New Chairman Ajit Pai is likely to restructure the FCC to create an economics bureau, or something similar, industry officials said. The focus on economics comports with the long-standing Republican focus on cost-benefit analysis of orders and other agency actions. Pai, in his first news conference on his new job, said Tuesday he hasn’t made any decisions on process reform or agency restructuring (see 1701310056).
The consumer handheld satellite phone market will likely raise equipment prices or boost average revenue per user as major players look to compete with the land-mobile market, said Northern Sky Research Research Director Claude Rousseau in a NSR blog post Wednesday. He said the consumer handheld market -- targeting outdoors enthusiasts, remote workers and emergency services -- is expected to exceed 1 million in-service units by 2026. By trying to expand into new markets, the equipment will have to add features that will add to the expense, NSR said. It said Globalstar still dominates the consumer handheld market with its Spot products, and it -- plus Iridium's InReach and Thuraya SatSleeve -- could reach the 1 million mark.
The consumer handheld satellite phone market will likely raise equipment prices or boost average revenue per user as major players look to compete with the land-mobile market, said Northern Sky Research Research Director Claude Rousseau in a NSR blog post Wednesday. He said the consumer handheld market -- targeting outdoors enthusiasts, remote workers and emergency services -- is expected to exceed 1 million in-service units by 2026. By trying to expand into new markets, the equipment will have to add features that will add to the expense, NSR said. It said Globalstar still dominates the consumer handheld market with its Spot products, and it -- plus Iridium's InReach and Thuraya SatSleeve -- could reach the 1 million mark.
The consumer handheld satellite phone market will likely raise equipment prices or boost average revenue per user as major players look to compete with the land-mobile market, said Northern Sky Research Research Director Claude Rousseau in a NSR blog post Wednesday. He said the consumer handheld market -- targeting outdoors enthusiasts, remote workers and emergency services -- is expected to exceed 1 million in-service units by 2026. By trying to expand into new markets, the equipment will have to add features that will add to the expense, NSR said. It said Globalstar still dominates the consumer handheld market with its Spot products, and it -- plus Iridium's InReach and Thuraya SatSleeve -- could reach the 1 million mark.
House Commerce Committee Republicans told the FCC to shut down its set-top box proceeding Wednesday, in a letter to new Chairman Ajit Pai. “Sounds good to me!” Commissioner Mike O’Rielly quickly agreed on Twitter. “Time to move past this discredited proposal.” Closing the proceeding would require a vote by the full commission, longtime communications attorney and Georgetown Law Institute for Public Representation Senior Counselor Andrew Schwartzman told us.
House Commerce Committee Republicans told the FCC to shut down its set-top box proceeding Wednesday, in a letter to new Chairman Ajit Pai. “Sounds good to me!” Commissioner Mike O’Rielly quickly agreed on Twitter. “Time to move past this discredited proposal.” Closing the proceeding would require a vote by the full commission, longtime communications attorney and Georgetown Law Institute for Public Representation Senior Counselor Andrew Schwartzman told us.
House Commerce Committee Republicans told the FCC to shut down its set-top box proceeding Wednesday, in a letter to new Chairman Ajit Pai. “Sounds good to me!” Commissioner Mike O’Rielly quickly agreed on Twitter. “Time to move past this discredited proposal.” Closing the proceeding would require a vote by the full commission, longtime communications attorney and Georgetown Law Institute for Public Representation Senior Counselor Andrew Schwartzman told us.
Incompas said CenturyLink's planned buy of Level 3 could undermine competition and lead to higher prices and less fiber deployment to businesses. "Level 3 is a shining example of how competition and interconnection policy bring more innovation and better customers service to market," said Karen Reidy, vice president-regulatory affairs, in a release Tuesday noting Incompas filed comments in the FCC's review proceeding. "While we understand why an incumbent like CenturyLink would desire to acquire such an innovative network, the significant reduction in competitive choice at building locations across CenturyLink’s footprint threatens to saddle business customers with less choice and higher prices." Level 3 is an Incompas member. In its FCC comments, Incompas said eliminating a last-mile facilities-based competitor would "enable the combined company to more easily execute price squeezes to push other retail enterprise business solution providers out of the market," including for multi-location customers partially in CenturyLink's incumbent telco region. "Applicants attempt to gloss over these issues by understating buildings where they have overlaps, while overstating alternative facilities-based options for business data services at these buildings," said the filing in docket 16-403. It said the takeover "may dampen CenturyLink's plans for fiber deployments to buildings lit by Level 3," and applicants made inadequate showings on dark fiber for long-haul transport and on remaining transport providers. "Before approving this transaction, the Commission must ensure that the competitive force Level 3 has provided is not lost," Incompas said. The National Congress of American Indians asked the agency to use the review to address the lack of affordable broadband on tribal lands. "Many Native Americans reside in CenturyLink’s 14-state service territory which is home to the largest land-based, federally recognized tribal lands in the country. This merger risks lessening the incentive CenturyLink has to invest in their networks that serve Tribal lands ... as the merged entity shifts its business model to one focused on enterprise business services," said NCAI's comments. CenturyLink emailed in response: “Our nation’s telecommunications and IT infrastructure must continue to evolve quickly to meet the ever-increasing demands of government, business and consumers. Because we must meet those needs and strengthen America’s telecommunications infrastructure for the future, it is clear that this transaction is in the public interest.” Level 3 didn't comment.
Incompas said CenturyLink's planned buy of Level 3 could undermine competition and lead to higher prices and less fiber deployment to businesses. "Level 3 is a shining example of how competition and interconnection policy bring more innovation and better customers service to market," said Karen Reidy, vice president-regulatory affairs, in a release Tuesday noting Incompas filed comments in the FCC's review proceeding. "While we understand why an incumbent like CenturyLink would desire to acquire such an innovative network, the significant reduction in competitive choice at building locations across CenturyLink’s footprint threatens to saddle business customers with less choice and higher prices." Level 3 is an Incompas member. In its FCC comments, Incompas said eliminating a last-mile facilities-based competitor would "enable the combined company to more easily execute price squeezes to push other retail enterprise business solution providers out of the market," including for multi-location customers partially in CenturyLink's incumbent telco region. "Applicants attempt to gloss over these issues by understating buildings where they have overlaps, while overstating alternative facilities-based options for business data services at these buildings," said the filing in docket 16-403. It said the takeover "may dampen CenturyLink's plans for fiber deployments to buildings lit by Level 3," and applicants made inadequate showings on dark fiber for long-haul transport and on remaining transport providers. "Before approving this transaction, the Commission must ensure that the competitive force Level 3 has provided is not lost," Incompas said. The National Congress of American Indians asked the agency to use the review to address the lack of affordable broadband on tribal lands. "Many Native Americans reside in CenturyLink’s 14-state service territory which is home to the largest land-based, federally recognized tribal lands in the country. This merger risks lessening the incentive CenturyLink has to invest in their networks that serve Tribal lands ... as the merged entity shifts its business model to one focused on enterprise business services," said NCAI's comments. CenturyLink emailed in response: “Our nation’s telecommunications and IT infrastructure must continue to evolve quickly to meet the ever-increasing demands of government, business and consumers. Because we must meet those needs and strengthen America’s telecommunications infrastructure for the future, it is clear that this transaction is in the public interest.” Level 3 didn't comment.
The Arctic Economic Council pressed for more broadband deployment in the Arctic parts of the U.S., Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia and Sweden. AEC's Tuesday report highlighted issues posed by reaching some of the most difficult areas to serve. “There is currently no comprehensive strategy for connecting all Arctic communities to one another and the rest of the world,” the report said: Arctic nations “tend to work in isolation from one another when attempting to address their internal user needs.” The study urges mainly private sector solutions. AEC released the report during a conference in Tromsø, Norway, above the Arctic Circle.