Today: US House Committee Urges Net Neutrality Vote, FCC Chairman on Impacts of California Wildfires, FCC December Open Meeting  

US House Committee Urges Net Neutrality Vote

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Marsha Blackburn released the following statement in response to recent calls to delay the FCC’s impending vote on Net Neutrality/Restoring internet freedom. 

“We commend Chairman Pai’s resolve in the face of the misinformed hysteria surrounding the subject of net neutrality, combined with the continuing outrageous personal attacks on him and his family.  As we predicted, Title II has been a drag on broadband investment, and reversing the prior commission’s power grab is a critical step in our efforts to supercharge deployment and improve access to broadband throughout America.  At the same time, we will continue to work towards enshrining clear, bipartisan net neutrality rules into law.”

FCC Chairman Monitoring Impacts of California Wildfires

Chairman Ajit Pai said in a statement released yesterday that “As devastating fires continue to hit Southern California, our thoughts and prayers go out to those in the paths of these flames, and we thank the first responders working tirelessly to combat these blazes.”  He has requested regular updates for the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, which is monitoring the impact of the wildfires on communications services. 

FCC December Open Meeting

The FCC announced the agenda for its December 14, 2017, Open Meeting.  The meeting will be broadcast over the Internet at www.fcc.gov/live. As expected, it includes: 

• Restoring Internet Freedom:  A Declaratory Ruling, Report and Order, and Order that will reclassify broadband Internet access service as an information service and reinstate the private mobile service classification of mobile broadband Internet access service.
• Twilight Towers:  A Public Notice seeking input on a draft Program Comment addressing the historic preservation review requirements for collocating wireless communications facilities on certain communications towers.
• Rural Health Care Support Mechanism:  A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Order to strengthen the Rural Health Care Program and improve access to telehealth in rural America.
• CMRS Presumption:  A Report and Order to eliminate the CMRS presumption.
• Electronic Delivery of Cable Communications:  A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on ways to modernize certain notice provisions governing multichannel video and cable television service.

The FCC will also consider a Report and Order that would amend the Emergency Alert System (EAS) rules to add a dedicated event code for Blue Alerts and a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding the national television multiple ownership rule reach cap. See TMI's blog, "Checking In @ The FCC" posted  11/30/17 for more information.

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The Regulatory Mix, TMI’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 a TMI Briefing.