The FCC on Friday approved a notice of proposed rulemaking that will establish rules for an incentive auction of broadcast spectrum for wireless broadband, to take place as early as 2014. The NPRM moves the FCC a step closer to what is already the most anticipated auction since the 700 MHz auction four years ago. Commissioner Ajit Pai concurred only on parts of the NPRM, saying the commission leaves too many critical questions unasked.
House Republicans and Democrats differed over the best way to ease what both sides say is a looming commercial spectrum crunch, at a House Communications Subcommittee hearing Thursday. Majority members on the subcommittee urged federal agencies to relinquish more federal spectrum for commercial use, while Democrats cheered the administration’s across-the-board approach to sharing and clearing spectrum. A Defense Department official said federal users are working hard to achieve the administration’s goal of freeing 500 MHz of federal spectrum by 2020. Spectrum experts said that goal can only be achieved by employing sharing scenarios. Industry groups said that clearing spectrum for commercial use, rather than sharing, should be the ultimate goal.
The Democratic Party got it right in its 2012 party platform on Internet freedom issues, Democratic House members said in statements on Wednesday. “A free and open Internet is critical to the freedom and economic prosperity of all Americans,” said Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California. “This platform reaffirms our strong commitment to protecting free expression, privacy, and our fundamental right to assemble online free from centralized government control as we do in our everyday lives.” Rep. Jared Polis of Colorado credited the language’s inclusion to “an outpouring of grassroots support and the leadership of a small group of remarkable colleagues in Congress who have never stopped fighting to prevent the passage of harmful legislation like SOPA and PIPA and other assaults on Internet freedom.” Rep. Doris Matsui of California said the party’s stance reflected its commitment to the economy. An open and free Internet is “a key component in promoting innovation and growth in the American high-tech sector” as it “encourages new entrepreneurs to start their businesses in our country, creating jobs and economic growth,” she said. Rep. Anna Eshoo of California referenced her district. “Representing Silicon Valley in Congress, it’s especially gratifying to see a national party recognize that over the last 15 years venture capital funds have invested approximately a quarter of a trillion dollars in industries reliant on the Internet, including $91.8 billion on software alone,” she said, calling an open Internet “a hallmark of American ingenuity.” David Segal, executive director of Demand Progress -- which encouraged both parties to include Internet freedom language in their platforms -- commended the Democrats. “The Democratic Party this week has proven that they want to become the party of the ‘net,'” he said. “It will take more than words to protect the internet, and we look forward to working with political leaders in the Democratic Party to hold them to their promises."
The Democratic party’s platform should include language supporting an open Internet, four Democratic lawmakers said in a letter to the Democratic National Committee Wednesday. “We strongly urge you to ensure Internet freedom is a plank in the platform,” wrote Jared Polis of Colorado and California Reps. Zoe Lofgren, Anna Eshoo, and Doris Matsui. “Specifically, Democrats should explicitly reaffirm our staunch commitment to online free expression, to protect privacy from overbroad surveillance, to a free and open Internet, and to innovation in digital services.” The four asked that the platform include the language: “The Democratic Party stands for global Internet freedom, the free flow of information online, a free and open Internet, and protection from online censorship and privacy violations.” Earlier this month, political action committee Demand Progress began an online campaign to encourage Democrats and Republicans to adopt pro-open Internet language in their platforms. The petition asked the parties’ leaders to include in the platform the phrase: “The Democratic/Republican Party stands for a free and open Internet, unfettered by censorship and undue violations of privacy."
The primary defeat of Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., surprised many and left others wondering how his departure would affect the composition of the House Commerce Committee. The twelve-term congressman and chairman of the House Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee conceded to Ted Yoho Wednesday after a tightly fought primary race. Industry officials said Stearns’ defeat opens up some key spots on both the Oversight and Communications subcommittees.
The President’s Council of Advisers on Science and Technology (PCAST) Friday released its report that asks the Obama administration to move to spectrum sharing and away from attempting to clear federal users off the radio band offering carriers “exclusive-use” licenses. Most of the components were unveiled in May when the report was approved by PCAST (CD May 29 p1). In a key conclusion, PCAST recommended that the administration direct agencies to identify 1,000 MHz of spectrum that could be shared with the private sector.
The Federal Spectrum Working Group urged NTIA to provide more information about the government’s use of spectrum in a letter released Tuesday (http://xrl.us/bngeq3). The group asked NTIA to specify the number of spectrum authorizations each federal user held in 2011 and the amount of spectrum assigned to each federal user. The group is co-chaired by Reps. Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., and Doris Matsui, D-Calif., and includes Reps. John Shimkus, R-Ill.; Mike Rogers, R-Mich.; Steve Scalise, R-La.; Diana DeGette, D-Colo.; John Barrow, D-Ga.; and Del. Donna Christensen, D-Virgin Islands. House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., and Ranking Member Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., are ex-officio members.
The FCC’s plans for special access reform became a prominent issue during a House Communications Subcommittee hearing Tuesday where members queried the commissioners on a broad spectrum of regulatory issues. Chairman Julius Genachowski conceded that the current framework for special access is “not working” but said the commission lacks the necessary data to determine how exactly it should be reformed.
Rep. Lee Terry, R-Neb., said spectrum is the “big issue” facing the House Communications Subcommittee. “We know there is not enough spectrum,” the vice chairman said Wednesday night at a Phoenix Center event. Consumer preferences toward streaming video and audio are changing rapidly and “none of that happens without spectrum,” he said.
The House passed the Federal Communications Consolidated Reporting Act (HR-3310) by a voice vote on Wednesday evening. The bill (CD May 30 p8) would amend the Communications Act of 1934 to consolidate eight reports on the state of the communications marketplace into one biennial report. The bill would repeal 12 different reports that are “no longer used,” said sponsor Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La. The bill also contains an amendment proposed by Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., which would require the FCC to consider “all forms of competition” in its reporting. The bill is a “common sense approach” that won’t require companies to have “massive compliance departments to comply with things that nobody reads,” Scalise said. Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., called the bill “a step forward to further ensuring transparency.” Commissioner Ajit Pai commended the passage of the bill and said the legislation would assist the FCC in producing reports to Congress in a timely manner. NCTA hailed Scalise’s effort to reduce the reporting burden on telecom providers, while CTIA urged the agency to further streamline its reporting processes.