Pandora’s $90 million settlement with the RIAA and five record labels to end the labels’ lawsuit over unpaid performance royalties on pre-1972 recordings will likely have national implications, though it doesn’t fully resolve the status of those recordings, industry lawyers and other stakeholders told us. Pandora’s settlement ends the labels’ lawsuit in New York (see 1404210027), though Pandora said the settlement “provides a nationwide resolution for Pandora’s use” of the labels’ pre-1972 recordings. Judges in California and New York had decided their states’ laws allowed performance royalties for pre-1972 recordings in the absence of a federal mandate.

Pandora’s $90 million settlement with the RIAA and five record labels to end the labels’ lawsuit over unpaid performance royalties on pre-1972 recordings will likely have national implications, though it doesn’t fully resolve the status of those recordings, industry lawyers and other stakeholders told us. Pandora’s settlement ends the labels’ lawsuit in New York (see 1404210027), though Pandora said the settlement “provides a nationwide resolution for Pandora’s use” of the labels’ pre-1972 recordings. Judges in California and New York had decided their states’ laws allowed performance royalties for pre-1972 recordings in the absence of a federal mandate.

Pandora’s $90 million settlement with the RIAA and five record labels to end the labels’ lawsuit over unpaid performance royalties on pre-1972 recordings will likely have national implications, though it doesn’t fully resolve the status of those recordings, industry lawyers and other stakeholders told us. Pandora’s settlement ends the labels’ lawsuit in New York (see 1404210027), though Pandora said the settlement “provides a nationwide resolution for Pandora’s use” of the labels’ pre-1972 recordings. Judges in California and New York had decided their states’ laws allowed performance royalties for pre-1972 recordings in the absence of a federal mandate.

Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., fears the effects of the FCC’s direction on USF and what it has done to rural telecom companies’ ability to invest. Moran. a member of the Commerce Committee, also chairs the Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee, where he held a hearing on rural development Wednesday and aired many concerns about how FCC policies may affect investment.

Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., fears the effects of the FCC’s direction on USF and what it has done to rural telecom companies’ ability to invest. Moran. a member of the Commerce Committee, also chairs the Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee, where he held a hearing on rural development Wednesday and aired many concerns about how FCC policies may affect investment.

T-Mobile lobbying expenses plummeted in Q3 compared to what it spent last year. Its latest quarter expenses were $1.37 million, well down from the $1.91 million it spent in 2014’s Q3. The carrier, now No. 3 in the U.S. and often a big spender on lobbying, continues to deploy many firms and counts former lawmakers Henry Waxman and Billy Tauzin among its arsenal of lobbyists.

T-Mobile lobbying expenses plummeted in Q3 compared to what it spent last year. Its latest quarter expenses were $1.37 million, well down from the $1.91 million it spent in 2014’s Q3. The carrier, now No. 3 in the U.S. and often a big spender on lobbying, continues to deploy many firms and counts former lawmakers Henry Waxman and Billy Tauzin among its arsenal of lobbyists.

About 98 percent of the roughly 17,000 U.S. public libraries have free public Wi-Fi access, a survey from the American Library Association found. ALA said that a large portion of those libraries also offer programs to help people find training to understand technology better. Seventy-seven percent of libraries offer online health resources. About 90 percent of libraries also have basic digital literacy training, 62 percent support new technology training, 57 percent have information about safe online practices and 56 percent have training on social media use, the survey found. It was funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and managed by the ALA Office for Research & Statistics and the Information Policy and Access Center at the University of Maryland. The study provides national and state-level data. The survey used the FY 2012 Public Library Survey file released in June 2014 by the Institute of Museum and Library Services as its sample frame. The study included 5,195 libraries in its sample and received 2,304 responses, for a 44 percent response rate. Weighted analysis was used to present national estimates.

Rep. Richard Nugent, R-Fla., alerted FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler to a problem that Wheeler agreed would be cause for great concern. “It has come to my attention that contractors for the Universal Service Fund are setting up booths outside of Veterans Administration locations offering free cellphones with service, implying strongly that it is a government benefit specifically for veterans,” Nugent told Wheeler in a letter. “However, mere months later, the veterans receive a notice that they must provide proof that they meet the income threshold.” He blasted this as “an abuse” of USF intentions, with veterans “misled” and the targeting of veterans disgraceful. Wheeler responded in an Oct. 2 letter released this week. “I am as outraged as you are that agents of a wireless phone company would target veterans with false and misleading information with the goal of scamming those veterans and the Lifeline program,” Wheeler told Nugent. “It is an insult to the veterans who were targeted, and it undermines the integrity of the Lifeline program. We will not stand for it.” Commission staffers have worked with the veterans, who should be held harmless, Wheeler said. Tracfone “has promised that the affected veterans will be able to use the service at least through the end of the year,” Wheeler added. “Tracfone must better police its agents and ensure that they immediately stop this activity, so that no additional veterans are victimized.” He has asked staffers to investigate further and is open to, “if necessary, withholding future remittances to Tracfone.” Wheeler referred the case to the FCC Office of Inspector General “with a request that they work to bring appropriate legal action,” he said. “Our referral of this matter to OIG reflects the gravity of the alleged violations.” Tracfone had no immediate comment.

About 98 percent of the roughly 17,000 U.S. public libraries have free public Wi-Fi access, a survey from the American Library Association found. ALA said that a large portion of those libraries also offer programs to help people find training to understand technology better. Seventy-seven percent of libraries offer online health resources. About 90 percent of libraries also have basic digital literacy training, 62 percent support new technology training, 57 percent have information about safe online practices and 56 percent have training on social media use, the survey found. It was funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and managed by the ALA Office for Research & Statistics and the Information Policy and Access Center at the University of Maryland. The study provides national and state-level data. The survey used the FY 2012 Public Library Survey file released in June 2014 by the Institute of Museum and Library Services as its sample frame. The study included 5,195 libraries in its sample and received 2,304 responses, for a 44 percent response rate. Weighted analysis was used to present national estimates.