FCC commissioners approved a Further NPRM 4-0 Thursday on an enhanced competition incentive program. The ECIP item includes, as expected (see 2111170054), language requiring staff prepare a five-year report on the program's effectiveness, sought by Commissioner Geoffrey Starks. Only Starks and Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel offered substantial comments on the item during the meeting.
A Securus petition for a waiver of FCC rules on per minute rates, allowing inmate calling services to provide subscription plans, is raising eyebrows among other ICS providers and advocates (see 2111120056). Some said more information is needed before a decision is made and the issue at hand could be included in its larger rulemaking to cut interstate rate caps (see 2105200044). Comments are due Jan. 7 in docket 12-375.
While applauding the FCC for requiring covered text provider support of text-to-988 capabilities, mental health and disability communities raised caution flags about the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline having adequate resources come July to handle texting traffic. Commissioners unanimously approved an order Thursday that requires routing of texts sent to 988 to the Lifeline, and setting outer bounds for text message formats to be sent. The final item wasn't released. Also OK'd 4-0 was U.S. market access for French-flagged satellite IoT operator Kineis, as expected (see 2111030008), and a Further NPRM on creating an enhanced competition incentive program aimed at boosting spectrum access by small carriers and tribes (see 2111180071).
The California Public Utilities Commission unanimously cleared Verizon buying Tracfone (see our report here), leaving the FCC as the final regulatory approval needed for the acquisition that would affect many low-income customers. CPUC commissioners voted 5-0 at a virtual meeting Thursday to allow the deal. FCC officials told us they expect the agency to move forward in coming weeks, following the CPUC action.
In a breakthrough for right-to-repair advocates, Apple said Wednesday its new Self Service Repair program will make genuine Apple parts, tools and manuals available for consumers who are “comfortable” servicing their own devices. Advocates greeted the news with a mixture of glee and trepidation over what they said was a program that at first appearance was rife with limitations and unknowns.
A Further NPRM on an enhanced competition incentive program (ECIP) that would benefit small carriers and tribes is expected to be approved Thursday largely as circulated by Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, agency officials told us. One likely change is language requiring staff to prepare a five-year report on the effectiveness of the program, proposed by Commissioner Geoffrey Starks, officials said. In 2019, Starks proposed a similar 10-year, data-focused, look-back report on the high cost USF program.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, will place a hold on Alvaro Bedoya’s FTC nomination, Cruz told us Wednesday, citing the nominee's Twitter activity linking the Trump administration to white supremacy. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, is also “contemplating" a hold over a Bedoya retweet describing Trump supporters as white supremacists.
Senate Commerce Committee Democrats found ample support during a Wednesday confirmation hearing for plans to speed panel and floor consideration of FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel’s renomination, in part citing Republicans’ expected somewhat supportive reception for the nominee (see 2111160001). Democratic FTC nominee Alvaro Bedoya got stronger criticism. At least two committee Republicans indicated they’re considering placing holds that would delay Bedoya’s progress on the floor (see 2111170059).
Network operators are looking for other companies to act as system integrators (SIs) as open radio access networks roll out, Charlie Martin, Dell Technologies senior consultant-open RAN product management, said during an RCR Wireless webinar Tuesday. Other speakers predicted a gradual move to ORAN, with parts already underway.
The FBI’s decision to withhold the decryption key associated with the Kaseya cyberattack was made with a long-term plan of addressing Russian threats, despite the millions that businesses lost because of the decision, FBI Cyber Division Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran told the House Oversight Subcommittee Tuesday (see 2109210055). National Cyber Director Chris Inglis and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Executive Director Brandon Wales backed the decision.