public policy

Battle lines drawn in fight for state, local telecoms policy role

29 January 2018 by Steve Blum
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Update: the state senate approved SB 460 by a 21 to 12 vote and sent it on to the assembly.

The Federal Communications Commission can regulate some aspects of broadband deployment, but not all. That’s the picture painted by two complementary analyses of federal law and telecoms policy, one by the California senate’s judiciary committee staff and the other by attorneys working for the City of McAllen, Texas and endorsed by the cities of San Jose and New York.… More

FCC gets one touch fiber installation advice from industry group

27 January 2018 by Steve Blum
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Proposals for speeding up broadband infrastructure deployment haven’t been posted yet by the Federal Communications Commission. Its industry-led broadband deployment advisory committee wrapped up two days of meetings on Wednesday, with the big news so far being the resignation of San Jose major Sam Licardo, after the FCC allowed AT&T to rewrite draft recommendations that didn’t offer incumbents sufficient protection from the inconvenience of competition.
Thanks to reporting by Mari Silbey at Light Reading, at least we know that the group signed off on a one touch make ready (OTMR) policy…

For any simple pole attachment – i.e.,

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FCC grabs ankles for industry lobbyists San Jose mayor says, but in a nicer way

26 January 2018 by Steve Blum
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The Federal Communications Commission is only interested in listening to big telephone and cable companies, according to San Jose mayor Sam Licardo. He resigned from the FCC’s broadband deployment advisory committee yesterday, following two days of frustrating meetings that were dominated by industry lobbyists and other corporate hacks. Licardo said in his resignation letter that the industry bias was blatant…

One working group, which did not have a single municipal representative among its 30+ participants, created a draft model state code that included provisions to eliminate all municipal control over when, how, and whether to accept industry applications for infrastructure deployment.

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Cable lobby argues California lawmakers should bless Internet slow lanes

25 January 2018 by Steve Blum
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Cable operators want to sell Internet fast lanes to those who are are willing to pay, thereby consigning those who don’t to the slow lane. That was the clear message from Carolyn McIntyre, the president of the California Cable and Telecommunications Association, which is the main lobbying front for Comcast, Charter and most other cable operators in the state. She spoke out against senate bill 460 – a network neutrality revival bill introduced by senator Kevin de Leon (D – Los Angeles) – during a senate judiciary committee hearing yesterday.… More

Montana makes a fast play for net neutrality

24 January 2018 by Steve Blum
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While the California legislature is just beginning work on a network neutrality revival, Montana has already put its own version into effect. Montana governor Steve Bullock issued an executive order on Monday that bakes net neutrality rules into state contracting requirements.

If any company wants to sell telecommunications to the State of Montana it has to publicly disclose its network traffic management policies and other terms of service. Providers cannot:

  1. Block lawful content, applications, services, or nonharmful devices, subject to reasonable network management that is disclosed to the consumer;
  2. Throttle, impair or degrade lawful internet traffic on the basis ofinternet content, application, or service, or use of a nonharmful device, subject to reasonable network management that is disclosed to the consumer;
  3. Engage in paid prioritization; or
  4. Unreasonably interfere with or unreasonably disadvantage: a.
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Now it's trial lawyers who are tagged as California's broadband cops

23 January 2018 by Steve Blum
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Update: SB 460 has been bucked to the California senate’s judiciary committee, where it’s due for a hearing tomorrow morning (Wednesday, 24 Jan 2018).

The latest version of a bill that aims to reinstate a network neutrality regime in California allows consumers to sue broadband companies that don’t abide by the three “bright line rules” that were thrown out last month by the Federal Communications Commission: no blocking, throttling or paid prioritisation.

The California senate’s appropriations committee’s endorsement of senate bill 460 last week included a promise to find a more appropriate net neutrality enforcer than the California Public Utilities Commission, as originally planned.… More

Congress' gridlock won't shut down FCC's broadband "sledgehammer"

22 January 2018 by Steve Blum
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One reason to be happy about a federal government shutdown might have been this week’s planned meeting of the Federal Communications Commission’s broadband deployment advisory committee (BDAC). The FCC’s published plan for federal shutdowns calls for “cancelling FCC sponsored events and notifying participants”. But no joy, the agency found enough money lying around to “remain open and pay staff at least through the close of business on Friday, January 26”.

(Even after the money runs out, staff who work at the high frequency direction finding center will stay on the job.… More

Pile of broadband bills and initiatives grows in Washington, D.C.

21 January 2018 by Steve Blum
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The federal government shut down is an opportunity to take stock of some of the broadband legislation and spending initiatives put on the table in the federal capital during the past couple of weeks.

Federal Communications Commission president Ajit Pai is circulating a proposal to direct what he says is an extra $500 million towards small rural carriers and cooperatives and “put in place strong new rules to prevent abuse”. It would come from an existing universal service program – whether it’s really new money or just a rebranding is unclear.… More

New York, California, 19 other states stake out legal grounds for net neutrality appeal

20 January 2018 by Steve Blum
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California’s attorney general (AG), Xavier Becerra, joined a speculative lawsuit launched by his New York counterpart aimed at overturning the Federal Communication Commission’s decision to end broadband’s status as a common carrier service and eliminate network neutrality rules. Becerra’s press release might lead you to believe it was his idea, but it was New York AG Eric Schneiderman who led the effort and then convinced AGs from 20 other states, including California, to sign on.… More

Broadband won't be slower, mobile isn't the same as wired FCC says

19 January 2018 by Steve Blum
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The republican-led Federal Communications Commission will endorse two essential and, to some, controversial policy positions taken by the previous democratic majority commission: the minimum speed for broadband service to be considered “advanced” is 25 Mbps down/3 Mbps up, and mobile service is not a “full substitute” for wireline broadband – there are “salient differences” between the two.

It’s a victory for common sense and market freedom over the intense, self interested lobbying by big telephone, cable and mobile companies at the local, state and federal level.… More