Stakeholders objected to proposed FCC Lifeline actions in a draft item on the agenda for next Thursday's commissioners' meeting, with many against a possible move to eliminate low-income funding support for resellers. Wireless industry parties, civil rights advocates, tribal groups and others voiced concerns about the combined draft orders and notices, in meetings and filings posted Wednesday and Thursday in docket 11-42.
The Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee approved six sets of recommendations for speeding deployment of wireless and wireline infrastructure Thursday, but disagreements surfaced, especially from the local government officials appointed to the group. The FCC posted the documents for the committee, which meets again in January to finalize recommendations.
The Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee approved six sets of recommendations for speeding deployment of wireless and wireline infrastructure Thursday, but disagreements surfaced, especially from the local government officials appointed to the group. The FCC posted the documents for the committee, which meets again in January to finalize recommendations.
CTIA and Wireless Infrastructure Association officials met with FCC Wireless Bureau Chief Donald Stockdale and others to make a case for wireless infrastructure reform. A draft order on the agenda for the Nov. 16 commissioners’ meeting, making it easier for the wireless industry to site small cells and other facilities, must offer “meaningful relief from unnecessary regulatory requirements for replacement facilities that have no potential to affect historic properties,” the groups said in Monday in docket 17-79. Chairman Ajit Pai circulated the order Oct. 29 (see 1710270040). They discussed the "dual goals in the proceeding: protecting sites of historic, religious, and cultural significance to Tribes while enabling the efficient delivery of advanced communications services and technologies nationwide,” the filing said, urging, “Update the Section 106 Tribal consultation process and procedures to reflect these goals.”
Local government officials are trying to be heard as FCC Chairman Ajit Pai seeks to end barriers to broadband deployment through rulemakings and an industry-dominated committee. With the FCC moving at a “dizzying pace,” local governments feel they must grab on or risk getting left behind, said Andy Huckaba, a Republican city council member in Lenexa, Kansas, and one of three local officials on the 30-member Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee. The full members and another four local officials serve on BDAC working groups with several dozens of others. In other interviews, local and state officials raised concerns about what BDAC membership says about FCC willingness to listen to governments, but some said they feel included.
An FCC draft Lifeline item is "a drastic departure" from Chairman Ajit Pai's "claims to support affordable broadband for low-income consumers suffering from the digital divide," said the Lifeline Connects Coalition, Boomerang Wireless and Easy Wireless in a filing posted Friday in docket 11-42 on a meeting with an aide to Commissioner Mignon Clyburn. "Because the item eliminates resellers from the Tribal Lifeline program and proposes to eliminate resellers from the entire Lifeline program, despite the fact that 69 percent of all Lifeline subscribers (and 76 percent of wireless subscribers) are currently served by resellers, we urged Commissioner Clyburn’s office to work to change the item so that it does not threaten to suddenly and dramatically widen the affordability gap that places tens of millions of low-income Americans on the wrong side of the digital divide," they said. The draft is on the tentative agenda for the FCC's Nov. 16 meeting (see 1710270013). Meanwhile, TracFone Wireless submitted an emergency petition to the FCC to temporarily waive new minimum service standards for Lifeline-supported services. As of Dec. 1, "the minimum service standard for mobile voice service will increase from 500 minutes per month to 750 minutes per month; the minimum standard for mobile broadband will increase from 500 MB per month to 1 GB per month," TracFone said, asking for a waiver to implement service proposals it made in September.
The FCC majority engaged in “direct attack on consumers and small business” during Chairman Ajit Pai’s 10 months, said Commissioner Mignon Clyburn in a news conference Wednesday preceding a briefing from the Voices for Internet Freedom coalition. In both events, Clyburn castigated Pai and the FCC majority for “hypocrisy” and a stream of policies she said favor large companies. “This is a sad path,” Clyburn said. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, Democratic National Committee Deputy Chairman Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., were also critical of the FCC majority. Net neutrality is “a justice issue, a civil rights issue,” Khanna told the event. FCC leadership is “fixated on billion dollar public companies and what it best for their bottom line,” Clyburn said. Congress held a hearing on net neutrality Wednesday (see 1711010052).
The FCC majority engaged in “direct attack on consumers and small business” during Chairman Ajit Pai’s 10 months, said Commissioner Mignon Clyburn in a news conference Wednesday preceding a briefing from the Voices for Internet Freedom coalition. In both events, Clyburn castigated Pai and the FCC majority for “hypocrisy” and a stream of policies she said favor large companies. “This is a sad path,” Clyburn said. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, Democratic National Committee Deputy Chairman Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., were also critical of the FCC majority. Net neutrality is “a justice issue, a civil rights issue,” Khanna told the event. FCC leadership is “fixated on billion dollar public companies and what it best for their bottom line,” Clyburn said. Congress held a hearing on net neutrality Wednesday (see 1711010052).
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters Tuesday he now expects the bill he and Senate Communications Subcommittee ranking member Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, have begun circulating on easing barriers to 5G and other broadband deployments will come up at the committee markup after the one expected to happen this month. Thune previously told us he had hoped to have the legislation ready for the committee's early November executive session, which could happen as soon as Nov. 8 (see 1710270058 and 1710300022). A draft we obtained includes language that would require state and local governments to sync their shot clocks for granting siting permits. The legislation also would direct the GAO to study broadband deployments on tribal lands. A committee spokesman said there isn't a set timeline for Thune and Schatz to formally file their bill. CTIA Senior Vice President-Government Affairs Kelly Cole praised the draft as “modernizing how wireless networks are deployed.”
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters Tuesday he now expects the bill he and Senate Communications Subcommittee ranking member Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, have begun circulating on easing barriers to 5G and other broadband deployments will come up at the committee markup after the one expected to happen this month. Thune previously told us he had hoped to have the legislation ready for the committee's early November executive session, which could happen as soon as Nov. 8 (see 1710270058 and 1710300022). A draft we obtained includes language that would require state and local governments to sync their shot clocks for granting siting permits. The legislation also would direct the GAO to study broadband deployments on tribal lands. A committee spokesman said there isn't a set timeline for Thune and Schatz to formally file their bill. CTIA Senior Vice President-Government Affairs Kelly Cole praised the draft as “modernizing how wireless networks are deployed.”