Today: US House Hearing on Robocalling, Spoofing, and Scams, FCC Agenda for April Open Meeting
US House Hearing on Robocalling, Spoofing, and Scams
The House Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection, chaired by Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH), will hold a hearing on Thursday, April 19, 2018 entitled, “Do Not Call: Combating Robocalls and Caller ID Spoofing.” The subcommittee will examine the tactics behind robocalls and caller ID spoofing that harm consumers as well as discuss the tools available for Americans to protect themselves and their families. “Last year, robocalls, caller ID spoofing, and telemarketing scams were the worst they’ve ever been,” said Chairman Latta. “Not only are these unwanted calls invasive and a nuisance, often concealed by so-called ‘neighbor spoofing,’ they have the potential for real financial harm. As scammers continue to use malicious tactics to convince people – often senior citizens – to hand over their personal information, we need to make sure consumers can stay one step ahead. I look forward to our hearing next week to shed light on this important issue on behalf of consumers.”
FCC Announces Agenda for April Open Meeting
The FCC announced the agenda for its April 17, 2018, Open Meeting. As expected, the items are as follows:
- Protecting National Security Through FCC Programs: A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to ensure that universal service support is not used to purchase equipment or services from companies posing a national security threat to the integrity of communications networks or the communications supply chain.
- Spectrum Frontiers Auctions Public Notice: A Public Notice that would seek comment on the procedures for the auctions of Upper Microwave Flexible Use Service licenses in the 28 GHz and 24 GHz bands.
- Streamlining Licensing Procedures for Small Satellites: A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that proposes a new, alternative application process designed for a class of satellites referred to as “small satellites.”
- Rural Call Completion: A Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that will adopt new measures, and seek comment on others, to better tackle the problem of call completion and ensure that calls are completed to all Americans—including those in rural America.
- Business Data Services for Model-Based Rate-of-Return Carriers: A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to enable model-based rate-of-return carriers to elect incentive regulation for their lower-speed business data services offerings, and to remove ex ante pricing regulation for packet-based and higher-speed circuit-based offerings.
- Cable Channel Lineup Requirements: A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposing to eliminate the requirement that cable operators maintain a channel lineup at their local office and seeking comment on eliminating the requirement that certain cable operators make their channel lineup available via their online public inspection file.
Note: the item concerning the reduction of broadcaster reporting obligations relating to the provision of ancillary or supplementary services was deleted from the agenda and the order reducing those reporting obligations released.
INTESERRA SPRING 2018 SEMINAR "DEMYSTIFYING TELECOM AND INTERNET REGULATION" MAY 8 & 9
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The Regulatory Mix, Inteserra’s daily blog of telecom related regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of an Inteserra Briefing.
