Senate Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chair Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., last week told us he’s in favor of Congress considering banning TikTok across the U.S., a concept that’s gaining bipartisan interest after Congress banned the app on federal devices.
Senate Commerce Committee leaders who spearheaded a stymied bid to attach the Spectrum Auction Reauthorization Act (see 2212190069) to the FY 2023 appropriations omnibus bill (HR-2617) are divided on whether they will be able to advance the proposal largely in its current form in the next Congress. The reauth package included modified language from the chamber's version of the Spectrum Innovation Act (S-4117) and other related measures. President Joe Biden signed off Friday night on a continuing resolution that extends the FCC's spectrum auction authority through Dec. 30 (HR-4373) to allow further time for HR-2617's enrolled version to make it to his desk. Congress included language in the omnibus that renews the FCC's remit through March 9, in lieu of the spectrum deal language. The March 9 deadline is spurring lawmakers’ interest in quickly reaching a new deal when talks reconvene at the start of the 118th Congress.
Revised Colorado Privacy Act (CPA) draft rules make some proposed requirements easier and others harder for data controllers, business privacy attorneys wrote last week. The Colorado attorney general’s office is seeking comments by Jan. 18 on revised draft rules released Wednesday. “Some changes will be heralded by privacy advocates, while others will make implementation easier for businesses,” said McDermott Will attorneys.
All four FCC commissioners have now voted to approve an NPRM seeking comment on rule revisions tied to the need of operators of unmanned aircraft systems for licensed spectrum. Commissioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington OK'd the item late last week, and it’s expected to be released after the Christmas holiday, officials said.
The telecom industry bashed a California examination of AT&T and Frontier Communications wireline networks, in comments received Wednesday by the California Public Utilities Commission. The CPUC reports, which found copper service-quality problems, certainly shouldn’t be used as a reason to apply metrics to the entire industry including VoIP and wireless, said many companies in docket R.22-03-016. Consumer and worker advocates disagreed, urging the CPUC to tighten and expand its service-quality oversight over communications.
With six business days left in 2022, the FCC has started its 2022 quadrennial review even as its 2018 review remains unfinished. FCC officials told us a vote on a draft QR order or NPRM isn't likely soon without five commissioners. Before Thursday's QR public notice establishing docket 22-459, multiple 10th-floor officials said there had been no mention of a QR proposal from the chairwoman’s office in months.
The House is set to vote Friday on passing the FY 2023 appropriations omnibus package (HR-2617), which would extend the FCC’s spectrum auction authority through March 9 in lieu of a spectrum legislative deal that got objections (see 2212200077) from Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D. The Senate voted 69-29 Thursday to pass the omnibus, which also includes increases in federal funding for the FCC, FTC, NTIA, other Commerce Department agencies, the DOJ Antitrust Division and CPB (see 2212210077). The House, meanwhile, passed the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act (S-1541) and Low Power Protection Act (S-3405) on voice votes a day after the Senate cleared both measures.
A Connecticut telecom regulator admonished an industry working group on pole attachments before voting with colleagues to adopt an order meant to reduce the state’s backlog of double poles (docket 21-07-29). At a virtual meeting Wednesday, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) voted 3-0 for the plan to require a single-visit transfer (SVT) pilot program and tighten timelines for dealing with double poles (see 2212070065). PURA Chairman Marissa Paslick Gillett wished the order went further but said she has “cautious optimism that this will move the ball forward.”
All four FCC commissioners expressed support Wednesday for proposed rules to more precisely route wireless 911 calls and texts to public safety answering points through location-based routing (LBR). The NPRM wasn’t controversial while before commissioners, though industry is expected to weigh in during the comment period (see 2212200064).
In a busy end-of-year meeting, the FCC tackled digital discrimination, IP captioned telephone services rates and the space application review process, all with unanimous votes by commissioners. Commissioners also approved a record-setting fine for alleged robocalls, at Wednesday's meeting.