. When Sonos ends new software updates for legacy products in May, “they will continue to work just as they do today,” said the executive: “We are not bricking them, we are not forcing them into obsolescence, and we are not taking anything away.” It wasn’t clear Friday how legacy and modern Sonos products would work together after May. Addressing the customers whose Sonos systems include both, Spence said: “We are working on a way to split your system so that modern products work together and get the latest features, while legacy products work together and remain in their current state.”
Customers owning legacy Sonos products affected by the May deadline for software updates won’t see an immediate impact, a Sonos spokesperson emailed us. “Over time, technology will progress in ways these products are not able to accommodate.” Sonos will “work to maintain the existing experience and conduct bug fixes where the computing hardware will allow, but our efforts will ultimately be limited by the lack of memory and processing power of these legacy products.” The company advised registered owners of original Zone Players, Connect, Connect:Amp, first-generation Play:5, CR200 and Bridge products Tuesday (see 2001220064) the products will be “classified as legacy and no longer receive software updates and new features. This will affect your listening experience.” That sparked outrage on social media and Sonos' community forum where the company told customers if they want newer products to continue receiving updates and new features, they can separate them from legacy products and continue using both separately. Sonos community manager Ryan S. posted clarifications on the Sonos website after Tuesday’s announcement, which had 1,284 replies and 46,633 views by Thursday afternoon. A Wednesday thread was shut down, sparking more ire from customers.
Google filed to expand where it acts as spectrum access system operator in the 3.5 GHz citizens broadband radio service band as part of its initial commercial deployment (ICD). Google filed to add Brooklyn, New York; Nashville; Spokane County, Washington; and Harris County, Texas, among other areas, in FCC docket 15-319, posted Wednesday. CommScope wants to expand its ICD as a SAS to also cover Wake County, North Carolina. CommScope will operate there “consistent with our original ICD Proposal submission,” the company said, noting it’s awaiting approval for full commercial deployment.
Sonos upset customers with plans to no longer support older products. Users blasted the company. “Your system requires attention” messages went to customers Tuesday, alerting them to the end-of-software-update status of the original Zone Players, Connect, Connect:Amp, the first-generation Play:5, CR200 and Bridge, which launched at varying dates 2006-2009. Products will no longer be supported as of May. Boycottsonos.com appeared, spelling out the manufacturer’s plans. Many took to Twitter. One user emailed CEO Patrick Spence and encouraged others to do same. Its 2018 annual report acknowledged the risk it faces with hardware outliving its useful life in the digital age, saying in the “near to intermediate term” it could discontinue support for older versions of products, “resulting in customer dissatisfaction that could negatively affect our business and operating results.” The company didn't comment Wednesday.
ICANN extended to Feb. 17 the time to review Public Interest Registry submissions on the Internet Society selling PIR to Ethos Capital. ICANN will seek more information, it announced Friday. That won't delay the original Feb. 17 deadline to OK or turn down the deal, wrote ICANN Senior Vice President-Global Domains Division Cyrus Namazi to PIR CEO Jon Nevett. PIR has shown a "desire to act in the spirit of cooperation so that ICANN has a full understanding," Namazi wrote. The three parties to the transaction back the extra time, a spokesperson responded on their behalf Tuesday. Ethos, ISOC and PIR "stand firmly behind the merits of this transaction" that represent "immense opportunities" for ISOC and PIR "to advance their important work for the public benefit and the Internet at large," the spokesperson emailed. "Ethos investment in PIR will further strengthen .ORG." Over 21,000 people, 660 organizations and six members of Congress (see 2001160061) ask ICANN to halt the $1.135 billion takeover, noted the Electronic Frontier Foundation. "The speed of the deal and the dangerous lack of transparency" worry EFF, wrote Senior Staff Attorney Mitch Stoltz. EFF is "encouraged that ICANN is taking the time to review the deal more closely and ask more questions," Stoltz emailed us Tuesday. "It remains to be seen whether ICANN will listen to the concerns of .ORG users and address the obvious conflicts of interest that the Ethos deal raises."