An order circulated for a vote at the Feb. 11 FCC meeting proposes changes to the E-rate program to allow participating schools to open their networks to the general public after school hours without reducing the school’s level of Universal Service Fund support. Currently, schools are permitted to allow the public to access their computers, but they have to cost validate and reduce the amount of USF they receive.
The substance of a cybersecurity bill and more than two dozen amendments offered on the House floor Wednesday drew little controversy. But that’s because Democrats pushed through a rule for floor debate so restrictive that Republicans couldn’t target several parts of the bill for amendments, especially on cost controls, the bill’s chief antagonist said. Approved amendments included ensuring minorities are considered for cybersecurity training and workforce programs, focusing educational efforts in areas with new broadband deployment, and studying how to better detect intellectual-property piracy. A request for recorded votes on several amendments left the bill in limbo at our deadline.
Qwest was upgraded from “Neutral” to “Overweight” by Piper Jaffray. The telco is a potential candidate for consolidation, the research firm said. The company has no asset exposure to the increasingly competitive wireless market, little exposure to government subsidies such as the Universal Service Fund that are at risk from possible regulatory changes and could benefit from increasing demand for fiber to wireless cell sites, it said.
Policymakers must address “end-user equity issues” on the Internet while keeping the platform “open and accessible to everyone,” said Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., at a Third Way lunch Tuesday. She backed ISP price models that would force heavy users to pay more. Later, Rep. Doris Matsui, D- Calif., said government must provide money to spur broadband adoption among low-income Americans.
Policymakers must address “end-user equity issues” on the Internet while keeping the platform “open and accessible to everyone,” said Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., at a Third Way lunch Tuesday. She backed ISP price models that would force heavy users to pay more. Later, Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., said government must provide money to spur broadband adoption among low-income Americans.
An FCC decision to maintain non-rural rules should not result in increased costs for Universal Service Fund high- cost support, some telecom companies and trade associations told the FCC in comments on a remand order by the 10th U.S. Appeals Court by April 16. In 2005, the court called the commission’s rules unlawful and said they affect high-cost area carriers that are considered non-rural because they have too many lines. Some groups backed the interim proceedings as a way to avoid increased high-cost support.
The NTIA and the FCC would work together on a plan to make more spectrum available, under President Obama’s proposed budget for fiscal 2011. A big surprise in the budget, released Monday, was its call for the elimination of the Telecommunications Development Fund (TDF), a program that has traditionally had the strong support of important Democratic constituencies including the Congressional Black Caucus. The proposed budget also would cut two programs that helped support public broadcasters’ transition to digital.
CTIA wants a comprehensive and quick overhaul of the high-cost universal service support system, it said in comments filed in an FCC rulemaking on changing the program. “Given the Commission’s tentative conclusion … to undertake comprehensive reform through the National Broadband Plan, CTIA supports the Commission’s tentative conclusions to maintain current non-rural high-cost support cost model on an interim basis and not significantly increase the amount of support non-rural carriers receive pending completion of that comprehensive reform,” the group said. “Adding support to the existing mechanisms would only increase the burden on contributors and complicate the transition to a broadband- focused fund.”
A coalition of public interest and consumer groups led by the Consumer Federation of America said the FCC should take “bold” action in the National Broadband Plan, due for release in March. Other comments were all over the board on the 30th public notice on the plan. AT&T resubmitted comments it had filed earlier. Broadcasters made one last pitch to preserve intact their spectrum. A National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors-led group said any plan must not override the traditional authority of local governments over their own rights of way. Staff briefings on the plan got underway Thursday on the eighth floor.
A coalition of public interest and consumer groups led by the Consumer Federation of America said the FCC should take “bold” action in the National Broadband Plan, due for release in March. Other comments were all over the board on the 30th public notice on the plan. AT&T resubmitted comments it had filed earlier. Broadcasters made one last pitch to preserve intact their spectrum. A National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors-led group said any plan must not override the traditional authority of local governments over their own rights of way. Staff briefings on the plan got underway Thursday on the eighth floor.