CTA raised concerns as FCC commissioners approved 4-0 Thursday an NPRM and notice of inquiry that would further clamp down on gear from companies deemed to pose a security risk in U.S. networks. Commissioners said several questions were added since a draft of the item circulated, as expected (see 2106090063).
Country of origin cases
Telecom providers back USTelecom's robocall blocking petition for reconsideration (see 2105200074), in replies posted Tuesday in FCC docket 17-59. "Adopt a flexible approach to notification that would allow for, but not be limited to, returning specific [session initiation protocol] SIP codes when calls are blocked," CTIA said. "Rather than codifying unfinished standards work, the commission should defer to the ongoing, collaborative standards process." NCTA agreed and said the Jan. 1 implementation deadline "risks forcing providers to choose between offering consumers robust robocall mitigation tools or suspending such tools over concerns about compliance with return code mandates." Comments showed the "uncertain state of the standards" in the notification requirement, USTelecom said. An industry task force approval of industry standards is "at best, the beginning of the process," the telecom association said. Somos, the current toll-free numbering administrator and North American numbering plan administrator, echoed Lumen that there's "no value to notifying calling parties when their calls are blocked by analytic engines" (see 2106070051). Somos said calls blocked on the do not originate list shouldn't be included in notification to calling parties when such a call is blocked. Verizon said opposition to USTelecom's petition is based on "several flaws." The order on robocall blocking doesn't define what a legitimate caller or bad actor is, Verizon said, and "even some legal callers routinely take action to bypass blocking ... when they detect that their calls may have triggered blocking algorithms."
Draft rules revising equipment certification regulations to allow for presale of new RF devices before they're authorized are expected to be approved 4-0 by commissioners Thursday. A few tweaks are expected, reflecting changes sought by CTA and possibly Garmin, FCC officials said.
Commenters detailed how the chip shortage is creating problems for the tech industry, leading to longer lead times for obtaining network equipment, in response to an FCC public notice. Comments posted Friday in docket 21-195. Most didn’t seek specific action.
Call centers struggle to move to next-generation 911 because of longstanding funding and other issues, but the FCC hopes many reconfigure their systems to take vertical location information on wireless calls. On June 3, the agency reached agreements with AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon to start transmitting the data -- where possible (see 2106030086).
Commissioner Nathan Simington said finalizing new broadband data maps is a “very high priority” for FCC action. It's a “very thorny problem,” Simington said in an interview Wednesday. The FCC had to build out capacities that didn’t exist after Congress “passed the ball,” and acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel is “working very hard to get it done,” he said. The commissioner has USF concerns and may be open to some changes.
The FCC Media Bureau's seeking new comments on 2018's quadrennial review “is a positive step toward ensuring that the pillars of diversity, localism and competition are fully considered in determining what future media ownership regulation should look like,” tweeted Commissioner Geoffrey Starks. The original QR comment period ended in May 2019. “Given the passage of time since the prior comment period ended ... [and] the Supreme Court’s recent decision, we now seek further comment to update the record,” said Friday’s public notice, referring to SCOTUS' reversal of Prometheus IV (see 2104010067). The agency seeks comment on any materials filed in docket 18-349 since the comment period ended, on how the media market has changed since then, and on effects of COVID-19 and the rise in online video and spread of ATSC 3.0. The PN mentioned evidence that the pandemic didn’t affect retransmission consent revenue, asked about increasing use of online news sources, and questioned whether the FCC should account for multicast streams and satellite stations in the local TV rule. “Have recent industry developments altered the incentives or behavior of any market participants in ways that are relevant to this proceeding?” the PN asked. Comments are due 30 days after publication. “It may well be sometime in the Fall before the comment cycle for the updated comments runs its course,” broadcast lawyer David Oxenford blogged Monday. “Don’t look for any FCC action until 2022, presumably after a permanent Chair of the FCC is appointed and the vacant FCC seat is filled.”
Not meeting deadlines for using FCC high-cost USF funds to further roll out broadband could imperil other auction winners that played by the rules, some said in recent interviews. Charter Communications, which received $1.2 billion to serve more than 1 million locations (see 2012070039), is among rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction winners seeking waivers to extend the June 7 eligible telecom carrier certification deadline.
Hogan Lovells adds technology-focused IP litigator Nitin Gambhir from Polsinelli as partner-Intellectual Property, Media and Technology practice; he's representing clients in computer networking, telecom, smartphones, memory controllers, entertainment, gaming and internet systems ... Univision Communications hires from Disney+ MC Cerda as the broadcaster’s first executive vice president-product and engineering, streaming ... Disney’s ESPN promotes Burke Magnus to president-programming and original content.
Gray Television increased its offer for Meredith’s TV stations to $2.83 billion after an unsolicited bid, said both broadcasters Thursday. Gray’s original offer was $2.7 billion. Gray’s amended offer also includes an increased termination fee, it said. “Meredith's Board of Directors gave due consideration to both proposals and carefully assessed the risks and benefits of each and unanimously approved the revised Gray proposal,” said Meredith. The deal is still expected to close in Q4. Regulatory approval is expected (see 2105030056).