Consumers need clear information on risks and rights attached to digital content they buy, the London-based All Party Internet Group (APIG) said Mon. In the same report, APIG said distributors of technical protection measure (TPM) systems need to know they risk criminal prosecution if their products intrude too much on privacy.

CTIA met Wed. with top FCC officials to urge preservation of a means by which wireless carriers base Universal Service Fund payments on actual revenue, not a safe harbor percentage, CTIA said in a filing at the Commission. CTIA met with staff deemed closest to Chmn. Martin, including Chief of Staff Dan Gonzalez, legal adviser Michelle Carey and Wireline Bureau chief Tom Navin. Martin has proposed hiking the wireless safe harbor to 37.1% from 28.5% (CD May 1 p1). There’s a fear that such a change could restrict carrier use of traffic studies showing the actual percentage of subscriber calls that are interstate, CTIA told the FCC. “The FCC has long expressed a preference for wireless carriers to contribute to universal service based on their actual revenues,” the CTIA said: “The wireless safe harbor has always been a fall back for wireless carriers that choose not to complete traffic studies for purposes of determining their interstate telecommunications revenues.” Changes shouldn’t delay adoption of a numbers-based contribution system, CTIA said: “Any interim changes to the revenues- based universal service mechanism will be inferior substitutes to more fundamental reforms to the universal service contribution methodology.”

Verizon backs an FCC proposal to assess VoIP providers for Universal Service Fund contributions, an official there said Wed., commenting on a Communications Daily article on FCC plans (CD May 31 p1). Verizon’s broader goal is a move from the revenue-based contributions process to one based on phone numbers, the official said: “It’s important that all providers contribute in the same way.” Before making so major a change, it would be proper for the FCC to impose interim assessments on VoIP, the executive said: “The FCC should assess VoIP providers under current rules, and has the authority to do it.” In a paper sent the FCC last week, Verizon proposed a “safe harbor” approach to decide how much VoIP provider revenue to subject to USF contributions. Under today’s system, only interstate revenue is subject to USF fees. Verizon’s paper pushed the wireless safe harbor as an alternative -- 28.5% of wireless retail revenue is considered interstate and thus subject to fees. The FCC reportedly is eyeing such a plan as a way to sustain the USF on an interim basis once DSL revenue no longer is subject to contributions. The FCC plans to remove DSL from the contributions base in Aug.

Verizon backs an FCC proposal to assess VoIP providers for Universal Service Fund contributions, an official there said Wed. Verizon’s broader goal is a move from the revenue- based contributions process to one based on phone numbers, the official said: “It’s important that all providers contribute in the same way.” Before making so major a change, it would be proper for the FCC to impose interim assessments on VoIP, the executive said: “The FCC should assess VoIP providers under current rules, and has the authority to do it.” In a paper sent the FCC last week, Verizon proposed a “safe harbor” approach to decide how much VoIP provider revenue to subject to USF contributions. Under today’s system, only interstate revenue is subject to USF fees. Verizon’s paper pushed the wireless safe harbor as an alternative -- 28.5% of wireless retail revenue is considered interstate and thus subject to fees. The FCC reportedly is eyeing such a plan as a way to sustain the USF on an interim basis once DSL revenue no longer is subject to contributions. The FCC plans to remove DSL from the contributions base in Aug.

Universal Display’s agreements with Mitsubishi Chemical and Nippon Steel Chemical represent the latest in a series of alliances by developers seeking to widen their supply base for OLED materials. Universal last year extended an OLED materials development and supply pact with PPG industries through 2008 (CED Aug 11 p7), and in April hired 5 of its engineers. Rival Cambridge Technology formed an OLED materials joint venture -- Sumation - with Sumitomo Chemical last year, but continues to work with Merck, which bought former partner Covion last year.

The FCC is poised to impose a mandate on VoIP providers that they pay into the Universal Service Fund (USF) and also may raise significantly the “safe harbor” for wireless carriers. FCC Chmn. Martin began to circulate a USF item last week, timed to the June 15 agenda meeting -- likely the first with new Comr. McDowell.

FCC Comr. Tate understands the payphone industry’s concern about universal service reform raising operating costs, but “the ultimate solution isn’t necessarily the one that benefits any one company or group of providers,” she told an association of payphone providers last week. In a videotaped address to the American Public Communications Council, Tate said the solution must be “one that achieves a balancing of interests, and the most efficient and effective use of the fund.” She said she knows the payphone industry, like others, is concerned about the “sustainability” of the fund as demands increase: “We shouldn’t see reform, or change, as a threat to the status quo, but as an incentive to work together to tap the potential of our collective resources to provide access to communications services… for all Americans.” Tate said payphones are “an important part of our efforts to provide universal service” because they serve people without phones. They also are “a critical part of homeland security” because they can provide backup service in disasters “when our landlines or our cellphones aren’t available,” she said.

The Cal. PUC called for comments by July 28 and replies Sept. 15 in a new comprehensive review of its telecom public policy programs. The review will look at state Lifeline support, public-interest payphone subsidies, phone programs for the deaf and disabled, and the state Teleconnect Fund. This review doesn’t include the state’s universal service high-cost subsidy programs, which have been under review in a separate case opened late last year. PUC Comr. Rachelle Chong, who will be presiding over the review, said the programs were created in the early 1990s and haven’t changed to take into account new technologies and market conditions. As a result, she said it’s unclear whether the programs still meet the original goals. The review will look at funding, accountability and goals for these programs, all of which are funded through phone bill surcharges, as well as their outreach efforts and reporting requirements. The PUC also plans at least 3 public hearings around the state.

The FCC can require Universal Service Fund (USF) contributions of interconnected VoIP providers though VoIP’s regulatory classification hasn’t been resolved, Verizon said in a white paper sent Tues. to the FCC. The FCC should create an interim VoIP safe harbor or proxy contributions method pending contributions reform, the firm said. There’s no need to decide if VoIP is a telecom or information carrier before acting, since either way the FCC has authority, Verizon said. “If interconnected VoIP is considered a telecommunications service, then an interconnected VoIP provider is a ’telecommunications carrier’… and thus must contribute,” Verizon said: “If interconnected VoIP providers are considered ‘information service’ providers, the Commission can exercise its discretionary authority under Section 254(d) to compel them to contribute.” That section empowers the FCC to require contributions from “other providers of interstate telecommunications… if the public interest so requires.” One way to assess USF contributions for VoIP providers is to apply the same safe harbor figure used for wireless providers -- 28.5% of retail revenue, Verizon said. The wireless figure was adopted in 1998 because it was hard to discern between intrastate and interstate wireless revenue. USF contributions are based only on interstate revenue.

The FCC can require Universal Service Fund (USF) contributions of interconnected VoIP providers though VoIP’s regulatory classification hasn’t been resolved, Verizon said in a white paper sent Tues. to the FCC. The FCC should create an interim VoIP safe harbor or proxy contributions method pending contributions reform, the firm said. There’s no need to decide if VoIP is a telecom or information carrier before acting, since either way the FCC has authority, Verizon said. “If interconnected VoIP is considered a telecommunications service, then an interconnected VoIP provider is a ’telecommunications carrier’… and thus must contribute,” Verizon said: “If interconnected VoIP providers are considered ‘information service’ providers, the Commission can exercise its discretionary authority under Section 254(d) to compel them to contribute.” That section empowers the FCC to require contributions from “other providers of interstate telecommunications… if the public interest so requires.” One way to assess USF contributions for VoIP providers is to apply the same safe harbor figure used for wireless providers -- 28.5% of retail revenue, Verizon said. The wireless figure was adopted in 1998 because it was hard to discern between intrastate and interstate wireless revenue. USF contributions are based only on interstate revenue.