TELECOM
US Congress
The House Energy and Commerce Committee passed all nine telecommunications-related bills it considered at its mark-up earlier this week. See the Regulatory Mix dated 4/25/16. This includes:
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation approved S.2644, the FCC Reauthorization Act of 2016, and S.421, Federal Communications Commission Process Reform Act of 2015, among other bills, at its April 27, 2016, mark-up. See the Regulatory Mix dated 4/25/16. Numerous amendments reflecting other telecom related bills were adopted as part of the FCC Reauthorization bill, including amendments to require the FCC to: assess the impact of universal service support on broadband deployment on tribal lands; reports on the incentive auction repack and resulting station relocation; report on its rural healthcare program and to conduct a notice of inquiry into whether the program is meeting the goals of the universal service provisions of the Telecommunications Act; and complete a cramming rulemaking. Other amendments require the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study on the IP transition and government efforts to facilitate it and include the Kari’s Law Act (which would require users to be able to reach 911 emergency call centers without dialing an addition code, prefix, or post-fix on multiline telephone systems (MLTS), such as those used in hotels) and the Spoofing Prevention Act (that expands the existing prohibitions on spoofing to include text messages and international calls).
FCC
Spectrum Incentive Auction
The Incentive Auction Task Force (IATF) and the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) announced the 126 MHz initial spectrum clearing target for the broadcast television spectrum auction. Also included in the announcement: bidding in the clock phase of the Reverse Auction (Auction 1001) is to start on May 31, 2016, number of forward auction blocks, mailing of confidential status letters, and upcoming dates for the reverse auction.