Wireless net neutrality will get more focus as Congress delves deeper into net neutrality legislation. Last week’s AT&T-BellSouth merger order opened the door to further debate, as AT&T agreed to extend net neutrality protections to fixed WiMAX (CD Jan 2 p1), sources said. But the same sources also said extending similar protections to mobile broadband - such as 3rd-generation services AT&T subsidiary Cingular offers - never figured in talks between AT&T and the FCC’s 2 Democrats. Extending net neutrality to fixed WiMAX, an alternative to wireline broadband, seemed logical to the Democrats.
Howard Buskirk
Howard Buskirk, Executive Senior Editor, joined Warren Communications News in 2004, after covering Capitol Hill for Telecommunications Reports. He has covered Washington since 1993 and was formerly executive editor at Energy Business Watch, editor at Gas Daily and managing editor at Natural Gas Week. Previous to that, he was a staff reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Greenville News. Follow Buskirk on Twitter: @hbuskirk
Verizon and Qwest likely will have to slash prices they charge for special access services under merger conditions AT&T agreed to last week, leading to Commission approval of AT&T’s acquisition of BellSouth (CD Jan 2 p1), sources said Wed. Verizon raised a red flag on the provision in a letter to the agency as approval was being finalized Fri. Verizon warned: “Such a condition would be subject to serious legal challenge and likely would not be sustainable.”
Many communities lag on interoperable communications, the Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) said in its first national scorecard. Of 75 areas examined, only 6 got the highest DHS rating: San Diego; Columbus; Minneapolis-St. Paul; D.C.; Sioux Falls, S.D.; and Laramie County, Wyo. Chicago and other major metropolitan areas got much lower marks. DHS Secy. Michael Chertoff released the results Wed.
Democrats who won control of Congress in Nov. are poised to put tight controls on lobbying. A proposal House members will take up when they return this week would bar lobbyists or entities employing them from offering members any gifts and meals, or travel aboard company aircraft, among other provisions, according to a draft in circulation.
FCC Chmn. Martin late Fri. began circulating an order on the 8th floor on customer proprietary network information (CPNI) rules for carriers, sources said Wed. Martin promised to have an order ready by the end of 2006 (CD Dec 26 p2). A key issue is whether the FCC will impose strict rules on passwords customers must use to access CPNI data.
The FCC approved the AT&T/BellSouth merger, completing action Fri. with concurrence by Comrs. Adelstein and Copps. Staffers for the 2 Democrats negotiated a tough deal with AT&T to allow its merger with BellSouth. Most immediate reaction held that the order offered few surprises. Chmn. Martin and Comr. Tate questioned whether some conditions, especially on net neutrality, went too far. All 4 participating Commission members voiced reservations about the order.
AT&T and BellSouth late Thurs. agreed to a number of new merger conditions arrived at during dozens of hours of negotiations in recent days as talks continued over the Christmas holiday between the companies and the offices of Comrs. Copps and Adelstein. AT&T agreed to conditions on special access, net neutrality, naked DSL and the sale of 2.5 GHz spectrum that go well beyond anything in earlier offers from the Bells. With AT&T’s offer on the table the merger order is now teed up for a vote as early as Fri. (Dec. 29).
Public safety groups are likely to oppose an FCC proposal that would give DoD and other federal agencies access to 12 MHz of 700 MHz spectrum that the FCC is examining for a public safety broadband network, we're told.
The FCC approved GCI’s acquisition of Alaska DigiTel despite charges by competitors MTA Wireless and ACS Wireless that the deal could hurt wireless competition in the state. MTA and ACS had been interested in 20 MHz of spectrum that they contend GCI has warehoused, so they could offer statewide service, sources said. MTA and ACS are considering appealing or asking the Commission to reconsider the order.
Chmn. Martin will circulate a long-awaited order on customer proprietary network information (CPNI) among fellow commissioners. It’s unclear whether, as carriers fear, the FCC will propose mandatory passwords to access CPNI data. Meanwhile, consumer privacy is heating up on the Hill, where House Democrats plan to upon reconvening to resurrect a Commerce Committee version of a pretexting bill Republican leaders buried last year.