The FCC’s quiet but determined diplomacy with state regulators has helped ease Chairman Julius Genachowski’s path through key elements of the National Broadband Plan, state and federal officials told us. In early May, for instance, the Joint Board on Universal Service filed comments on Genachowski’s proposed Universal Service Fund and intercarrier compensation system revisions. Whatever the Joint Board’s other recommendations, it did not insist that the matter should have been referred back to the Joint Board. FCC officials took that as an implicit endorsements of their efforts, which in turn undermined criticisms from rural carriers that the FCC didn’t have jurisdiction (CD May 4 p2). “There really has been a lot of outreach from this FCC,” Vermont Public Service Board Member John Burke told us at the time. “I think it’s fair to say that the FCC here was pretty much unprecedented on how they reached out to members.”

Spectrum fees assessed on government agencies appear to be off the agenda for the current Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee. A report on spectrum fees for government agencies dominated the last two CSMAC meetings last year (CD Dec 14 p2, Nov 9 p1) and was the subject of continuing debate. CSMAC ultimately called for further study of the issue.

EU governments mostly agree with the European Commission’s proposed five-year spectrum policy plan but the “particularly difficult” subject area means more work is needed to reconcile differences among countries and between the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament, Hungarian Information and Communication Minister Zsolt Nyitrai said at a Friday Telecom Council meeting. Hungary, which currently holds the EU Presidency, has made every effort to accommodate the concerns raised by governments, but several issues will be left to the incoming Polish Presidency to try to resolve, he said. One of the chief questions is whether all, or most, EU members will be able to free up the 800 MHz “digital dividend” band by 2013, which the EC badly wants.

SAN FRANCISCO -- An investigation of the T-Mobile sale that California regulators have decided to consider could influence policymakers in other states and the federal officials with the ultimate say over the deal, officials and transaction opponents told us. California’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) voted 5-0 late Thursday to consider an inquiry at its next meeting, June 9, rather than allow the proposed purchase by AT&T to be approved automatically earlier in the month under the usual informal procedure.

The FCC’s comment period has closed and industry officials are pressing their cases for Universal Service Fund and intercarrier compensation regime updates at venues from the Hill to the commission. Talks continue, with the hope of reaching an industry-wide consensus, but each sector has already begun pressing cases in ex parte meetings and Hill visits. Rural telcos have been dropping letters off on the Hill, asking legislators to urge FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski “strongly” to “consider the proposals put forward by the rural associations (OPASTCO, WTA, NTCA and NECA).” OPASTCO Vice President Randy Tyree said he hopes Congress will “weigh in and let the FCC know the importance of rural cooperatives that are out there serving and doing a good job.”

Congress must strike a “delicate balance" as it considers the numerous mobile privacy bills introduced in both the House and Senate, said Ranking Member of the House Communications Subcommittee Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., Thursday, at an event sponsored by the Congressional Internet Caucus. Digital privacy provisions should mirror those of the physical world, said Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., at the event. Panelists said protecting children is an essential component of mobile regulation because both the opportunities and dangers are so great.

The FCC asked whether it should extend for a second time a deadline for all radio and TV stations and subscription-video providers to start using a new government standard for emergency warnings. In a long-awaited rulemaking notice released Thursday afternoon, the commission asked dozens of questions on certification of emergency alert systems as complying with the new standards from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, deadlines and what’s technically needed to trigger alerts. The FCC tentatively concluded that existing EAS equipment can be used for the new standards and expects to start an inquiry on broadband alerting later this year.

The U.S. Copyright Office should not delve into “hypothetical questions” about whether changes to the statutory copyright system would require changes to the Communications Act or FCC rules, said the NAB. It filed reply comments with the copyright office on what the office should recommend to Congress about alternatives to statutory licensing, a report required by the Satellite TV Extension and Localism Act. Multichannel video programming distributors made “misleading complaints about communications regulatory policies over which this Office has no jurisdiction,” said NAB.

There is “absolutely no redeeming reason” to allow AT&T to buy T-Mobile USA, Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, D-Mich., said at a hearing Thursday of the Internet Subcommittee: “Not even one.” AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson, testifying at the hearing, also played defense to Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., who had strong concerns about how the deal would affect pricing of backhaul owned by AT&T and Verizon. Stephenson said the deal would create jobs and motivate AT&T to build out to rural areas.

Internet Protocol version 6 carries a “significantly higher threat potential” than IPv4, security technology vendor Commtouch said this week. Spam, malware and other problems may be magnified if companies using the new technology don’t update their security and information technology systems, said Marketing Vice President Rebecca Herson. In general, current security solutions are obsolete and the “security world is in denial,” said IPv6 Forum President Latif Ladid. ICANN, however, said the risks aren’t much different from those of IPv4.